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’Together’ community‑schools group outlines services and asks district to continue partnership
Summary
The nonprofit Together presented an 11‑year program summary to the Tumwater School Board, citing case management, rental assistance and other supports that district staff and counselors said help keep students housed and improve attendance and graduation outcomes.
Representatives of Together, the community‑schools nonprofit that partners with Tumwater schools, presented program outcomes and asked the board to continue funding the partnership.
Why it matters: Together provides on‑site case management, basic‑needs support and housing assistance that district counselors said helps stabilize families and keep students enrolled and attending. The organization reported growth and measurable outcomes in attendance and graduation for students served.
Sierra Abrams, co‑executive director, and Stephanie Lopez, community schools program director, summarized 11 years of work in Tumwater schools and said Together’s budget had grown from about $100,000 to $800,000 annually. Abrams said the program’s funding is a mix of community fundraising (63 percent) and district contribution (37 percent) for the most recent year.
Together staff described services that include on‑site resource centers stocked with clothes, hygiene items and food; wraparound case management; crisis support; rental and basic‑needs assistance; bilingual outreach and summer and break‑time support. The presenters said the program case‑managed about 260 students and families during the most recent year, assisted 97 McKinney‑Vento (homeless‑identified) students and distributed more than $100,000 in client assistance funds; rental assistance reached about 60 families.
Tumwater counselors and principals described direct benefits. Tiffany (school counselor at Peter G. Schmidt) said a bilingual Together staff member helped connect a family with housing supports and improved home‑school coordination so the student’s behavior plan could be applied at home as well as at school.
Together leaders urged the board to preserve the partnership, arguing that housing and basic‑needs supports reduce churn and protect district enrollment, which in turn supports district funding. “Together keeps students in the district, which in turn impacts our enrollment, and as we know, enrollment impacts funding,” a district counselor said during public comment.
Board members asked questions about funding sources and how Together’s client assistance is matched and administered; presenters said funds come from community donations, foundation matches and county grants. Together representatives said they will continue to provide more detailed budget information and impact measures to the district.
