RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Even school-aged children can face homelessness, and school districts work to make sure they still have the resources and support they need.
Federal law guarantees educational rights and services for those students, but this year Rutherford County Schools did not receive its homeless education grant funding. Now, the district is asking the community to step in.
“It feels like they’ve been looked over,” said Jessica Johnson, liaison for the district’s ATLAS program. “They’ve been ignored and they deserve every opportunity.”
ATLAS supports hundreds of students experiencing homelessness. Johnson said the program took a major hit when the district lost federal funds for the next three years.
“For years we’ve been able to partner with groups to make sure students had food,” she said. “We need cans of tuna. Protein is a hard thing to come by.”
The grant also covered school supplies, hygiene products and even transportation for families on the move, helping students stay in their current schools.
“All that funding is gone,” Johnson said.
Morgan Clardy, with Closet Donations, has already started helping. For her, the cause is personal — she was once in the ATLAS program herself.
“That village starts with one person,” Clardy said. “If we can be that village for all these kids, we wouldn’t have a need in Rutherford County if everyone banded together.”
Johnson said her students did not choose their circumstances, and she believes education is the most powerful way to give them a future.
“As long as we’re here, they will still get what they need,” she said.
Donations such as gift cards, food and hygiene products can be dropped off at the Rutherford County Schools Central Office on Southpark Drive in Murfreesboro.
Closet Donations also accepts items.
For more information on the ATLAS program, click here.
This story was reported on-air by Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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