New CCS FUND helps families in urgent need

The Charlotte Central School PTO, in collaboration with the CCS administration, is pleased to announce the development of the CCS Family Urgent Need Donations. The purpose of this fund is to assist families in the school community with support for purchasing children’s clothing, food, school supplies, and funding for items necessary for school participation and school-sponsored, co-curricular activities.

The fund can also be used to provide short-term relief from financial stress for families of CCS students like monthly bills, utilities and transportation costs. The goal is to provide immediate support for families with an urgent need that other support services would not be able to meet in a timely manner. Families in need will work with a school counselor to empower and support them to access sustainable community resources in addition to accessing this fund.

The CCS FUND committee, made up of PTO members and school administrators, will follow important guidelines for making decisions. These include family-centered decision-making, a clear and urgent need, and equity in the system, with families able to access funds up to three times an academic year. Families can access this fund by contacting school counselor Betsy Lloyd or CCS co-principals Stephanie Sumner or Jen Roth. Anyone requesting support through this fund will be kept strictly confidential and will be known only to the members of the CCS FUND committee.

We hope this will significantly benefit families in our community who have an immediate and urgent need. Given the current circumstances of living through a pandemic, which has caused greater economic challenges for many, we feel this is a timely initiative. The need may be greater than ever.

The PTO will raise money for this fund through fundraising efforts and community donations. Anyone wishing to support this initiative can donate by sending cash or check to CCS PTO at P.O. Box 244, Charlotte, with a notation of CCS FUND. Donations can also easily be made by PayPal at Charlotte Central School PTO.