School on Wheels of Massachusetts (SOWMA) was founded in 2004 by Cheryl Opper, teacher and child advocate, after reading a magazine article about Agnes Stevens, the founder of School on Wheels of California.
Cheryl was inspired to bring the one-on-one academic support program to Massachusetts for children struggling to stay on track and in school while experiencing homelessness. She started SOWMA out of her home in Easton, where she trained volunteers at her kitchen table and filled her basement with donated backpacks and school supplies. Community volunteers distributed school materials to 20 children living at two family shelters in Brockton, Massachusetts.
Today SOWMA provides one-on-one tutoring to 280 students at 18 program sites. Since the start of the 2019/2020 academic year, we have distributed more than 5,800 new backpacks, customized according to grade-level, to children and at-risk youth living in 38 Massachusetts communities. We currently mentor 57 college students as part of our Bridge Program, where we shepherd high school students through post-secondary school plans, including vocational training and college.
- School on Wheels of Massachusetts is a private, non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization funded through the generosity of individuals, communities, bustiness, corporations and foundations. Please see our:
Communities Caring for Kids
Corporate SPONSORS and Foundations Caring for Kids
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