CARE Team Aligns Resources and Social Services for Stark County Schools

(Canton, OH) February 7, 2019 — Through the Stark County CARE (Coordinates & Aligns Resources to Engage, Empower & Educate) Team initiative, more students and their families in our community receive the help and support services they need to succeed in school.

CARE Team coordinates and aligns resources to engage, empower and educate our youth, families and communities to equip them with the skills needed for life-long success and learning. The teams are comprised of administrators, school counselors, teachers, nurses, resource officers, psychologists, and other school staff, as well as, family support specialists, mental health, alcohol/ drug therapists and community agency providers.

Each CARE Team meets regularly to address the many non-academic barriers that influence academic performance of students, such as physical health, substance abuse, physical abuse, housing, nutrition and poverty. They develop strategies to promote physical, social, emotional and intellectual support for them.

“If a student comes to school hungry, how can we expect him or her to sit in a classroom and learn? If a student’s family is dealing with trauma or other hardships, will he or she have the ability to concentrate and flourish in a school environment?” said CARE Team Director Kay Port. “With this program, we assist students and their families with resources they truly need.  When I was a school administrator, I would have embraced a program that allowed me to dig deeper into non-academic barriers and provide additional learning supports for students. CARE Team does just that.”

CARE Team is funded in-part by United Way of Greater Stark County and its impact continues to thrive. This year, CARE Team operates in 105 school buildings across 21 districts served by the Stark County Educational Service Center. School locations include Alliance Middle, Brown Local, all Canton City District, Canton Local: Fairless Middle and Fairless High, Carrollton Exempted Village, Jackson Local, Lake Local, Louisville Middle, Marlington Local (Lexington Elementary, Marlboro Elementary and Marlington Middle), Massillon City (Franklin Elementary and Massillon Middle), Minerva Local, North Canton City, Northwest Local, Osnaburg Local (East Canton Elementary, East Canton Middle and High), Perry Local (Genoa Elementary), Plain Local (Avondale Elementary, Barr Elementary, Frazer Elementary, Taft Elementary, Warstler Elementary, and Glenwood Middle), R.G. Drage Career Technical, Sandy Valley Local (Sandy Valley Elementary and Middle) and Tuslaw Local.

“CARE Team helps to bridge the gap in our school systems by connecting students to the community resources they need,” said United Way of Greater Stark County President & CEO Maria Heege. “Addressing these issues early-on will not only make an immediate difference for these students but will impact their lives for years to come.”

To support CARE Team, contribute to United Way of Greater Stark County by texting UWSTARK to 41444 or visit https://uwstark.org/get-involved/give/ to donate.

About CARE Team

Stark County CARE Team offers support and intervention for at-risk youth facing non-academic barriers in school. It is a collaboration between United Way of Greater Stark County, Stark County Family Court, Stark County Job & Family Services, Stark Education Partnership, Stark County Family Council, Stark County Educational Service Center, Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery and the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities. CARE Teams are comprised of teachers, administrators, family support specialists and staff from multiple community agencies including law enforcement, mental health, alcohol and drugs and other social service agencies. Teams works together in a school-based environment to address challenges facing our student population and their families. www.starkcountyesc.org/content/370

About United Way of Greater Stark County
United Way of Greater Stark County fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. We win by living United. By forging unlikely partnerships. By finding new solutions to old problems. By mobilizing the best resources. And by inspiring individuals to join the fight against their community’s most daunting social crisis. Our mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of our communities in Greater Stark County. In order to live better, we must live United. For more information about United Way of Greater Stark County visit www.uwstark.org. Offices are at 401 Market Avenue North, Suite 300, Canton, Ohio 44702. (330) 491-0445.