Two events in North St. Louis offered families free resources to help them get the new school year off to a good start.
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis students are set to return to school in less than a month, and organizations are setting families up for success.
On Saturday, The Hub in St. Louis’ Ville neighborhood became a one-stop shop for Martina Ewing and her two sons.
The first 50 families to attend Back to School Family Fun Day received a free school backpack and school supplies.
Throughout the building, there were various opportunities to support students, including raffles, games and access to the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic, which provides speech therapy services.
“I’m glad there are resources available for children with speech impediments. My 3-year-old struggles with speech impediments,” Ewing said.
Speech-language pathologist Nina Mendoza advised that school plans can be stressful for both parents and children.
“Some kids aren’t good at communicating that they’re having difficulties, so it’s easy to miss that.”
The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic, located inside The Hub, offers free speech support to children ages 2 to 6.
“You get kids exercising through play, and a lot of times kids don’t even realize they’re practicing speech and language, so it’s really important, especially for parents and caregivers, to make things fun but also educational,” Mendoza added.
“Building confidence and language in kids is so important as we send them out into the world,” Ewing agreed.
A similar activity took place Saturday at Care STL Health on St. Louis’ north side, where families gathered in the hallways of the community health center to get health screenings and vaccinations needed to return to school.
A DJ and food distribution added to the lively, celebratory atmosphere outside the building on Martin Luther King Drive.
More than 40 vendors provided physical and mental health resources, free haircuts, clothing, gun education and other social services to help families get off to a successful start.
“I know we’ve all been through a lot of trauma, and I know the post-COVID world, so kids need to feel safe again. They need to trust that we’re in charge of their care and that we’re putting their lives first,” said Angela Clavon, president and CEO.
The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic and CareSTL Health at the Hub are both open to families year-round.
