Sarah Roy is the inaugural Director of the Salem Children’s Alliance, dedicated to advancing equity and opportunity for Salem’s youth. Originally from Indiana, she began her career in mental health before earning a Master’s in Social Work from Boston College.

 

Before stepping into her role in 2024, Sarah spent over a decade at Salem Academy as the Director of Adjustment Counseling. She is a passionate advocate, working with schools, families, and community partners to support marginalized youth.

 

Beyond her work, Sarah serves on the boards of The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem, SPUR, and The Women’s Fund of Essex County, as well as the Development Committee for HAWC. She is committed to building a stronger, more inclusive Salem for all.

Speaker Sarah Ray began her presentation with an activity focused on imagining a joyful child. Attendees closed their eyes and visualized what the child was doing and how they appeared, sharing their thoughts about after-school activities that children enjoy, inspired by stickers placed on each table by Sarah Ray.

Sarah Ray, who spent 14 years as a middle school counselor, was motivated to take on the role of Director of the Salem Children’s Alliance after realizing how difficult it is to access services for children in schools, especially in the post-Covid era. She believes Salem is a community of committed partners, and her goal is to amplify the efforts already in place in the city. The Salem Children’s Alliance conducts a Listening and Learning Tour to evaluate what public schools and the city do well and areas for improvement, with the hope of identifying priorities. Among the organization's initiatives are the Youth Mental Health Task Force, North Shore LGBTQ+ Youth Advocacy Team, Uplift Salem, and the Salem Youth Commission, along with efforts related to the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Program.

 

The Salem Children’s Alliance, part of Salem, Massachusetts - City Government, partners with schools, community organizations, and families to build equitable, accessible, and impactful opportunities for Salem’s youth and families from cradle to career.

 

The Salem Children’s Alliance is proud to be part of the Safe Streets for All Task Force, working to make Salem’s streets safer for everyone. Between 2019 and 2023, the city experienced 39 fatal or severe injury crashes, impacting families and communities. To address this, Salem is developing a comprehensive Safety Action Plan to guide future safety improvements. Resident feedback is essential.

 

 

We will be collecting books for the Pre-K students again this year. Last year we generously participated in providing 3 books each to the students.

 

The organizers have reached out to the Pre-K teachers at the Early Education Center at Bentley, Bates, Horace Mann and the YMCA. They are picking out which books that would love for the 244 students to take home.

 

They only need 145 more volunteers. As a reminder, they will tell us what books to buy and we can bring us all 3 at the same time. They will encourage us to write a short note on the inside cover to the blossoming new anonymous reader.

Your gift to the Annual Fund helps Rotary clubs take action today to create positive change in communities at home and around the world. Your contributions help us strengthen peace efforts, provide clean water and sanitation, support education, grow local economies, save mothers and children, and fight disease.

 

The Every Rotarian Every Year initiative asks every Rotarian to support The Rotary Foundation every year.  

 

Registration Is Open for RLI April 26

 

 

Old Hollywood theme this year! I won't spill too many details, but it will be classy. Cost is $90 per person.