New Year’s Update from the Ada Jenkins Center

Friends,

We hope your 2022 is off to a great start. Thanks to the generosity of friends, volunteers, and donors throughout the holidays, we remain cautiously hopeful for a better year for our clients. Here’s a quick update on the growing need in our community.

During the first half of our program year (July 1-December 21, 2021):

• We’ve responded to 869 e-mails, calls, or texts seeking information about financial assistance or other family needs
• 482 people have obtained groceries through the Loaves and Fishes food pantry
• 75 families have received emergency financial assistance totaling more than $72,500
• 105 new clients have entered our Economic Mobility program, receiving tenancy education, connections with area housing, budget assistance, employment and training resources, and more
• 59 people experiencing homelessness have been connected with critical services
• 26 students participated in Camp LEARN Works, a two-week summer program of learning and fun 
• 46 students are enrolled in our LEARN Works afterschool academic program for the current school year, and received backpacks full of donated school supplies
• 304 volunteers have helped tutor our students, deep-clean the food pantry and classrooms, improve our building and campus, and so much more

COVID continues to disproportionately affect our client families, most of whom are persons of color. In addition, COVID is impacting our client services: our food pantry will continue its “drive-up” service for the foreseeable future, in accordance with Loaves & Fishes guidelines. Our LEARN Works afterschool program is following Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ COVID protocols, and health experts are still finalizing protocols for the services we can offer through our dental collaboration.

Interested in volunteering?  Due to COVID, we desperately need volunteers in our afterschool classrooms through at least the end of January; click here for more information.

Interested in helping?  Click here to see what our clients need most. (We have a handy AmazonSmile wishlist also.)

The  Ada Jenkins Center is working harder than ever to fulfill our mission: We exist to help people create lasting solutions for economic stability. 

We can’t say thank you enough for your continued support of the families in our community. Stay safe, and stay in touch.

With gratitude,

Harold E. Rice, Jr.

Chief Executive Officer