Entering the meeting, a group of leaders from 17 local social service organizations sit in a circle, and the quiet, yet electric, energy floats around the room. The group, Caring for Rush County, is a coalition that seeks to fulfill the needs of the Rush County community. The group consists of different organizations, like the Rush County Health Department, More for Kids and Changing Footprints, which helps Rush County families through a wide array of services.
Their meeting is to prepare for this year’s Back-to-School Resource Fair hosted in the Love Community Center from 4-6pm on Wednesday, July 16.
Jenny McCarrell leads the meeting. She is the director of Community Partners for Firefly Children and Families Alliance, an organization that provides support programs and resources to Hoosier parents, children, and individuals.
McCarrell was one of the five representatives who helped start this event in 2019. The first Back-to-School Resource Fair originated from the urgent need to help students obtain school supplies.
“We, at that time, pulled together our resources and got what we could. And it’s just grown every year since then,” said McCarrell. Today, the group is six times larger than it was in the beginning.
The event aims to service 300 elementary students with school supplies donated by the service organizations within the coalition. Supplies include backpacks, folders, notebooks and more. Students can even get their required vaccinations for Kindergarten and sixth grade from the Rush County Health Department at this event.
According to Rush County Community Assistance Food Pantry leader and Caring for Rush County member Darilyn Bedel, the event is “more than just a giveaway; it’s a community-powered launchpad for families heading into the school year.”
Families also have the opportunity to connect with local organizations with programs that can support them throughout the year. As their children get their school supplies, Caring for Rush County aims to build fruitful connections and provide meaningful service for families.
“Times are hard, and families are struggling. So, if there’s any way we can help offset that just by coming together and making it happen, why wouldn’t we want to do that? We want every kid to have that great first day,” said McCarrell.
Caring for Rush County’s event is committed to that goal. The efforts from this group prove that amazing things can happen when a community stands together to make a difference.
“The event is a powerful reminder that when a community shows up with care and purpose, we do more than prepare kids for school. We equip families with dignity, connection and the belief that they matter. It is another way of giving back to a community that I love,” said Bedel. For more information, contact Jenny McCarrell at jmccarrell@fireflyin.org.
