How you can help students access basic necessities to improve literacy rates

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. -- A Central Virginia nonprofit is hoping to make a difference in the lives of dozens of students in Title I schools by removing barriers to learning.

Hope for Learning’s goal is to support under resourced kids with basic needs, like clothing and food, so they can focus on their studies.

"Our normal mission is literacy in grade level reading and trying to make sure the kids get to that level by third grade, because if you don't get it by third grade, they won't get it by fourth," said Chuck Caple, Hope for Learning executive director. "We provide these things to those kids, so then we take those distractions away. And now the only thing they have to focus on is learning."

Caple and Hope for Learning are gearing up for one of their biggest fundraisers of the year, an annual 5K at Midlothian Mines in Chesterfield County.

"We just have a lot of fun out here," said Caple.

With the help of site coordinators at area schools, like Chantel Hernanzez, Caple and Hope for Learning are able to identify the childten who need their assistance.

"They bring in the extra boost that we need," explained Hernandez. "I can help them with social emotional learning, I can do my part in the school. But I think that we need like money, and we need to support them with basic needs. And I can't do that by myself, because that's where our partners come in. They give us donations to help like these guys, especially the ones that come into our school and are asking for resources and asking for help."

Hernandez says Hope for Learning also helps provide classroom supplies at her school J.H. Reid Elementary, to take the burden off of teachers.

But demand for their necessary assistance is high right now.

"There's more than we can control more than one handle," expressed Caple.

Hope for Learning is dreaming of a packed park of walkers and runners on June 8^th at 10 a.m. so they can bring these resources to even more Central Virginia families.

For more information or to sign up for the 5K, visit Hope for Learning's website here: https://hopeforlearning.networkforgood.com/events/70132-hopefor-learning-4th-charity-5k.

Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.