Success story on the fifth anniversary of the Family Success Center at St. Vincent de Paul which provides after-school and summer programming to at-risk children.
Project Type: Writing
Superpowers Used: Content Writing, Design, Photography, Production, iPhoneography
In the five years since opening, the Family Success Center has been host to dental care clinics, a wrestling team, cooking classes, STEAM summer camps, hours of tutoring, and numerous other of programs and services. With a goal of providing educational and social development opportunities for at-risk children who have experienced extreme poverty and homelessness, the FSC has accomplished this and more.
Consider this success story, as told by a parent whose son attends the after-school program at the Family Success Center.
“Riley started at the SVDP Family Success Center after being with another after-school program for several months and struggling to get his homework done correctly and on time. As a working mother, I would get off at 5:30 and race to get him by 6:00 across town. No one was helping with his homework, so it was either not done or not done correctly. We would then get home, get dinner started, try to do homework, get baths and get in bed by 9:00. Honestly, I was exhausted. He was falling behind on his sight words and he really needed someone with more time to help him with his homework. He needed more individual attention.”
“After many a late night homework sessions that usually ended in tears (either his or mine) a neighbor suggested St. Vincent de Paul. It was just around the corner and they were open until 7, so no more speeding to pick him up! The icing on the cake was the professional staff who worked with the kids. I very quickly saw a change in him when I picked him up from this program. His tutor showed him the kindness and attention he needed and with our last report card he received the highest marks in sight words which he had been struggling with all year! His teacher has mentioned dyslexia earlier in the year. He needed that extra time and attention. As a mother, I knew he was capable!
“Had it not been for the blessing of this after-school program, I would still be scraping by trying to pay for program that was little more than a day care when my son needed real help with his education. I cannot thank the staff of St. Vincent de Paul enough for the kindness they show me and my child on a daily basis, the opportunities they have provided, and the love and compassion that is evident from every interaction I have had with them.”
Success stories like this are the reason we do what we do and a credit to the donors, volunteers and staff at St. Vincent de Paul. To volunteer at the Family Success Center, contact Donna Young at (502) 301-8688 or dyoung@svdplou.org.