Oakland County, Southfield and Hazel Park Public Schools Announce $4.6 Million Ballmer Group Grant to Expand Family Support Services

• $4.6 million Ballmer Group grant expands Oakland Connects to support families in Southfield and Hazel Park Schools over three years.
• New community health workers and mental health navigators will provide one-on-one, wraparound support to families - addressing housing, food, healthcare, transportation and more.
• County and school-based teams will work together to strengthen household stability, support student success and ensure no family falls through the cracks.

Pontiac, Mich. - Oakland County, in partnership with Southfield Public School District and Hazel Park Schools, today announced a $4,668,000, three-year grant from the Ballmer Group to expand the supportive services of Oakland Connects - a free county program that helps guide residents through health, housing and non-medical supports such as food and transportation assistance - within both school districts.

The investment will strengthen the Community Schools model by ensuring families have direct access to personalized, wraparound supports that promote stability, well-being and student success.

"This partnership is about meeting families where they are and removing barriers that can stand in the way of a child's success," said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. "With the Ballmer Group's support, Oakland Connects will deepen its presence in Southfield and Hazel Park. When families are supported, students are better positioned to learn and thrive."

Through the grant, Oakland County Health & Human Services will hire six additional community health workers to be stationed within Southfield Public School District and Hazel Park Schools and will contract with mental health navigators. County and district staff will work side by side so families can more easily access housing, health care, food, transportation and mental health resources.

"Ballmer Group is excited to partner with Oakland County and the school districts of Southfield and Hazel Park to ensure that both parents and young people have the supports they need to thrive," said Brandon Gleaton, senior portfolio manager for Ballmer Group Southeast Michigan. "When families and students have access to strong, coordinated services, the entire community benefits. This partnership reflects our belief that investing in families across generations is essential to long-term stability and upward mobility."

The community health workers' services are for adult members of each household, not students. They will provide one-on-one support, resources and referrals related to housing and utilities, health insurance navigation, food assistance, transportation, job training resources, mental health navigation and other wraparound services that help stabilize households and support student achievement.

"All families deserve access to the services and supports they need to thrive," said Dr. Amy Wilcox, superintendent of Hazel Park Schools. "Through our collaboration with the Ballmer Group and Oakland County, we have already connected families to resources they may not have otherwise received. We are grateful for our continued work to expand community schools in Hazel Park for the benefit of all families."

This grant, which runs through 2028, reinforces Oakland County's commitment to partnering with school districts to support whole families because strong families help create strong schools and stronger communities.

"On behalf of Southfield Public Schools, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Ballmer Group for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to community well-being," said Dr. Jennifer Martin-Green, superintendent of Southfield Public School District. "Their investment is creating a powerful opportunity for Oakland County to expand the use of community health workers - an initiative that will strengthen the health, stability, and success of families across our region."

About Ballmer Group

Co-founded by Connie and Steve Ballmer, Ballmer Group funds organizations and leaders to reshape opportunity and expand economic mobility across the United States. To learn more, go to ballmergroup.org.