As coronavirus cases continue to surge during the holiday season, it is more evident than ever that charters have stepped up during this time of crisis, helping not only their students but also their families by providing everything from free bags of groceries to a safe location for COVID testing.

To honor all our hardworking charter schools in California, CCSA is launching #ChartersGiveBack, a series during the month of December that highlights charters that are standing tall while being a powerful force within their community, ensuring children and families are physically and emotionally supported.

This week, we're spotlighting three charters in the Bay Area. Get ready to be inspired by how much #ChartersGiveBack!

ARISE Committed to Feeding Families, Providing Aid

Established in 2007, ARISE High School is located in the Fruitvale neighborhood of east Oakland and serves a predominantly Hispanic/Latino student population. Many of the students at this charter high school are first generation college bound yet face significant socioeconomic obstacles on daily basis.

The mission of this ambitious charter school is to “nurture, train, and discipline our school community to engage in a continuous practice of developing mind, heart, and body towards a vision where we actively rise up.”

When schools were forced to close their doors in March 2020 due to COVID-19, ARISE staff immediately launched a food delivery service to continue feeding students and families who depend on school meals but don’t have transportation to get to campus.

Every week, staff and community members deliver four bags of food from local food banks, as well 10 school meals (with milk) to each student’s house. Currently, ARISE is delivering food to roughly 140 families.

ARISE also created a COVID Relief Fund for students and their families who are experiencing financial difficulties due to the impact of the quarantine. The school is currently raising funds to ensure the aid continues throughout the pandemic. The amount of money the school offers is dependent on how much money it raises, how many families are currently in need, and how much need those families have.

If you would like to help support ARISE’s COVID-19 community response efforts, visit the school’s website: www.arisehighschool.org

AIMS K-12 Offers Turkeys, Boxed Lunches for Thanksgiving

AIMS K-12 College Prep Charter Schools is located in the heart of Chinatown in downtown Oakland and serves roughly 1,300 students at its elementary, middle and high school campuses.

The AIMS K-12 study body reflects the diverse Oakland community: 55 percent are Asian, 25 percent are African-American, and 14 percent are Hispanic or Latino. Many come from low-income families, and a significant number speak English as a second language.

Building a sense of family and community is a core value for AIMS, as is empathy and equity. The school routinely provides free lunches to its struggling families but last month AIMS doubled its efforts.

During Thanksgiving week, the charter school partnered with the Swinerton Foundation and gave away free turkeys and a week’s worth of healthy boxed meals to families. Staff even dressed up as turkeys during the distribution event to bring a smile to the faces of children and parents as they picked up their food.

AIMS leaders say the campus is trying to do its part to help alleviate stress and lift spirits during this extremely trying time for Oakland families.

To see AIMS K-12 efforts in action, check out their Facebook account @AIMS12CollegePrep

Rocketship Schools 'CareCorps' Connects Families to Services

Rocketship Schools is a non-profit national charter school network headquartered in Redwood City with campuses across the Bay Area.

This charter school powerhouse has responded rapidly to changing circumstances in California, leveraging partnerships and deepening relationships with students and families through its CareCorps program.

Every Rocketship school has designated a CareCorps of at least four educators who are responsible for contacting every Rocketship family, every day. Their mission is to support the most vulnerable families who are experiencing the destabilizing impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

This is how it works: The CareCorps sends a brief wellness survey to all families every morning to 1) ensure everyone feels safe at home and 2) identify any needs in the school community.

The team reviews all responses each day and then follows up with direct outreach to families who indicated they need support. The CareCorps then connects families with the services and resources they need including mental health services, domestic violence assistance, and unemployment services.

Rocketship staff even created a how-to guide for other schools looking to launch a CareCorps program. Check it out: How to Launch a School CareCorps

#ChartersGiveBack Next Week: CA’s Central Valley
Check the CharterNation Blog next week for the second installment of #ChartersGiveBack, featuring charters in the Central Valley.