Camas-based nonprofit helps homeless students succeed

Good News Notes:

Imagine being homeless and still having to do school work in order to graduate. Or just advance to the next grade level.

Family Promise of Clark County, a nonprofit based in Camas that helps families experiencing homelessness, jumped in to help students by launching its FP Cares Educational Services in November. Along with that came its Learning Support Center.

The learning center allows for homeless families participating in FPCC’s programs to enroll their children for education support.

A $100,000 grant awarded to FPCC through the CARES Act will fund the program through the end of this school year.

FPCC’s Executive Director David Cole said the program, conceived before COVID-19 arrived, is already making an impact for students in grades one through 12 after three months. In a few weeks, there will be 25 students enrolled.

He mentioned how one student who enrolled was a senior with four F’s and on a path to not graduating.

‘After one month in the program, this student has no F’s and is now in a credit recovery program,’ Cole said. ‘The goal of graduation is not too far off. We’re even setting up senior pictures!’

A program coordinator works with parents, children, teachers and counselors to develop an individual education plan. Volunteer tutors provide individual and group instruction every day.

‘Students know they will receive help and someone will be checking on them,’ Cole said.

To accommodate learning and prevent young children from being left unattended as they work on their education, parents remain on site during the day in the new Family Promise Living Room, where they have access to case management and food. Interested parents can even enroll in a GED program to further their own education.”

View the whole story here: https://www.columbian.com/news/2021/feb/28/camas-based-nonprofit-helps-homeless-students-succeed/

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