Fourteen years ago, a Springfield child in need became the first to get help through a new organization. Care to Learn was the name of that new nonprofit, and its goal was to help impoverished school kids when they faced immediate needs related to health, hunger or hygiene.
That organization has just recorded a monumental milestone: it says it's now met 2 million needs—and it's expanded to 38 chapters across the state.
Its model is based on partnerships with school districts and their communities; when any faculty or staff member sees a student in need, they reach out to that school district's Care to Learn Chapter Liaison. The goal is to meet the child's need immediately and confidentially, allowing students to focus on learning.
Hear the interview between Care to Learn CEO Krystal Simon and KSMU's Jennifer Moore by clicking the blue "Listen" button above. And you can learn more about the organization's mission here.