The School Solutions Network joins efforts with Westerville Division of Police in order to donate more than $20,000 in safety and essential supplies
The community of Westerville is donating emergency supplies to Westerville City Schools, including 700 “Go Buckets” to 24 schools to use in times of crisis. Each bucket will equip classrooms with various items that may be of use during an emergency – from first aid and safety supplies to food and sanitary products. The initiative is being led by the Westerville Division of Police and the School Solutions Network, a social enterprise of the Westerville-based company Status Solutions. Go Bucket Assembly will take place on October 20 at 10 a.m. at the Westerville South High School Auxiliary Gym.
The Go Bucket project originated in 2016 from a Westerville North High School student, Thomas Armstrong, who had participated in the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Volunteers in Public Safety Support program. Thomas conceptualized the idea and worked with his school’s Resource Officer, Adam Dross, and Principal, Kurt Yancey, to bring his idea to fruition for every classroom at Westerville North. Now, with the help of the Westerville Division of Police and the School Solutions Network, the initiative has collected the local support and donations needed to scale community-wide.
“The Go Bucket is a simple tool to help schools during a high-stress time,” explained Lt. Ron McMillin of the Westerville Division of Police. “During a natural disaster or lockdown situation, the last thing students and staff should be worried about are their basic needs – food, water, first aid, and so on. Thanks to the generosity of our project partners and community support, we can now proactively address those needs with Go Buckets.”
“I can’t say enough about the partnership we have with the first responders who support our district and the generosity of our business community,” said Dr. John Kellogg,Superintendent of Westerville City Schools. “We knew of the work being done to make this a reality at Westerville North, which we found to be a really helpful, thoughtful project. But when the Westerville Division of Police and School Solutions Network stepped up to bring Go Buckets into every classroom across the district, it exceeded our expectations. We’re extremely grateful for their foresight, enthusiasm and drive to spread this initiative throughout our schools.”
Each Go Bucket will contain first aid supplies, glucose tabs, bottled water, a flashlight, hammer, rope, duct tape, scissors and toilet paper. Participating schools will also receive an instructional video created by the City of Westerville instructing how to use the Go Bucket and its contents in times of crisis. All 700 Go Buckets will be assembled by various community volunteer groups, including executive staff of OhioHealth and members of the Westerville Division of Police Citizens Police Academy, on October 20 at 10 a.m. at the Westerville South High School Auxiliary Gym.
“Teaming up with the Westerville Division of Police on this initiative was a natural fit,” explained Danielle Myers, GM of Status Solutions. “Both at Status Solutions and through our social enterprise, the School Solutions Network, we stress that both preparedness and being proactive are key in any incident or situation. More importantly, this task shouldn’t fall solely on the schools, it takes a community.”
The School Solutions Network (SSN) strengthens K-12 schools by leveraging innovative technology and education, expert counsel and community resources. In partnering with the Westerville Division of Police, SSN’s parent company, Status Solutions, donated over $20,000 to fund Go Bucket supplies. Additionally, the School Solutions Network corralled supplemental donations and supplies from community partners and organizations.
Go Bucket Donors: Status Solutions, OhioHealth, Lowes, Uptown Eye Care, Zink Foodservice Group, Northstar Dental, Kroger, Leap of Faith Dance Company, Faith Covenant Church, Dawson, Asterisk Supper Club, Roush Hardware and Sam’s Club.
Participating Schools:
Academic Enrichment Center, Preschool Program at the Early Learning Center, Alcott Elementary, Annehurst Elementary, Cherrington Elementary, Emerson Elementary, Fouse Elementary, Hanby Elementary, Hawthorne Elementary, Huber Ridge Elementary, Longfellow Elementary, McVay Elementary, Mark Twain Elementary, Pointview Elementary, Robert Frost Elementary, Whittier Elementary, Wilder Elementary, Blendon Middle School, Genoa Middle School, Heritage Middle School, Walnut Springs Middle School, Westerville Central High School, Westerville South High School
About School Solutions Network
The School Solutions Network strengthens K-12 schools by leveraging innovative technology and education, expert counsel and community resources. In an ever-evolving world faced with strained resources, growing needs and wide-ranging threats, schools should not be alone in the pursuit of safety, technology and financial support. The School Solutions Network merges the power of communities with the technical expertise of Status Solutions in order to holistically identify and address each school’s unique needs. To learn more, visit www.SchoolSolutionsNetwork.com or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.
About Status Solutions
Status Solutions develops situational awareness technologies for life safety, security, environmental monitoring and mass notification. Our customized software solutions deliver real-time, detailed alerts about potential threats to life, property, business and convenience to help customers not only prevent ignorance-based loss but also transform the way they do business. With situational awareness, the right information goes to the right people on the right devices automatically for faster, more efficient communication especially in an emergency. Our innovations include the SARA automated alerting engine, the MIMI mobile health monitoring system, and the CATIE in-room multimedia and self-service portal. For more information, please visit www.StatusSolutions.com.
