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Community working to meet virtual learning needs

A local daycare has taken on students up to 8th grade to make sure they have help and access to internet services for school.

TOLEDO, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine spoke about increasing funding for wrap-around services for students in Ohio.

In Toledo, community members have been stepping up to make sure no one is left behind.

When you picture daycare, you may think of younger kids playing and learning while their parents work.

At the Special-Kare-N-Learning Center, low-income students through eighth grade are registered to make sure they have a good environment to access their virtual learning.

"We have parents coming from all over the city and the majority of our kids come from underserved communities, underserved schools," said Steve Eaton with Special-Kare-N-Learning Center.

The owners transformed two regular rooms into classrooms where 17 students learn with reliable internet access and adult supervision.

"We had a mother show up and say 'hey, my kid is missing 50 assignments.' That child was new to us, we got that kid caught up, the grades came up as a consequence," Eaton said.

Heather Baker is the director of Student Intervention and Support at Toledo Public Schools. She's familiar with Eaton's program and the need in the district. 

RELATED: Families struggle to adapt to remote learning as schools change course on in-person classes

Part of Baker's job is to make sure students without stable homes or those who are living in shelters still have the resources they need to learn.

"We are constantly delivering Chromebooks, food, whatever resources that we can get out to these families to make sure what they need, extra clothing, school supplies, we try to do it all," Baker said.

Eaton says he knows the need is far greater than what he can serve and has been working to expand to even more locations.

He asks any organization with extra space to reach out because he has passionate educators ready to help.

"As much as I love what we're doing over here, I wish so many other people are doing what we are, and they have the opportunity to," Eaton said.

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