The group is updating its efforts to help needy families in Tuscaloosa

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (WBRC) – We continue our efforts to provide more support to families of vulnerable Tuscaloosa City Schools students.

People who want to help them have come together to provide an update on the situation.

The group is called Strefa.

Tuscaloosa City Schools identified a zone or area of the city where students were absent from class or were otherwise struggling. If the problem can be solved with external support, many people are willing to help.

The zone operates within the New Heights Community Resource Center, where representatives from Tuscaloosa City Schools, the City of Tuscaloosa, United Way of West Alabama and other community supporters gathered to get updates.

In the original zone, 460 families needed help.

Some of the needs included, but were not limited to, inadequate housing and food insecurity.

More than a dozen partner agencies have joined forces to offer support to these families through the Zone. But more is needed.

“Connection to services. So what we provide here is a comprehensive range of services for our families. So we are able to engage the 12 partners that we have. That we can bring families together through things like food. We have a food pantry here. We can connect them to resources. We have rights and resources for people with disabilities,” explained Kalissa Bormann, New Heights zone manager.

The Zone will conduct a public opinion survey this winter, and listening sessions in the Tuscaloosa area are scheduled for next spring.

You can contact Kalissa Bormann at 205-759-3534 Or [email protected] for more information about The Zone and the New Heights Community Resource Center.

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