HARRISBURG, Pa. — When the Harrisburg School District announced it would start its school year entirely online, Patty Kim says her empathy gene kicked in.
"What are parents supposed to do?" she remembers wondering. "You can't leave kids home by themselves."
Kim, a Democratic State Representative for Dauphin County and the City of Harrisburg, is also a mother, who believes the school district made the right call in making all classes go virtual to start the school year.
However, families in the Harrisburg School District, like many urban districts, are now facing the same question: How?
In Harrisburg, the median income for families, according to the most recent U.S. Census information, is $37,356. Going to work is a necessity simply to get their families to survive week-to-week. Not going to work is not an option. Yet, what are parents to do when their child has to learn at home and there's no one to care for them during the day?
"It's a huge challenge. A perfect storm," Rep. Kim said.
If the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, then it's taking a city to raise a school district.
Shortly after Harrisburg released its Health & Safety Plan, Kim wrote a post on Facebook, asking for ideas on ways to safely educate children whose parents are in a bind. It garnered nearly 200 shares. Faith leaders, non-profits, community centers responded, volunteering their time and space for children.
"We’re not going to be a daycare center. We’re not babysitting. We’re just giving people a safe space with some educators, maybe some good volunteers that understand technology, and hopefully we can give the kids some quality educational time and not be home by themselves," Kim said.
A full list of participating locations is expected to be released in the coming days. Representative Kim says there will be a website created so parents can sign up. There will be a limitation on children in each location, and all CDC social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines will be followed.