United Way, in partnership with community donors, has awarded FMMA a $750,000 grant! The grant funds our first three years as a United Way Community Partnership School.
United Way staff are actually housed on the FMMA campus to help provide our students, families, and staff with "wrap-around" services. This life-changing partnership will eventually mean that we will offer Ripple family members everything from food to medical care, behavioral health services to financial literacy classes!
A few of the services that United Way already provides to our students include:
- Friday food packages sent home to families in need
- HOPE packs of snacks for students
- Uniforms and/or school supplies to students in need
- Healthcare support referrals to students in need
- University of Florida nutrition program through our gym classes
- Free tutoring for students through partnerships with FSW & FGCU
- Mentorship to students through Hoops on Mission
- Parent M.V.P Program where students earn rewards for being engaged in their students' academic lives
- Countless pop-up shops for all Ripples!
Two schools in Lee County are Community Partnership Schools: Franklin Park Elementary and Fort Myers Middle. Through the partnership, FMMA collaborates with United Way, The School District of Lee County, FGCU, Lee Health, the UCF Center for Community Schools, and the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Services. The focus of the collaboration is improving student well-being and success by engaging and supporting parents and the community.
Utilizing the four pillars of the Community Partnership Schools™ model – expanded learning, wellness supports, family and community engagement, and collaborative leadership – the partnership seeks to bring resources and services to the school to meet the needs identified by the community and to help our students bridge the achievement gap.
For more information, contact Angela Jackson at [email protected].