Health
Of the 900,000+ students who attend Missouri public schools, one in five live below the Missouri poverty line. These students often have unmet medical, dental, and mental health concerns that make learning more challenging.
Our Model
Care to Learn empowers school staff and faculty to respond immediately, meeting students’ needs anonymously. They are taught how to identify students who need help and how to effectively take action, which helps keep administrative costs low.
Identify
students with unmet needs and supplement current services.
Students in need aren't always easy to spot. Care to Learn works with our schools to empower everyone (teachers, nurses, bus drivers, custodians, counselors, and principals) to know what to look for and what steps to take. Anyone in a school district can have the power to meet a child’s need, and we’re here to help.
Develop
a sustainable fundraising strategy by creating a flexible fund.
Once a need is identified, we work with Chapters to build community awareness, and provide resources and support. With support from Care to Learn, individual Chapters are empowered to grow and sustain support from the ground up in their own communities.
Respond
immediately while protecting student confidentiality.
Care to Learn Chapters are designed to meet student needs on the spot. That means no extra approval needed, and no red tape or special requirements. We want to help students as quickly as possible—above or below the Missouri poverty line—and preserve their dignity, too.
Our Pillars
Each year, almost a million kids go to school in the state of Missouri. While most families are able to stock up on essential health, hunger, and hygiene items, some will have a much harder time making ends meet. When basic needs go unmet, students can’t focus on learning. That’s why Care to Learn focuses our efforts in these three areas:
Hunger
One in six kids is hungry each day and more than 200,000 children in Missouri live with food insecurity. Kids need healthy meals so they can stay energized, alert, and ready to conquer their day.
Hygiene
Under-resourced students are four times more likely to miss school. Students who have their clothing and hygiene needs covered feel included, recharged, and ready to take on the classroom.
Get Involved
Our mission is to provide immediate funding to meet emergent needs in the areas of health, hunger, and hygiene so every student can be successful in school.
Real students. Real stories.
Making a difference every day—one student at a time. Since 2008, we’ve helped to meet 2 million needs through Care to Learn Chapters providing resources in education across the state. That’s more than just a number. Each need represents a unique individual story.
Care to Learn has empowered SPS staff to support our students as soon as a need arises.
Care to Learn has been a lifeline to many of our students and allowed parents to care for their children respectfully and quickly when they are low on hope.
Even though there’s an extra bag to carry, there’s a bright side to getting the backpack. I know that there will be food on the table.
Building confidence, trust, and relationships
Items like a coat, a meal, or a toothbrush have the ability to drastically impact a child's life. See the real impact that Care to Learn can make.
Our Impact
Support Our Mission
You can help kids in your community get the resources in education they need to have a successful school year. Every gift can make a difference—the average cost to meet a student’s health, hunger, or hygiene needs is less than $10. See how you can help.
Stay Up to Date
Top 15 Items That Change Students’ Daily Lives
March 20
Since 2008, 41 Chapters have met more than 2 million needs. We sat down with our Director of Operations, Jhasmine Watson, to learn more about these needs, which ones are most common, and how they impact students’ daily lives.
Feature
Shopping for Valentines
February 13
Learn what heartwarming item Noah chose to buy with his Shop with a Hero funds.
Story
Hair Magic
January 18
Brand new. Sparkling clean. Beautiful. That is exactly how one little girl felt after receiving 3 simple items from Care to Learn. Find out what they were and how they turned her world around.
Story
Kids Lending A Hand
January 18
Check out these amazing kids supporting Care to Learn this past year.
Story
Let’s Explore a Clothing Closet
October 18
When it comes to meeting needs, the quicker the better. Hungry stomachs, toothaches, and ripped clothing can’t wait; especially when the weather is a factor. Let's take a peek inside what it takes to make one happen.
News
5 Things We Loved About Our Chapter Liaison Conference
October 17
For the first time in THREE years, we gathered together in one place to host our 2022 Chapter Liaison Conference. Here are 5 things we loved.
News
School Soiree: Best School Night Ever
September 7
We hosted the 1st Annual School Soiree on Sept. 15 and we had a FABULOUS time. Let's countdown our favorite moments of the night.
Story
The Boy With Blue Shoes
July 28
Some things stick with you over the years. For Michelle Houghton (Director of Chapter Services), it’s the kid with the blue shoes.
News
How Care to Learn Went From 1 Simple Idea to Meeting 2 Million Needs
April 21
Find out how Care to Learn grew from one simple idea into a solution making a statewide impact serving more than 2 million needs.
Make A Gift
Show you care by helping students to learn. You can support the Care to Learn mission and help kids all across the state be successful in school.