Support your Local Schools
Working together, we can make a difference by getting kids to school and allowing them to remain in the classroom!
The St. Joseph County Department of Health is calling on our amazing community members to support our county's school children. Did you know that children in our schools miss hours of instructional time for completely preventable and addressable issues?
Schools don’t have the resources to meet all students' needs, and we believe that if the community knew these needs existed, they would step in to help fill them. Imagine this. A second-grade student falls at recess and rips their pants. The teacher sends the child to the nurse with no extra pants in stock. This student must now wait in the nurse’s office for a parent to be contacted, arrange transportation, and drop off needed items. This results in time lost for working parents, decreased instructional time for students, and the monopolization of nursing office space, as the student must stay with the nurse while awaiting parent response. School health personnel share it is sometimes hours before a parent arrives.
Some children skip school entirely due to a lack of basic needs, such as hygiene and menstrual products. These scenarios are easy to remedy, and you could be the person to make a difference in a student’s education.
You’re probably wondering how you can help. There are three major ways to support this initiative, and we invite you to consider doing one or a combination of all three!
- The first and quickest way to help is to visit our wish list and make a direct purchase. Anything bought from the wish list is sent straight to the County-City building and distributed by our Department of Health team. You can find our wish lists linked below.
- The second way to support this initiative is to hold a drive or collection for materials from the wish list. Collecting supplies can be a great service project for those looking to impact the community meaningfully. You can focus on a specific area of school need, allowing you to share the message of these needs beyond yourself and to more community members.
- The third way you can support the project is by connecting the St Joseph County Department of Health with individuals and groups in the area who want to know more about this project. Our school liaison is ready and excited to speak to philanthropic organizations, religious communities, volunteer groups, and more! Contact Ashley today at (574) 235-9750 x 7938 or ahelman@sjcindiana.com
With your support, we can continue to include members of our community in the good work St Joseph County is doing to improve all our residents' health. Please read below for more specific information on what we’re collecting and to see our wish list!
HYGIENE
Hygiene poverty can look like struggling to wash your hair because you can't afford shampoo, being bullied in school because of hygiene issues, or not being able to wash your clothes or school uniform. It can mean not being able to replace a toothbrush or sharing a toothbrush because one each isn't an option.
34% of teachers have had at least one student skip school due to hygiene issues. For grades nine and higher, this rises to 42%. One reason hygiene poverty remains a silent epidemic is that it can be an embarrassing topic to address, and many people are simply not aware of how insidious an issue it can be.
You can help provide students in St Joseph County access to the hygiene products they need, help build self-esteem, and break down barriers to school attendance.
DIABETES
Diabetes is a disease where your blood sugar (glucose) is too high. For school-aged children, the most common type of diabetes is Type 1.
There is no known way to prevent this form of diabetes, which causes the body’s immune system to destroy cells in the pancreas. Because of this, Type 1 diabetics must have insulin delivered through injection or pump and must monitor their blood sugar levels regularly.
When blood sugar levels are outside the normal range, students may consume carbohydrates to break down into glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream and raise their blood sugar. Eating protein with carbs can slow the flow of glucose and help stabilize blood sugar. You can help provide students in St Joseph County with food items that will help regulate their blood sugar levels and allow them to attend classes safely.
CLOTHING
Clothing insecurity is a lack of properly fitted, seasonally appropriate, and in good condition clothing. It’s a hidden crisis affecting two out of every five children in America.
One unthought-of effect of clothing insecurity is that families are unable to provide extra clothing for school in case of accidents. Bathroom accidents are common in elementary school but also occur in middle and high schools, especially with our exceptional education students.
Brené Brown said it best: “Underwear is something you take for granted until you don’t have it.”
You can help provide students in St Joseph County with access to the clothing items most needed in the nurse’s office and get kids back in class quickly.
PERIOD POVERTY
What is period poverty?
Period poverty describes the struggle many low-income women and girls face while trying to afford menstrual products. The term also refers to the increased economic vulnerability women and girls face due to the financial burden posed by menstrual supplies. These include menstrual pads, tampons, and related costs such as pants and underwear.
Period poverty affects students in our local schools every day. Difficulty affording menstrual products can cause girls to stay home from school, with lasting consequences for their education. Girls experiencing period poverty in schools may spend much of their school day in the nurse’s office, awaiting supplies from home, including underwear, pants, and menstrual products.
You can help fight period poverty in our community and ensure that all students have the resources they need to attend class.
Ashley is a registered nurse who is dedicated to public health. She worked for the St. Joseph County Department of Health upon graduation from nursing school 20 years ago, and she was thrilled to return in 2022. While away from the Department of Health, Ashley garnered experience in nursing education, community health, student health, and obstetrics and gynecology. With over two decades of experience in healthcare, she knows her strengths in these areas could help schools connect to the training, resources, and support they need.
A school health liaison supports school health staff and administration to ensure a healthy school environment. Ashley is passionate about supporting school nurses in St. Joseph County so they can keep our students safe and healthy. With almost 100 schools in our county, Ashley continues to work to meet every nurse in person and make a personal connection with each one.
"We all want our kids to be healthy. We all want a healthy community. School nurses know what they need; they're in the trenches, working with students day in and day out. They just needed someone with a little extra bandwidth who could help support that work, and I hope they find exactly that help from the Department of Health through me." - Ashley Helman
Your School Health Liaison can connect you to:
- Health information and education
- Community partners
- Physical resources
- Support services for school staff