ABSTRACT

When we truly talk about hope for our kids in terms of meeting the needs of the whole child, we believe there is so much more that is needed to truly offer both wrap-around services and to fill the experience gap that is present for so many of our children. A core part of effective partnerships is understanding the needs of the whole child and knowing how and where to access resources to meet those needs. The primary function of the school is to meet the educational needs of children and the community supports core and extended needs outside of their education. When schools meet the basic educational needs of children, learning happens. Students experience success on a regular basis. Supports from the community address issues that relate to meeting basic family needs. These organizations and the people who work for them understand the importance of education but also focus on making sure families have their basic needs met.