Qlarant Foundation Provides $10,000 Grant to Student Support Network

Improving the Lives of Baltimore County Children

Student Support Network (SSN) is one of Qlarant Foundation’s newest grantees. SSN provides food, basic necessities, and advocacy to support the well-being of Baltimore County Public School (BCPS) students in need. The $10,000 grant from Qlarant Foundation will support SSN’s Rooms of Support (ROS) program.

“Children of low-income families frequently lack well-fitting clothing and shoes in good condition, school supplies, personal hygiene products, and food needed to concentrate, fit in, and ultimately succeed at school,” said SSN Executive Director Wendy Stringfellow.

The ROS program exists to meet the basic needs of BCPS students that persist after parents and guardians and the school system have exhausted their resources. The program serves as an easy-to-access, friendly place where students can obtain the items they require. SSN works with school staff to identify and fulfill additional needs that fall outside of what a ROS currently contains. Through the ROS program, they distribute food and supplies at critical times in the year, and when students face extended periods of time without free meals. Everything is free of charge.

“More than 66% of Baltimore County Public School students live in poverty (evidenced by student qualification for free & reduced meals, a measure of poverty),” continued Stringfellow. “Their families struggle to provide the basic necessities required for success in school. Additionally, many families are technically above the poverty line but live on a budget that allows for no savings, due to the high cost of living in our area.”

Children of low-income families frequently lack well-fitting, weather appropriate clothing and shoes in good condition, requisite school supplies, personal hygiene products, and ample nutrition needed to concentrate, fit in, and ultimately succeed at school.

ROS serve as safe havens and free school stores—easy to access, friendly places where students can go to obtain items they require when need something. ROS are stocked with items, both donated and purchased, that are frequently needed and always available to students.

“We also work with school staff to identify and fulfill additional needs that fall outside of what a ROS currently contains,” added Stringfellow. “Through the ROS program, we also conduct distributions of food and supplies at critical times in the year, when specific items are commonly needed, like backpack distribution in September, coat distribution in late fall, and when students will face extended periods of time without the free meals provided by their school. Everything is provided free of charge.”

The ROS program has been designed and tweaked to reduce barriers to access. ROS are located conveniently within schools so students don’t have to visit an off-site location to receive help. SSN’s school partners get creative in meeting students outside the ROS as well, frequently giving out snacks in the hallway, distributing meals for home at the school exit as students head for the bus, and offering assistance to all so that stigma is reduced.

The ROS program aligns well with Qlarant’s mission and values—”improving the health of individuals and communities.” The ROS program follows the idea of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, recognizing that without basic health and safety, school children will not be able to thrive socially and academically. The ROS program helps students meet their most basic physiological needs (i.e. clothing, food, school supplies) so they may begin to make progress toward higher levels and attributes of Maslow’s hierarchy, such as achievement, creativity, friendship, and self-esteem. By equipping individual children and adolescents, as well as their families, with these basic necessities, a healthier community will result. As students succeed in school and achieve higher education or apprenticeship, they will ultimately gain the resources they need to break the cycle of poverty.

“The work that the Student Support Network is doing supports foundational change in the lives of these children,” said Qlarant Foundation Board Chair Lamont Thompson. “Providing the nutrition, supplies, and other basic needs will definitely improve their ability to learn and succeed in both school and life. We see this as a perfect match for our mission and are pleased to be a part of such a noble effort.”