Family Support
Highland High Family Support focuses on providing our under privileged and refugee students the resources to address their essential needs. Based upon available resources and student needs, students are provided food, school supplies, shoes, clothes, uniforms, winter coats, eyeglasses, emergency dental care, and more. If you or someone you know is able to donate time or funding, please reach out! This effort relies upon our community, a corps of professional staff and motivated volunteers to provide this service to students. We greatly appreciate all the efforts to support our students in need.
FAMILY SUPPORT COORDINATOR
Mindy Smith
Melinda.Smith@slcschools.org
801-484-4343
Students need access to basic provisions. How can we expect students to succeed when we aren't providing them all of the tools needed to be successful learners? We believe that children must come to school prepared to learn, meaning they are well clothed, warm, healthy, and have vision correction, if necessary. Studies show that between 20% to 60% of students (depending on the area) don't have access to food, clothing, hygiene products, or school supplies.
" If you are worried about where you will sleep or where your next meal is coming from, it is unlikely that you are focusing on academics. Studies have found that food and housing insecurity results in lower grades, students take longer to finish, and there is an increasing risk of chronic health effects." - Women In STEM Editorial Board (2020, December 5). The price of education: The impossible burden students face to afford housing, food, and education.
WHAT CAN FAMILY SUPPORT HELP WITH?
- Everyday Clothing for students
- Formal Dance attire for students
- Food: snacks, canned foods, baking supplies
- Personal Hygiene
- School Supplies
- Technology/Internet Access
- and more, just ask! Please reach out, we are here to help.
The Family Support program has cultivated strong relationships with the Utah Food Bank to support students and families. The Food Bank visits district schools regularly now.
At one school site a parent, who had just been informed that her children would be receiving scholarships to participate in that school's outstanding summer school program, went through the Food Bank line and was able to collect groceries for her family. She then sought out the Community Learning Center coordinator and gave her $40.00. She indicated that due to the Food Bank visit, she would be able to give her grocery money for that week's food to the school to help other students attend the summer program.