Pamela Story Named the 2022 National Homeless Liaison of the Year

Cumberland County Schools' Social Work Coordinator believes, "It takes a village."

Fayetteville, N.C. – Empathy, awareness, innovation and a working knowledge of State and local policies that impact children and youth – these are just a few of the requirements to be an effective and impactful school social worker. School social workers are the bridge between families, schools and their community to help students succeed.

Over the last two years, school social workers have been working incredibly hard to maintain this bridge and the connections within their communities in spite of shutdowns and social distancing. They all have "stepped up" and inspired resilience to help those in need.

One of the groups heavily impacted by COVID-19 is students in transition or experiencing homelessness. These students have school social workers on their side to help with transportation, food insecurity, social-emotional needs and more.

Now, Cumberland County Schools (CCS) has a nationally recognized Homeless Liaison leading the CCS Social Work Services Department and serving the students and families of Cumberland County with "a servant's heart."

Pamela Story, Social Work Coordinator and Homeless Liaison for CCS and the North Carolina Homeless Liaison of the Year, was announced as the 2022 National Homeless Liaison of the Year at the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) Conference in Atlanta, Ga. on Sunday, November 14, 2021.

Story attributes her success in social work to the committed community of Cumberland County, her CCS Social Work Services team, and the resilience of the students and families experiencing homelessness. She refused to take all of the credit for the work of her department and said, "It really does take a village to serve children. I am a servant leader, and we have an excellent community."

Story works with her team to collaborate with community partners to provide everything they can, which includes transportation and school supplies. "We work with food banks, agencies and community resources geared towards children. We have tons of community support from organizations, churches, businesses and even individual citizens. Strengthening these partnerships ensures that providing resources is not an issue in CCS," she said.