In a world of constant change and uncertainty, education stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity. For children experiencing homelessness, the importance of staying in school cannot be overstated.
Amidst the challenges and hardships that come with homelessness, maintaining a consistent education can provide a lifeline to stability, empowerment, and a brighter future. That’s why, at COTS, Care Manager Wendy Lindberg works so diligently to support children’s education.
When a new family moves in to KFFS, one of the priorities is their children’s education. If the family is from out of town, Wendy will register their children in the Petaluma School District. If the family is local and prefers to stay at their home school, she reaches out to that school district to start work on a transportation plan.
The McKinney Vento Act requires that school districts provide transportation for students experiencing homelessness and that may be in the form of a bus ride, gas cards or even a driving service like Uber. It can take weeks for a plan to come into place, so in the meantime Wendy supports our parents by assisting with school drop off and pick up.
Wendy also helps our KFFS families navigate the difficult terrain of getting an IEP (Individual Education Plan) for children. She helps families gather documentation, brings them to appointments and acts as an advocate when needed. She shared how proud she is of the families both at currently at KFFS and those recently housed who set up IEPs with her assistance and are continuing them.
We’re so grateful to Wendy for the incredible work she does supporting our families. By prioritizing children’s education, COTS offers our families stability and hope.
By investing in COTS, you are investing in the education of children, we are investing in a future where potential knows no bounds and where the cycle of homelessness can be broken, one child at a time. We invite you to support this life changing work
Volunteers Make A Difference!
While we believe that Wendy is super woman, KFFS is also fortunate to have community support from volunteers who go above and beyond for our families. We have volunteers who provide after school homework assistance and organized-play. It’s an incredible opportunity for community members to support our families and ensure that children stay on top of their schoolwork. Community groups like the Petaluma Valley Rotary Club and Active 20/30 Club also provide material needs to our families. This August both groups helped provide backpacks, school supplies, school clothes and more for the families at KFFS.
This winter, more groups will come together to support our families over the Holidays. To learn more about how your or your community groups can get involved, email [email protected].
“Recently, a past client called to share with me the progress they were making with their child’s speech therapy, thanks to their IEP. It’s so gratifying to see our families doing so well.” Wendy Lindberg