NEWS

Dear Friends,

I hope this message finds you and your families healthy and safe. I wanted to share the ways Partnership with Children is contributing to citywide efforts during these unprecedented times. Our students, who were already living in stressful circumstances, will be among the hardest hit by this public health and economic crisis. School closures have meant the loss of access to meals, social services, and learning. 

Here is what our social workers, community school leaders, and family outreach staff have been doing on the front lines:

• Planning: We set up emergency procedures before schools closed—innovative safety plans for our most vulnerable students and strategies to access meals, technology for remote learning, and medical supplies.
• Adapting: Every staff member has a plan to support students remotely with therapeutic counseling, academic support, and critical information—while carefully monitoring community needs. And, one of our schools is serving as a Regional Enrichment Center for the children of our city’s first responders and most critical workers.
• Building: Now with the Center for Arts Education (CAE), our reach is over 30,000 students in 100 schools. We are working to ensure our staff stay strong and healthy during this crisis so they can provide support now, and throughout the recovery and reentry back to school.

Unfortunately, but inevitably, we have had to cancel our Spring Gala, which provides extensive funding for our work. But, we will resume enthusiastic preparations for our 2021 event once the environment has shifted.

Our students and families turned to us immediately when COVID-19 first broke out, and they will continue to do so. I am so proud of the extraordinary PWC community: our dedicated and expert staff, talented leadership team and Board, and all of you—who ensure that we can answer their call.

With gratitude,

Margaret Crotty
Executive Director & CEO
Partnership with Children & The Center for Arts Education