Students cannot fully engage in learning when their basic needs go unmet. Recognizing this reality, Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) plans to establish a centralized Resource Hub to help ensure that students have access to essential resources, including food, clothing and school supplies. More than a distribution center, the Resource Hub will serve as a collaborative space where schools, family liaisons, community partners and donors work together to connect students and families with needed resources more efficiently and effectively.

At its Oct. 13 meeting, the Loudoun County School Board approved the creation of the Resource Hub, which will be coordinated and managed by the Division of Family and Community Engagement (FACE).

“This initiative will help ensure that every student, regardless of circumstances, has access to the resources they need to succeed in school,” said Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence. “The Resource Hub will also bring together the incredible generosity and commitment of our community in a more coordinated and meaningful way.”

As Renée Dawson, director of the Division of Family and Community Engagement, shared at the Sept. 22 School Board meeting where the Resource Hub was presented as an information item, approximately 24.7% of LCPS students, or about 19,000 students, are identified as economically disadvantaged. 

During this presentation, Dawson was joined by Danielle Nadler, executive director of the Loudoun Education Foundation (LEF), which operates the Fueled program. Fueled works to reduce food insecurity by providing weekend meal bags and operating in-school food pantries at 64 schools across the county. During the 2025-26 school year, the program served approximately 10,000 students. These figures, coupled with the expectation that demand will continue to grow in the coming years, underscore the need for the Resource Hub. Reflecting LCPS and LEF’s shared commitment to supporting students and families, Fueled will have a dedicated space within the Resource Hub.

The idea for the Resource Hub grew out of conversations at last year’s Interfaith Luncheon, hosted by the FACE Office and attended by more than 120 faith-based partners, LCPS staff and family liaisons. Participants shared a common observation: Loudoun County has abundant resources and generous community support, but there is an opportunity to connect those resources to students and families more effectively.

Since then, FACE has partnered with family liaisons and community organizations across the county to bring the Resource Hub from concept to reality.

Jenny Crabbe, a family liaison at Hillside and Waxpool elementary schools, explained that the Resource Hub will be a great benefit not just to individual schools, but to the entire Loudoun County community. 

“The Resource Hub will create a convenient way for community members and partners to donate and help. The impact of the Resource Hub will extend across the entire county, benefiting not just one school, but all of LCPS,” said Crabbe.

Sophia Saib, a family liaison at Rock Ridge High School, echoed Crabbe’s perspective, saying that she hopes the Resource Hub will enable family liaisons to provide support that is not only more timely and efficient, but also more comprehensive. She compared the Hub to the familiar saying, “It takes a village,” explaining that it will strengthen connections among schools, departments and community partners, making it easier to meet student and family needs through a coordinated network of support.

“The Resource Hub will help ensure the right resources reach the right family at the right time,” said Saib.

With School Board approval secured, the next step is to identify a location for the Resource Hub and continue engaging community partners to share updates and build awareness of upcoming plans. The Resource Hub is expected to open during the 2027-28 school year.