Tonight there will be over 4,000 families sleeping in shelters and motels in Massachusetts. The number of homeless families continues to grow rapidly; sadly, the average age of a homeless person in our state is 8 years old. Children impacted by homelessness are invisible students in the classroom, falling further and further behind their peers in school and in life. With your support, we are changing that! We are staying with children for long periods of time and helping them find success in school and beyond.
I first met Caden five years ago when his family moved into shelter. He was four at the time and preparing for kindergarten. I am happy to report that Caden started the 4th grade this year on track in school. He is thriving because of his hard work and his tutor’s support.
During the first week of tutoring, we ask our students a few questions to get to know them better. One of the questions is: “If you had three wishes, what would they be?” When Caden’s tutor asked him this question, he carefully thought about it before answering: “Homes for all the homeless, no more wars, and endless wishes.”
Caden has been a part of our SOWMA family for 5 years. He has grown from a curious young preschooler with a passion for trucks to a thoughtful student, who plays the flute, loves football, and wants to make the world a better place.
Your gift to School on Wheels of Massachusetts allows us to stay with our students for long periods of time to help them get back on track in school and reach their full potential.
Thank you for supporting our efforts to end homelessness one child at a time!
With gratitude,
Cheryl Opper, Founder & Executive Director
Since 2004, School on Wheels of Wheels of Massachusetts has:
- Launched 21 program sites
- Trained 1,332 volunteer tutors
- Recorded 22,717 tutoring hours
- Distributed 4,753 backpacks
- Served 1,524 students
- Mentored 24 college students
