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As a non-profit 501(c)(3), every dollar you invest into HERE goes right back into programming, resources, and enrichment opportunities for your family. Benefits of our non-profit status include:

Reduced operational costs, keeping fees low for families

Transparent financial stewardship by a volunteer Board of Directors

Community-focused programming driven by family input

Your membership gives you access to a wide range of engaging programs and community events, including:

• Field Trips to local destinations and cultural sites

• Park Days for connection and play

•  Seasonal Parties for all ages

• Teen Events to build friendships and leadership

•  Family Service Projects to cultivate servant hearts

• High School Beta Club and Middle School Beta Jr. Club

• Nature Hikes & Outdoor Adventures

• ...and much more!

Strengthening Safety with Background Checks

This year, we’re taking an important step to further protect our children. To support the highest standards of child safety, HERE has partnered with Ministry Safe, a nationally recognized organization, specializing in child safety protocols for ministries and youth-serving organizations to process all adult background checks. All participating adults will be required to complete a background check through Ministry Safe. This aligns with our commitment to best practices in youth protection, and ensures a safe environment for every child in our community.

 Questions?

We’re here to help! Please reach out to our team at here.hs.va@gmail.com

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HERE Background Check Policy

Adopted for the 2025–2026 Program Year

To ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all members, Home Educators Recreation and Enrichment (HERE) requires background checks for all adults participating in HERE events. This policy reflects our commitment to the highest standards of child safety while remaining practical for a family-based support group structure.

Who Needs a Background Check

- All adults (18+) listed on a HERE family account who plan to attend HERE events—including field trips, service projects, park days, parties, or other group activities—must complete a background check.

- Adults not originally listed but later added to participate in events will also require a background check prior to attendance.

- Occasional visitors (e.g., grandparents visiting from out of town or friends attending one event) may attend one public event as a guest to “check out” HERE. If they return for future events, they must be added to the family account and complete a background check.

- HERE does not accept outside background checks (e.g., from churches, employers, or other co-ops). All checks must be processed through Ministry Safe, our official safety partner.

Cost and Duration

- One background check is included with the $50 annual family membership.

- Each additional background check is available at a discounted rate of $10 per adult.

- Background checks are valid for three (3) years, after which they must be renewed.

- Results are kept confidential and only accessible to designated HERE leadership responsible for background check administration.

Why We Encourage You to Plan Ahead

We strongly encourage families to proactively add any adults who may possibly attend HERE events (e.g., a spouse, grandparent, adult child, or caregiver) to their family account at the time of registration. This ensures:

- They are visible in the system for sign-up forms and head counts.

- Their background checks are processed in advance—processing can take several business days.

- We avoid last-minute issues and delays with access to events, especially for pre-paid field trips or events on holidays when spouses often wish to attend.

While saving $10 may seem like a benefit of delaying, it can lead to disappointments if the adult cannot be added or cleared in time for an event. Please plan accordingly.

Special Notes

- Families visiting a HERE event for the first time (e.g., park day, Not Back to School Day) may attend once without a background check as a trial visit. Any ongoing participation will require full registration and background check compliance.

- If there are any hesitations or concerns about completing a background check, the individual should contact HERE leadership to discuss options before participating.

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Adults listed on your HERE family account have access to the private member area of our website, which includes personal information, location-specific details for events, and the ability to sign up for field trips and activities. We are not trying to limit access to public spaces—we are safeguarding access to private information behind the firewall. Even if someone is marked under your family account as not receiving emails, they still technically could have access to private information and location details behind the firewall through the shared family account—this is the access we are working to protect. Prior to the new policy, the only protection of that information was a payment; now we can be assured that all who have been authorized potential access have been vetted with a background check.

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All adults (18+) listed under your HERE family account who plan to attend HERE events (e.g., field trips, service days, park days, parties, or other activities) must complete a background check. This includes anyone who may be added later to participate in events. Because they appear in your dropdown menu for event registration, they technically could have access to private information and location details behind the firewall and must meet the same safety standards.

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A grandparent or friend visiting for a single public event (e.g., park day or beach day) does not need a background check. However, if they plan to attend additional events or are added to your family account, they will need to complete one. This isn’t about limiting who can go to the park—it’s about limiting who can view and interact with private event details online.

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While we respect other background checks, we use Ministry Safe because it integrates with a HERE specific dashboard. This system tells us if someone has completed their check, if it's processing, or if their link is about to expire. Keeping everything within one system reduces confusion and extra steps for both families and board members. Most importantly, it gives us a clear green light if everything checks out. That’s all we’re looking for—just a green light. We’re homeschool parents volunteering our time—we aren’t interested in personal data, just ensuring safety in the simplest, most consistent way possible.

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Adding additional extended family adults (such as grandparents, older adult children, etc) early ensures they’re in the dropdown box for event sign-ups and gives us time to process background checks. Delaying to save $10 may lead to last-minute issues, delays, or even missed events. Please plan ahead so everyone can participate smoothly and without stress.

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Families visiting a HERE event for the first time (e.g., park day, Not Back to School Day, beach day) may attend without a background check. But for any ongoing participation or account access, a background check is required. Even if someone is marked as not receiving emails, they still technically could have access to private information and location details through the shared family account—this is the access we are working to protect.