Last year, a family with five children enrolled in a school in the Great Schools Partnership fell on hard times. They already received monthly assistance with food bags, clothing needs, and holiday assistance when disaster struck. Their father was out of the country when a water pipe burst, leaving the family without water for the two weeks until he returned. In addition to being without water, their electrical panel was also experiencing problems. The family couldn’t afford their bills, repair expenses, and putting food on the table- so they reached out to the Great Schools Partnership. A Resource Coordinator collaborated with partner organizations and arranged for the family to have clean drinking water and food, free of cost, so that they didn’t need to decide between electricity and feeding their children. The kids also stayed in an aftercare program during this time and received a hot meal each night- free of charge. The family continued to receive aid for the next couple of weeks until their father returned home and was able to fix the water pipe. The family is now doing very well, living comfortable, and not worrying about where to find their next meal- thanks to the Great Schools Partnership.
United Way of Greater Knoxville is proud to support the Great Schools Partnership, and agency dedicated to fostering safe, healthy, and supportive communities through local schools. Change doesn’t happen alone. To live better, we must LIVE UNITED.