A student gets to school because the stipend covered a car repair.
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Initiative 03
Stabilization & School-Based Support
The Thrive Stipend
McKinney-Vento Flex Fund
Federal McKinney-Vento funds are the main resource for students experiencing homelessness, especially those living with other families. However, these funds are limited and often do not cover urgent everyday expenses that affect a young person's well-being and education.
To fill this gap, the Brockton Education & Housing Coalition created the Thrive Stipend. This flexible fund responds quickly to immediate needs, from groceries and car repairs to emergency motel stays, winter coats, and enrichment program costs.
How it works
Small, timely investments. Big stabilization impact.
Student-identified needs
School-based staff and partners identify a need — transportation, food, clothing, housing, enrichment, or another barrier — and request support through a simple process.
Rapid response
The fund is designed to move quickly, so students do not miss school or lose housing while waiting for a longer-term service connection.
Examples of support
- Groceries and emergency food assistance
- Car repairs and transportation costs
- Emergency motel stays and rent stabilization
- Enrichment program fees and costs
- •Winter coats, clothing, and hygiene items
- •Other urgent expenses affecting stability and school attendance
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Tangible outcomes
We measure this work in real lives, not abstractions.
A family stays housed because an additional $300 toward rent helped avoid eviction.
A young person sleeps somewhere safe during a housing emergency.
Each stipend removes a concrete barrier to attendance, stability, and mental health.
What we track
The number of students served, categories of need met, and dollars distributed.
What changed
Brief, consented accounts from students, families, and liaisons will show how the support made a difference.
Partnership
Managed in partnership with Brockton Public Schools, the Haitian Community Partners Foundation, and the Housing and Educational Equity Lab at Boston College.
The Haitian Community Partners Foundation serves as fiscal sponsor. Brockton's school-based and district homeless liaisons refer students, so help reaches them through adults they already know and trust. The Housing and Educational Equity Lab at Boston College will serve as the research partner.
Brockton Public Schools
Identifies eligible students, coordinates with families, and connects stipend support to school-based case management.
Haitian Community Partners Foundation
Serves as fiscal sponsor, providing responsible stewardship so funds can flow efficiently to students and families.
Housing & Educational Equity Lab
Boston College's Housing and Educational Equity Lab will serve as the research partner, documenting outcomes and informing continuous improvement.