By Catherine Meek | Executive Director
Dear Friends,
I am happy to report that, although this year was not without sadness, School on Wheels reached our most ambitious and challenging goal - doubling the number of homeless students we tutor to over 3,100! This was only accomplished because of your support, generosity, time and shared belief in our mission: to make educational success a reality for homeless children.
We lost our beloved Founder, Agnes Stevens, in February. Agnes was a visionary, an inspiration and a dear friend. She loved that we were helping so many kids supported by our growing number of volunteers, donors and partners. Her life was one of hope, of belief, of persistence and trust. She trusted us to continue her legacy - and we will.
In Agnes’ honor, we are creating the Founder’s Pledge. Please join us in pledging one hour a week to tutor a homeless child or pledge to raise $100 from 10 individuals. Although changing the world is seemingly impossible, changing the life of one homeless child is something you can definitely do. We know this.
Our new 3 year Strategic Plan focuses on growth - the number of homeless children in just the school districts we serve has reached an all-time high of 163,435. To support our students educationally, we also need to prepare them for the digital world and encourage the development of grit, resilience, and effective stress management. And we are committed to becoming the Gold Standard of volunteer organizations - training, motivating, recognizing and appreciating our volunteers who are the heart of what we do.
We are living in times of negative discourse, inequitable economic progress, failing schools and soaring child and family homelessness. At a time of great anxiety and fear, School on Wheels continues to provide hope to our most vulnerable children. We are only able to pursue our goals and dreams because of you - our partners. Help us stay strong as we continue enhancing educational opportunities for homeless children and providing them with a chance at a bright future.
With deep appreciation,
Catherine Meek, Executive Director
Overview
In 2014, 1,816 amazing volunteers tutored in over 150 locations throughout Southern California. They helped 3,129 homeless students learn to read, complete their homework, write essays, and provided friendship and encouragement. We also:
In addition to working closely with shelters, colleges and school districts, we developed partnerships with great organizations like: AmeriCorps VISTA, California Science Center, The Da Vinci School, Inner City Arts, Learn To Be, Project Hope Alliance, SHIELDS for Families
Looking Ahead to 2017
Our new strategic plan builds on what we accomplished during the past three years to create a stronger and more hopeful future for our students. By the end of 2017, we plan to:
These are ambitious goals, as we believe they must be. We are incredibly grateful for your partnership, and we look forward to continuing our work together as we strive to educate the most vulnerable children in our communities. Together, we are changing lives.
Student Stories
“'Sheena, did you see my grades online? I got a 16/14 on my history quiz!' Receiving text messages like this is what makes me look forward to tutoring Omar (7th grade) every week. He has demonstrated A’s and B’s in all his classes and is great at setting his exam study schedules. The time I get to spend with Omar is an absolute pleasure!" -Sheena Singh, Tutor
"At our introductory meeting Nicole (3rd grade) and I pointed at one another shrieking, “I KNOW YOU!!” (we had met at another shelter that summer). Nicole was faced with starting a new school (again) and expressed an indifference that was part of having gone through the experience more than once. At tutoring sessions, our goal is to get homework done so there will be time for fun stuff! I’m also very, very proud and excited for her wonderful mother, Tanya, who has recently earned her GED." -Marcia Rothman, Tutor
Volunteers
“I decided to volunteer because I wanted to give back to others. Education is such a powerful tool to a better life. It goes hand-in-hand with mentorship; people who educate also support and encourage. I wanted to be a part of this process, knowing full well that I am making a long-term investment in a homeless student’s future.” -Andrew Park, Tutor, Long Beach
“I loved school when I was a child. For me it was an escape from an unfortunate home life, much like the situations that our students have. I became a tutor because I like to see “the lights go on” for a student...being there for the moment a student understands a new concept and makes a connection to the excitement of learning.” -Gwen Roberts, Tutor, Los Angeles
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