Sandel Elementary to Hold Resource Fair for Families

Parents will have easy access to a variety of community resources Friday. 

Marcia Stephens, the in-school suspension supervisor and volunteer coordinator for Sandel Elementary, has organized the school's from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Friday. 

The fair will feature representatives from local organizations that provide services to the community. In the past, vendors have included local community and technical colleges, the Department of Social Services and food banks.  

Stephens started the resource fair because she saw a need for it. A few years ago, she was working with the Department of Social Services to bring parents who received benefits through the Family Indpendence Act to the school. To receive benefits, they had to complete a certain number of hours. 

Some of the parents asked Stephens where they could get assisstance with specific needs. 

"A lot of times parents don't know where to go," Stephens said.

To help them figure out where to go, Stephens created the resource fair.

"My reasoning for having the resource fair was sort of to have a one-stop resource event for our parents and our community where they could get exposure to DSS resources, academic resources or a food bank, if they needed that," she said.

Stephens said she tries to hold the fair on a day when the school is already having another event to make it convenient for parents.

This year, the school's starts at 5:30 p.m. after the resource fair.