How are you and your family? I hope you are staying well.
As you may know today, May 5th, is #GivingTuesdayNow — a day encouraging global generosity.
While we are continuing to prepare for summer, I’d also like to update you on our recent work:
- Through a limited grant provided by the Lavin Family Foundation, we have been partnering with local restaurants to purchase meals and deliver them to hungry at-risk children and families. The grant ends this week.
- We have been providing these hot-nutritious, restaurant prepared meals to families on Tuesday and Thursdays over the past six weeks. This is a win for everyone, children are fed, and the restaurants can keep their staffs working.
- We deliver hundreds of bagged lunches to children, senior citizens and families in need.
- Weekly we are also providing food baskets to over 25 families. The baskets include milk, eggs, bread, fruit, peanut butter, and other staples like laundry detergent or toothpaste.
Having the right technology to learn online is critical. We are happy to lend JPM’s computers to some students so they can study at home. We also print, deliver, and assist some students with their homework. However, our tutoring center and the playground has been closed in response to the city of New Orleans requirements since March 13th.
We hope to be able to open the Junior Student Training and Enrichment Program (JSTEP) in June. We will continue to mentor and train these phenomenal, yet at-risk youth. Normally, our summer camp is staffed by volunteer high school and college interns. However, this year we are planning to have the JSTEP youth fill that leadership role. JSTEP has been in training for the last few summers and we think this will be an amazing opportunity for them to demonstrate the skills they have been learning.
Your support tomorrow, May 5th, will ensure that children and families in Hollygrove will not only have the food that they need but will have a sense of safety and security. It is such a joy to drive up to these homes when we are delivering the dinners and hear the kids behind the door start to yell and cheer, “the food is here, the food is here.”
Every dollar counts. Your generosity will have an immediate impact on the families we serve. No child should go to bed hungry. Every child should feel safe. Your donation makes this possible.
Blessings,
Debra, Rachel and Sarah