“It was like watching someone turn on a light switch.”

By Monique Thompson, CIS Program Manager, Ida B. Wells Elementary When

I first met Sherry as this shy little kindergarten girl, she would always look at me and smile. She would never speak, just smile. At the time she was not on my caseload, but I would see her in the cafeteria.

Her mom reached out to me because she and her older brother needed a backpack, clothes, and some other needs as well. At this point, I decided to place the family on my caseload. When I started having lunch with Sherry she wouldn’t talk to me as much as the other kids, but she would always smile at me.

One day out of the blue it was like watching someone turn on a light switch, because she turned into someone completely different. Sherry was suddenly giving me hugs, talking to me, and asking when I was coming back.

Fast forward to the new school year and let’s just say someone was very excited to see me! I can see the growth that has taken place since she has been in CIS. I can tell that spending time with her has made an impression on her.

Unfortunately, her family recently faced some financial hardship due to both parents becoming unemployed, and the mom has given birth to a baby boy this month. The mom reached out and asked for help with purchasing school supplies and most importantly, baby formula for the newborn.

I’m so glad that CIS was able to be a financial help to this family at a very critical time for them. This was a huge help to be able to ensure someone was fed and needs were met for students to attend school. I’m so thankful CIS continues to be a strong support in our school for families!