Why Donate to Loaves and Fishes?
We focus on each child at risk. We provide many services and ways of learning so that Loaves and Fishes children stay committed to success. Your donation makes possible:
- Long-term support, K-12.
We have a waiting list because of our success in age-specific support.
And we give children many different learning experiences: not only tutoring but creative activities, athletics and special trips—like the adventure of tackling a ropes course, which gave many of our middle and high school students a great sense of achievement!Our programs engage students like Aziel (pictured with younger student Dymond) all the way through high school.
- One-on-one tutoring.
Staff and volunteers focus on students' unique needs in one-on-one tutoring. We train our volunteers, as well as ensure the children's access to the right technical learning resources.
Collaboration with each child's school.
Teachers refer children to Loaves and Fishes. And we collaborate with them, guidance counselors and school administration to strategize the best ways to help each child. As a result Joy has improved her language arts grade by 57%!
- Family support.
We hold monthly Family Nights for the children and their parents or guardians. After everyone eats supper, the adults attend a presentation or workshop that focuses on some aspect of family well-being. (This family has decorated a cake to spell LAF, which = Loaves and Fishes!)
- Enrichment as well as academics.
Our everyday enrichment activities range from visual and performing arts to athletics.
- Career development.
The students in our Stars program (grades 9–12) explore career and college opportunities through guest speakers, workplace visits and online research. They also practice interviewing skills.
- Open discussion about social pressures.
Staff educate children about the dangers of drug and alcohol use. In addition, we hold weekly meetings for older students to discuss school and peer pressure issues.
- Safe haven.
After school, lack of supervision leaves at-risk children vulnerable not only to pressures to drink and do drugs—but now increasingly to gang violence and recruiting. In Wake County, gang activity rose approximately 20% between March 2007 and March 2008.†
Loaves and Fishes provides safe haven during the entire span of critical after-school hours: 3–6:30pm, Monday–Thursday, throughout the school year.
Today 52 children are enrolled in our programs. To continue their success and include more children from our waiting list, we need your help. There are many ways to give.
†Gang activity data from The Raleigh News & Observer story "Wake Balks as School Budget Grows," 3/27/08.