On the morning of Saturday, November 5, representatives from thirty Clarkston families gathered for the first session of the Indian Creek Elementary School Clarkston Community Trust. The families in attendance came from distinct cultural, religious, and linguistic backgrounds; spanning from Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia to Burma, Iraq, and Afghanistan. However, they all share a powerful common denominator: an investment in strengthening and supporting their children’s school, Indian Creek Elementary.
The families gathered to begin the process of choosing a project to be funded through the CDF Action Community Trust. Through small group discussions and multiple voting processes, families chose to move forward on the issue of food and culture at the school. Families also discussed parent involvement as important for their children to achieve school success. As the meeting concluded, one mother shared, “We feel heard.” Another chimed in, “We leave with hope!” Several small group dialogues will be held to continue to identify possible projects related to the issue. The families will make the final decision about which projects to fund at the next Community Trust dialogue and celebration, December 3.
The Community Trust is a component of CDF’s Clarkston Families Decide, funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
