When District Governor Mary Ligon made her official visit to the Rotary Club of Meriwether County, she toured the Wrap Around Care Center at Manchester High School - the beneficiary of one of the competitive $10,000 grants awarded by Rotary District 6900.

A school and community-based partnership providing one-stop Community Access to Resources and Education (CARE) the resource center focuses on the whole child by providing access to resources, services, and opportunities for Meriwether County students. The care centers provide a way for students to come to school or stay in school and not leave campus during the day. Benefits for students include access to school supplies; personal hygiene products, a food pantry for take-home food for students; access to a laundry center to wash and dry clothes; a counseling center offering professional counseling for students during school hours; a Computer Center providing student access to computers and WIFI, student mentoring through the Check and Connect program, and much more.

The Rotary Club of Meriwether County plays a prominent role within the Wrap Around Care Centers located within Unity Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, Manchester Middle School, Manchester High School, and Greenville Middle High School. In addition to financial support, Rotary members volunteer their services by crafting individual "It's a Girl Thing" bags (building a weekly supply of feminine products in a unique bag). Creating Personal Care bags for students (Washrag, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo in a bag), organizing clothes items within storage bins at each school, arranging, coordinating, and distributing the food items within the Food Pantry and arranging, coordinating, and distributing school supplies.

"Within the teaching profession and with other individuals that work with our students, we have a heart for kids," explains Todd McCrae, Manchester High School principal. "Before the CARE Center was opened, staff members took it upon themselves to purchase items for students, and today we are blessed to have a place for students to access the services and resources they need to stay in school."

Most of the clothing closet stock comes from donations from teachers, staff members, and other individuals or groups within the community. Private contributions from foundations such as the Rotary Foundation, civic clubs, and other organizations continue to donate other items, like hygiene products, food, and school supplies.

If you would like to take a virtual tour of the wrap around center, click https://youtu.be/CdN43InQugQ, to visit the website click https://sites.google.com/mcssga.org/wraparoundcarecenters/home, and to see testimonials click here https://youtu.be/o53Z-qSnFpE.

For more information, contact Kay Williamson, Wrap Around Services Coordinator, Meriwether County School District. kay.williamson@mcssga.org 706-302-2614