East Middle School in the DeSoto ISD offers a resource center for families to get what they need, from clothes to toiletries to food. NBC 5’s Deborah Ferguson explains.
The racks and shelves display things you'd see in a store, and that's what it is at East Middle School in the DeSoto ISD -- a store where families can get what they need, from clothes to toiletries to food.
"We have a lot of students and families with a lot of needs and I really, truly believe wholeheartedly that this is gonna be our way to serve 'em," said principal Travis Anderson.
The new Parent Resource Center is a partnership between the school and the decade-old nonprofit Serving with a Purpose founded by a woman who went from corporate America to education.
"Where I showed up to teach all these great things in reading and math, I quickly noticed the needs of kids are great," said founder Melissa Toney.
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Her path led her to East, where she works and where two classrooms were renovated and transformed to help families on the spot. In one of them, parents get tutoring, training and/or computer access. The other is stocked with necessities. All for free.
"It takes a village to holistically reach kids and eliminate barriers in households," Toney said. "Every need has to be touched and met in order for a kid to be successful."
The DeSoto ISD says East Middle School families in need of assistance should contact campus outreach counselor Brittany Torres as soon as possible. Families at other district campuses with immediate food needs should contact their campus counselor who will be able to work with Torres on a resolution.
