[Karah Rucker] IN A FIELD A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM A SUBURBAN FORT WORTH, TEXAS SCHOOL SITS A BUILDING THAT LOOKS TEMPORARY IN NATURE. BUT WHAT WAS ONCE A PORTABLE CLASSROOM IS NOW A LIFELINE FOR STUDENTS. Link or other content source here “They pretty much have everything I need.” FRESH FRUIT, MILK, DIAPERS, FORMULA, […]
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[Karah Rucker]
IN A FIELD A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM A SUBURBAN FORT WORTH, TEXAS SCHOOL SITS A BUILDING THAT LOOKS TEMPORARY IN NATURE. BUT WHAT WAS ONCE A PORTABLE CLASSROOM IS NOW A LIFELINE FOR STUDENTS.
Link or other content source here
“They pretty much have everything I need.”
FRESH FRUIT, MILK, DIAPERS, FORMULA, BREAD, MEAT… THEY HAVE IT ALL. WELCOME TO THRIVE MARKET AT O- D WYATT HIGH SCHOOL.
[Alisha Odom| Single mom of 5]
Half the time, no one knows what single mothers like myself go through.
ALISHA ODOM IS A SINGLE-MOM OF FIVE CHILDREN.
things were really rough. I didn’t have a job. Wasn’t able to keep a job due to being a single mom with no support..
SHE FELT HOPELESS… NOT REALIZING HER SON… BRANDON… MAY BE THE ANSWER.
He’s experienced experiencing trauma and growing up, being raised by a single mother with younger siblings. It was really worth really well if he was constantly getting in trouble. Not making the right decisions, following the wrong crowd. And it was very stressful on top of not being able to provide, you know, food wise.
SCHOOL COUNSELORS REACHED OUT TO ODOM AND INTRODUCED HER TO THE THRIVE PROGRAM… WHICH STANDS FOR : TOGETHER HARNESSING RESOURCES TO GIVE INDIVIDUALS VOICE AND EMPOWERMENT
[Marsha Ingle | Texas Health Resources]
“We saw a need to provide food, but it was really more than that because we wanted to teach students how to handle stress in a positive way. Instead of turning to all the negative stuff. So we added, we kind of marry those two things together. So we brought in a resiliency program, along with a grocery store..”
ONCE A TEEN JOINS THE PROGRAM, THEY GET RIGHT TO WORK. COUNSELORS WORK WITH THE STUDENT ON LIFE SKILLS… LIKE HANDLING CONFLICT BETTER… INSTEAD OF JUST RESORTING TO VIOLENCE. TEACHERS ALSO OFFER EXTRA SUPPORT WITH THEIR SCHOOLWORK. WHEN THE STUDENT SHOWS GOOD BEHAVIOR AND GRADES… THEY EARN VOUCHERS THEY CAN USE AT THE ON-CAMPUS STORE… A STORE THEY ALSO HELP RUN.
THE ODOM FAMILY’S SITUATION IS NOT UNIQUE. THE LATEST DATA FROM THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHOWS 13-AND-A-HALF PERCENT OF U-S HOUSEHOLDS REPORT FOOD INSECURITY. OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS… MORE THAN SEVEN MILLION CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED.
RESEARCH SHOWS FOOD-INSECURE CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER POORER HEALTH AND MORE FREQUENT COLDS WHICH LEAD TO ABSENTEEISM. THAT DATA ALSO SHOWS THESE CHILDREN TYPICALLY SCORE LOWER IN MATH AND READING.
[Marsha Ingle | Texas Health Resources]
“So I think the most exciting part is that it’s not just food insecurity. We’re definitely dealing with that for the grocery store, but it’s that resiliency program. So what we’re hearing from the teachers, what we’re hearing from the administrators is our behavior is better. And, that’s the really exciting thing that the kids are seeing. There’s a better way to do things. There’s a better way to handle stress. We can’t eliminate all stress but we can teach you how to handle it in a proactive way instead of a destructive way.”
THRIVE STARTED IN 2019 AT LINDA TUTT HIGH SCHOOL IN SANGER, TEXAS. THE PROGRAM WAS SUCH A SUCCESS… YOU’LL NOW FIND MARKETS IN SIX NORTH TEXAS SCHOOLS. NUMBER SEVEN IS EXPECTED TO OPEN VERY SOON.
SINCE BRANDON BEGAN “PROVIDING FOR HIS FAMILY”… MOM SAYS THINGS HAVE DRAMATICALLY CHANGED AROUND THE ODOM HOUSE.
There has been a dramatic change with him being here, and he’s been a part of this program. And, with the teachers that he’s participated with, he. He’s literally blowing my mind right now. So I’m very, very proud of him.
PROUD AND RELIEVED… AS NOW SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE HER NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAT HER CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE O-K.
He’s actually teaching me now you know, how to calm and how to address situations. And when I’m thinking the words, he’s like, you know, mom, that’s not going to happen to me. I’m going to be fine. I’m going to be okay.
TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OBTAINING GRANTS. A LARGE PORTION OF THE FOOD IS THROUGH COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE DONATIONS.
TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES HAS PROVIDED TOOLKITS FOR INTERESTED SCHOOL DISTRICTS. YOU CAN FIND THIS ALONG WITH FURTHER INFORMATION ON FOOD INSECURITY SOLUTIONS ON THE STRAIGHT ARROW APP. For Straight Arrow News I’m Karah Rucker.
