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February Newsletter 2023

By February 7, 2023March 8th, 2023

This month we are celebrating love and friendship, of course! We are also honoring the contributions of Black leaders and community members for Black History Month. Students will hear about the Underground Railroad and its connection to (and extension into) Mexico. Click here to read the article.

As we continue to support local entrepreneurs, we are seeking business-owning mentors to work with our Business 101 students throughout the Spring. Click here for the flyer (in Spanish)

Spread the Love

Friend, we invite you to visit our center for “Tacos & a Tour” – a chance to see our work in North Fair Oaks and how you can be a part of the big things happening in our community.We are blessed to have so many wonderful people who support our work and contribute in very meaningful ways. We wanted to give a shout-out to The Wong Family. When there is a need, they are always there to bless GU. In December they hosted a night of community with a taco truck! It was a chilly night and many friends joined us. Jenn made cookies and other sweet treats. Thanks to all who came out for the fun!

Remembering Mary Lou Grunigen

We mourn the passing of our dear Mary Lou this week. This precious saint was a highlight at Fair Oaks School! She was such a fun reading partner for our children! She’d talk about the warriors and made the boys laugh a lot! She was a beautiful example of loving your community selflessly. She is already greatly missed by so many.

Flood Relief Update

Thank you so much to the generous donors and volunteers who gave to support the families of North Fair Oaks affected by the devastating floods early this year. We have received dry goods, paper products, and financial contributions to help families replace their lost supplies and possessions.
Volunteer opportunities

As we look forward to Spring and Summer, we welcome new and returning reading buddies. Join us one hour per week to make a significant impact on a student’s academic success. We have weekday opportunities from 3:30-5 pm. We also need support for special events, crafts, celebrations, and Summer camps! Please consider joining us AND telling a friend! We welcome High School students interested in completing community service hours or seeking a service project during Spring Break. Our upcoming calendar is below and updates are always available on our website. Click for more information or to sign up.

Share a meal and Share the LOVE

Providing lunch or snacks for 15 students would mean a great deal to our Academic Enrichment Center. You can sign up to make or donate one time or regularly. The greatest needs are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Fresh-cut fruit, sandwiches, packaged chips or cookies, and more are great ideas.

We are so grateful for our partnership with Cake4Kids! Local bakers donate their tremendous talent and provide sweet treats for our students. Please click the photo for a sweet video highlighting their work.

Email Julia to Help

There are additional ways to help:

  • Provide meals/refreshments for a fall event. A lunch box, a value pack of chips, a container of cookies, or a bag of apples goes a long way to help keep our students, volunteers, and participants engaged.
  • Sponsor a student to attend the Zoppe family circus. We have been fortunate to take a group every year thanks to the generosity of donors.
  • Volunteer! We still need reading tutors for students and helping hands for community events – especially the Community Thanksgiving Dinner next month. Contact Angie if you would like to help with coordinating this event

Calendar:

  • Dates to remember:
  • February 17 & 20: AEC & Generations United Offices closed
  • February 21-24: Students are on Winter Break, regular tutoring can be scheduled at the normal time.
  • March 13 – Angie Ibarra Miller’s Birthday
What’s next in 2023?

2022 brought so many challenges our way and we are so proud of the way that our team and our community faced them with tenacity. Families overcame huge hurdles in joblessness, homelessness, entrepreneurship, and continued changes in family dynamics. The work that we do is made possible by the generosity of monthly donors and one-time gifts (including corporate grants and matches). Our year-end initiative included a generous gift from Central Peninsula Church to expand the mental health support that we offer to our community. Won’t you join us in our mission to empower the students and families of this region?

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