Letter from Clark County School District
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August 20, 2008
To Whom It May Concern:
I would like to offer this letter as a testimony to the successful partnership the East Region of the Clark County School District in Nevada has had with the Caring 4 Kids Foundation (C4K). In 2005, I had privilege of meeting with Scott Sullivan, founder of C4K, to discuss how this non-profit foundation could, as a community grassroots effort, help us feed homeless students over the weekend. As the assistant superintendent in the region of the fifth largest school district in the nation, who serves the greatest percentage of students living in poverty, you can imagine my excitement. During the second semester of that school year, C4K worked with several schools, serving between two and three hundred students, ensuring they had a backpack of food to sustain them over the weekend.
Although the food was important, the delivery method probably was just as important in the lives of these children. Not only did volunteers pack the food for the students, but they committed to take the food and personally give it to them each week. This human contact is so very vital and makes such a difference in the lives of children who do not have consistent appropriate adult interactions in their lives.
Being data driven, we were able to track the attendance and achievement of the selected students since the addition of food was the only change in student intervention during this semester. The data showed that only one student had reduced attendance and achievement. Every other student either remained at the same level or increased in one or both areas. Wouldn't it be great if every intervention could show this same result; especially at a time in the school year when we usually see a decline in attendance and grades.
For these reasons, we are looking forward to expanding this stomach and heartwarming opportunity to encompass 20 schools and 1200 students during the upcoming year.
It has amazed me that there has been such an outpouring of support for this amazing concept. I do believe, however, that it is something with which we all believe we can relate. Indeed it cannot be true that feeling like one will starve to death because a meeting runs long or there was no breakfast due to a hectic morning equates to having a free lunch on Friday and then knowing there will be no food again until Monday morning's free breakfast. What is true, however, is that by feeding a child, we feed our own spirit, we strengthen everyone's future, and we model what we are hoping to teach. I urge you to show that indeed this grassroots model can make a difference in any city, for any children, for all who participate.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you need further information. It will be my pleasure to share our experiences with you as you feed the bodies, minds and spirits of those who would otherwise weaken and become thoughtless and lifeless before their time.
Sincerely,
Eva M. White, Ed.D
Assistant Superintendent, East Region, Clark County School District |
| What the School District is Saying |
Clark County School District - Eva White, Assistant Superintendent, East Region:
“In our opinion, the results of the Caring 4 Kids program have been PHENOMENAL! In general, we would have expected to see a significant decrease in the attendance and academic results in these children over the semesters. Instead, we saw NO decrease in attendance and a general increase in academics.
Scott Sullivan and the Caring 4 Kids Foundation are to be commended for the work they do as it is truly changing the lives of these children.
The ONLY difference between the before and after statistics was this program.”
As a Result of this program, here are the statistics:
ATTENDANCE:
· 74.3% children had improved attendance
· 25.7% showed no change
· 0% had decreased attendance
GRADES / OVERALL ACADEMICS:
· 52.9% demonstrated an increase in grades and overall academic results
· 44.1% showed no change
· 2.9% had a decrease in results
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