Students, families and school and district staff express deep appreciation for this flexible and low-barrier resource.
We know that when the basic needs of students are met, they are more likely to succeed within and beyond the classroom. In 2018, the Alliance underscored that belief starting the Right Now Needs Fund program in partnership with Amazon.
The Fund works at the individual school level to support the immediate basic needs of Seattle students and families. The Fund covers the cost of warm clothing, meals, and shelter for students at all Seattle Public Schools, addressing student needs that are not otherwise funded in a school budget. The Fund is designed to be both efficient and low barrier to access as it distributes more than $1M annually to address the basic needs of Seattle students and families.
Hear first-hand the impact of the Right Now Needs Fund from school community members and consider making a gift this winter season to support Seattle students and families.
“As a school, we often hear about students’ needs and have a difficult time finding the necessary resources. But, the Right Now Needs Fund allows us some flexibility to be responsive to the needs in the way that students and families need RIGHT NOW! Families thank our staff daily for providing some support to create stability during this unpredictable time.”
School Social Worker, Robert Eagle Staff Middle School
“The Right Now Needs Fund positively impacted my family when my employer reduced my hours by 40 hours a month. It gave me hope that I didn’t have for a while.”
Right Now Needs Fund Recipient
“A family reached out for assistance when their landlord told them with a month’s notice that they would be selling the property. The family expressed the importance of staying at our school because they had already moved multiple times, and their child started feeling anxious about starting again at a new school mid-year. When the family found a new home near the school, they needed assistance making the deposit to secure the house. The Right Now Needs Fund provided the remaining balance of the rental deposit and they were able to move into the house. The relief on the student’s face to not have to move again was priceless!”
Family Support Worker, Gatewood Elementary School
“The Right Now Needs Fund made several of my families happy by giving them a holiday meal. It’s expensive feeding a family monthly and there was nothing left over for the holiday, but thanks to Aki Kurose staff connecting with the Right Now Needs Fund, they had the food to share with their family.”
Teacher, Aki Kurose Middle School
“A student at our school needed certain shoes for gym class– nothing special, just good tennis shoes. The shoes the student had been wearing were not safe tennis shoes for PE and were falling apart as is, and so he started skipping class because of this. Once staff learned about the situation, we used Right Now Needs Fund money to purchase the tennis shoes the student needed, and he is now going to class again.”
School Social Worker, Ingraham High School
“Our school is in the process of paying for prescription contact lenses for a student who needs glasses to see in and out of the classroom. Her 2-year-old sibling had been breaking her glasses, making it hard for her to learn in class. Now with contacts that the younger sibling can’t get to, we are optimistic that her academic experience will be much more successful.”
School Social Worker, Ingraham High School