How much is budgeted for the Food Market days? Provide data on the number of parents that attend and are engaging in our schools as a result.

Question#: 66

ANSWER:

There is $32,000 budgeted for Family Market days in the FY 2016 Operating Budget. During school year 2014-15, the Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships (OCEP) collaborated with Galway and Greencastle elementary schools to host ten Family Markets. As of January 2015, five of the ten have taken place, serving an average of 125 families during each event. During these events, families interact with school and OCEP staff, and are able to access resource tables with information about services provided by community partners. Family Markets have enhanced each school’s capacity to gather parents, and have initiated dialogue and sharing between parents and school staff members.

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides $96,000 for Family Markets at Southlake Elementary School; Argyle, Loiederman, Montgomery Village, and Parkland middle schools; and John F. Kennedy High School. These events serve families in the Kennedy, Watkins Mill, and Wheaton clusters. DHHS estimates that these markets have provided food to 6,575 families.