The North Canton City School district has compiled a strong group of teachers, administrators and local community members to assist families and students in need of various resources and support. This collaborative effort is beneficial to the student body of North Canton and their families. By offering support and resources, the CARE Team can provide food, clothing, medical assistance and housing for those in need. CARE looks into the “why” circumstances and happenings in families’ lives to better understand the non-academic occurrences happening within.
Students and families are referred to the CARE Team by guidance counselors, teachers, community members and even themselves. The Team’s mission is to implement and continue the CARE model and organize the coordination and income of resources. The resources, support and help that individuals receive are entirely confidential, as to respect these people’s privacy. The vision of CARE Team is that every student has the support to be successful. The Team works to improve trauma responsiveness, resilience and development.
The CARE Team utilizes various local organizations, like churches, food pantries and donation centers, to gather all types of products and resources a family may need. Resources include those of food, housing, mental health counseling, medical assistance and clothing.
Each building in the North Canton City School district has a family support specialist, including Mrs. Kathy Yaros at Hoover High School, Ms. Renee Cowger at the North Canton Middle School and Ms. Jennifer Holloway at the North Canton Primary and Intermediate Schools.
Mrs. Kathy Yaros, Hoover High School’s family support specialist, or FSS for short, has worked with the CARE team for five years and counting. After seeing Ms. Sue Oryszak’s involvement on the team and role as an FSS, Yaros found great
interest in the work. She began her journey with the CARE Team at Jackson Local Schools and was provided the opportunity to work closely with her community here in North Canton.
“The work really appealed to me,” she said. “I have always loved working with different entities in our community to make things better for all, and I especially love working with our students and families.”
The CARE Team is comprised of thoughtful, generous souls who found love for their work and chose to give back to their community. To these individuals, this is not just an ordinary job, but an opportunity to see families blossom and thrive by overcoming obstacles in their lives.
The CARE Team faces challenges just like any other organization, but their obstacles may look a little different in comparison. Obtaining local resources and funding is not high on their challenge list but is high on the priority list.
Thankfully, there are no threats of being unable to offer local families with needed items.
CARE deals with a lot of built up struggles and issues with no easy solution. It takes caring, empathetic and unbiased effort to assess and support students and families facing unbearable, difficult situations.
“This job is very emotionally taxing; we have to meet each person where they are, without judgment or bias, with an open heart,” Yaros said. “Many of the problems we encounter have been building for years and can’t be solved easily or as quickly as we would like.”
Ms. Jennifer Holloway, FSS at the North Canton Primary and Intermediate Schools, has worked as part of the CARE Team for four years, following her prior career in social work. Holloway describes herself as having a “servant’s heart,” as she feels her purpose is to serve the community.
Holloway describes her role as being responsible for “hearing the hard stuff.” The family support specialists are brought lots of upsetting, uncomfortable and unfortunate situations and scenarios that may not be able to be addressed.
With the upcoming holiday season, the CARE Team organizes a local project and donation event to support families in the NCCS district. This generous program is called “Santa’s Closet,” where parents can invest in a child who needs basic everyday items while giving special, personalized gifts. Distribution is scheduled for Dec. 11, from 4-7 p.m.
Thanks to various organizations like the North Canton Sideliners, Stark Health and United Way, with resources from many others. The CARE Team can provide the community with counseling resources, medical attention and educational support.
The Team is one of North Canton’s hidden gems, and they are here to assist families and students who are struggling outside of the education setting. The Team members are North Canton City Schools’ guardian angels.
“When I see a family work through a challenging situation, and be able to grow and function normally, or I see a student who has struggled, being able to come to school, pass classes, find friends, and graduate, I know that beyond these people there will be a bigger impact,” Yaros said.
