Ron Wimmer
Student Care Fund

As with any community and family, there are special circumstances from time to time which detract students from attending school or focusing their full attention on learning when at school. These personal situations are beyond the scope and authority of the district to address through the use of tax dollars; however, individual contributions to a charitable fund can be used to assist students and families at a time of need. The Student Care Fundserves this purpose for children throughout the school district.

The Student Care Fund, approved by the Board of Education, was established in August 2010 by Superintendent Ron Wimmer to assist students and their families in Unified School District 232. This fund provides financial assistance at times of special or extreme need to minimize the impact on students and keep them in school. Great importance has been placed on flexibility with the current superintendent and a review committee responsible for the use of funds. Based upon a simple referral form and approval, a disbursement check can be issued quickly so immediate action can be taken to assist the student and family.

The fund helps students in many ways.  Below are just a few examples of how we assisted students during the 2010-11 school year: 

• A single mother (fighting an aggressive cancer) with three teenage daughters received funds to pay for academic testing fees and buy clothes for her girls.
• A student received funds to buy new shoes, a sweater, hat, and gloves.
• A student with severe medical needs received funds to help the family pay a car repair bill for the child to receive medical treatments.
• A student with one set of clothing received funds to buy new clothes.
• A senior received money to pay for her cap and gown because her family could not afford the expense.
• We helped a single mother with three boys pay summer school fees for her youngest son.
• We provided funds to help pay lunch accounts for three children whose mother  suffered multiple, serious health issues.
• We helped a student purchase gym clothes because her family could not afford the items due to unemployment and financial difficulty.
• A high school student received funds to purchase dress clothes so she could participate in school-related debate tournaments. Her family was struggling to buy groceries and could not afford the clothes.
• We helped a family buy a new set of clothes for a high school student. His family was hurting financially to the point that he only had one set of clothes that he would wear each day to school.
• We helped a family pay lunch accounts for their three children because their father had suffered extreme health problems and could not go back to work.
• We helped a single mother pay enrollment fees for her six children and purchase a new pair of shoes and coat for each child. She was working two jobs living in a two bedroom home.
• A middle school student who had been wearing the same set of clothes for several weeks received funds to buy new clothing and a new pair of shoes.
• We helped a high school student who did not have a change in clothing from one day to the next.
• We helped a high school student pay for her Advanced Placement testing fees because her family could not afford to help her.
• Helped a homeless family with temporary lodging.
• Assisted a homeless family (single mother and children) with relocation from homeless shelter.

Quotes about Student Care Fund

“Thank you for accepting the recent requests to the Student Care Fund on behalf of two high school students (and many more over the course of the year).  The SCF has been a wonderful resource to USD 232 families.  In times when agencies are without the funds necessary to meet family needs the Student Care Fund has filled that gap and come through to assist families with a variety of needs.  Thank you for having this vision and implementing a support that has assisted so many people this year.”
--Joe Kordalski, School Social Worker

“Thank you SO much – I wish you could have seen her this morning as well as talk to her.   The funds from the Student Care Fund have made all the difference in the world. I am confident she will keep her commitments and graduate on time with her classmates.” -- Debbie Gudenkauf, Social Worker USD 232

The parents and students we helped this year were overcome with sincere thanks with many of them shedding tears of joy. Contributions to the Student Care Fund help make true stories like these happen in USD 232. We hope others will contribute to the fund and make other stories like these possible for our students.