SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A free, private school for children experiencing homelessness in Sacramento is set to host a groundbreaking ceremony for a much-awaited and needed expansion.
Mustard Seed School, which serves hundreds of local children 3-15 years old, is kicking off the construction of an outdoor learning and play center for its students.
The learning center will include three buildings, gardens, a field, and a basketball court. The expansion will also bring outdoor classrooms and a stage that will allow space for talent shows, theater productions, special assemblies, and school celebrations.
“The new outdoor learning area will meet their need for a safe outdoor place to play, learn, and unplug from the stressful world of homelessness,” said Casey Knittel, Director of Mustard Seed School.
The construction of the new learning center will allow the school to serve 15 to 35 students per day.
“It's sad because most of them are living in motels, sleeping in cars, or out on the streets,” Knittel said.
Attending the school is really easy. Parents can enroll children at any point and kids can start the same day as long as they are at the school by 8:45 a.m. The only requirement to attend is that you must be currently experiencing homelessness. The school does not require any documentation to start, but they will help parents get all the documents together that they will need for public school, Knittel explained.
“We want every child who needs help to get it,” Knittel added.
The launch of the project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Mercy Foundation, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, and community donation.
More than 6,000 children have enrolled in Mustard Seed School since it was founded in 1989. The school is a program of Loaves & Fishes, a charity in Sacramento dedicated to feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless.
The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, January 22 at 2 p.m. at Mustard Seed School, located at 1321 N. C Street.
If you or anyone wants information about the school, you can call 916-447-3626.
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