LUMBERTON — Robeson Community College helped a major partnership in the region last week, as it hosted the launch of the Robeson County Child Advocacy Network Hub.
“It is truly my honor to stand before you today as the executive director for community communities and schools of Robeson County and to be among so many distinguished leaders in this great county,” stated Danny Stedman, as he spoke during a special celebration to officially launch the Robeson County Child Advocacy Network (CAN) Hub.
CAN is a partnership between NC Child and Communities in Schools of Robeson County. The event held last week marks a major milestone in the joint commitment to supporting children and families across Robeson County and the surrounding communities. The gathering of leaders featured inspiring speakers, a panel discussion on local advocacy.
“The Robeson County CAN Hub is built on the belief that we unite our voices and resources, we can create meaningful change for the children and families across the community,” Stedman said. “Your presence here today, and your support, mean so much as we embark on this important journey together.”
Stedman told of how there are more than 12 million children (about twice the population of Arizona) are living in poverty in the United States, a startling statistic to say the least. Closer to home in Robeson County, data shows that 56% to 67% of children are living in poor or low-income homes, a drastic increase in the poverty rate post Covid.
“We know that this has a major impact on a child’s success in school and in life,” Stedman said. “Many of them struggle with attendance, they struggle with behavior, they struggle with coursework, social, mental health, and the list goes on and on.”
Changing the statistics, Stedman says “takes all of us embracing each other and trying to make a difference in the lives of the children we have, that we’re blessed with.”
Speaking on experiences with Communities in Schools, Stedman acknowledges that despite the best of efforts, reaching every child may not be attainable but they can still work to make progress.
“We take it one child at a time, and we perpetuate it and hope it grows from there,” Stedman stated.
Also speaking during the launch party was Erica Palmer Smith, the executive director of NC Child.
“I am so glad to see all of you here today to celebrate this incredible new partnership,” Smith said. “Our mission is to advocate for policies that are going to improve the lives for all North Carolina Children.”
Smith says NC Child is part of the effort to expand Medicaid in North Carolina, that they are working to make early childhood education more affordable, working to address the crisis of youth mental health and seeking to plug in the holes in the welfare system to make sure it works for all kids.
“Like Dr. Stedman said, we cannot do this alone, no organization can do this alone,” Smith stated. “In partnership with leaders and advocates from across the state, we uplift stories and we advocate for solutions… we bring the latest data and research on issues affecting our kids … to the North Carolina General Assembly.”
NC Child has hubs in Guilford, Wayne, New Hanover, Buncombe and will soon launch one in Mecklenburg County.
“We wanted Robeson County to be our fifth county and our fifth hub,” Smith said. “Because Robeson County matters and Robeson County matters because this community is on the front lines of so many of these issues.”
As the panel discussions began, RCC’s President Melissa Singler shared her thoughts on the college’s role in changing the narrative when it comes to child poverty.
“Food insecurity is a real thing in Robeson County, and it is a real thing with our students,” stated Singler. “It’s not just food insecurity for a student sitting in the classroom but it’s also food insecurity for the children who are at home whose parent is here trying to learn more, get trained for a better job.”
“As a college we feel that it’s not just supporting the student who comes to class hungry but to also provide them with a meal or meals to take home to their families,” Singler continued. “As President, as a faculty member, as a staff member at this college, you’re sitting in a room, and you know this person is struggling because they’re worried about how am i going to feed my child…”
“Our role is bigger than the classroom, it’s bigger than the bag of food we send home. It’s truly a wraparound situation, but we cannot just wraparound the student, we have to wraparound the family, and that is our call in education,” Singler added. “It’s not just about what happens in the class but it’s also about what happens in the home.”
The event featured a ceremonial signing that officially established the Robeson County CAN Hub.
“We are looking forward to celebrating with you and working together to make a lasting impact,” Stedman told everyone.
Smith added, “We can’t wait to work with all of you to build Robeson County and a North Carolina that is worthy of all of us.”
Cheryl Hemric is the public information officer at Robeson Community College. Reach her by email at [email protected].
