KEEPING STUDENTS SAFE,
ENGAGED AND CONNECTED
DURING CORONAVIRUS

Dear Friend of SOWMA,

As part of our responsibility to reduce the spread of COVID-19, School on Wheels continues to adhere to safety measures to keep our students, volunteers and staff safe while ensuring they stay engaged and connected.

We are working with family shelter partners and state and local agencies to ensure our efforts to provide educational support and materials align with health and site precautions.

That said, below is an update on our efforts, and ways you can help to ensure students receive the guidance and tools they need throughout the coming weeks and months. We will continue to keep you informed as needs develop and events unfold.

Although our physical office is closed, we are working remotely and can be reached directly by clicking the envelope appearing beside our staff directory here:

Messages are also being retrieved at 508-587-9091.

Thank you for your continued support during this difficult time. We are grateful for those who have already pledged financial support for our ongoing efforts to provide academic, social and emotional support for our students while keeping them safe and connected with school. We invite you to continue to support our programs as plans unfold.

With warm regards,

Kathleen Graham

Kathleen Graham
Executive Director


We've been working on transitioning 56 college students from campus life to a safe place to continue their studies. Most of these students are "unaccompanied minors," who do not have a permanent place of residence.

Thus, mentors are communicating with students via email, FaceTime, Skype and Zoom. We are helping students with moving logistics and supplies such as bins and storage containers, and purchasing laptops and gift cards to alleviate financial burdens. If you would like to help by donating to our College Mentoring Relief Fund, please click here.




Currently our Tutoring Shelter Site Partners are assessing space accommodations and inventory needs. They report that children are engaged with SOWMA's lending library and current inventory of books, games and activities. Together we are in the process of developing, in conjunction with shelter management, an updated list of activity needs. We will keep you informed on these and other donations to help keep students engaged in the coming weeks. A special thank you to all of our volunteer tutors, like Dr. Heather Boxerman, who last week gave students critical lessons on proper hygiene and hand-washing. To help support our funding needs for upcoming workbooks and activity kits, please click here .



Last week we released a photo montage celebrating our 6,000th customized backpack delivered since the school year began. You can see that here. We are deeply grateful for organizations such as Hope and Comfort , who have donated much-needed hygiene items to our backpacks as we develop delivery plans for the near future. We will be updating our AmazonSmile list within the coming days, and hope you will support our students while shopping online.




We are working with our partners and state and local officials to determine the fate of our annual Run, Walk or Wag, scheduled for May 2nd at Borderland State Park. We will keep you informed as decisions unfold. In the meantime, please give a salute to our sponsors , whose support makes this event, and our students' success, possible. Please see them here!



  • 18 Tutoring Site Locations: Attleboro, Brockton, Dorchester, Fall River, Middlboro, New Bedford, Norwell, Plymouth, Stoughton, Taunton, Weymouth

  • 6,000+ Students began this school year with new, customized backpacks, books and supplies

  • 56 Students are now attending 18 New England colleges as part of our Bridge Mentoring Program
SOWMA's SOCIAL MEDIA

The mission of School on Wheels of Massachusetts is to support the academic, social and emotional growth of students impacted by homelessness.
Federal Tax ID: 20-1020880