Parc West Tutoring & Summer Fun

By: Lea Ann Hirth

For the past several months, we have had the privilege of supporting the after-school program at the Parc West Apartments next door, and we’ve made lots of sweet new friends!

Several members of Grace have been giving them an hour each week to help with reading, math, and vocabulary. We have also been learning how to tell time and count money! Our class sizes range from 3–10 kids on any given day, and boy, are they energetic! It’s been fun to see these kids grow in their reading and math skills, and we have our awesome volunteers to thank for that growth.

When God said to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39 and Mark 12:31), He was calling us to ministry. Ministry is loving your neighbor, taking note of their needs, and offering to help. That is exactly what our volunteers have been doing, and I’m deeply grateful for each one of them!

As school came to a close, we took everyone to have a day of fun at Putt-Putt Mini Golf to celebrate the beginning of summer. We will continue to meet during the summer at Parc West at 10:00 am to help the kids with reading and math. We have started a summer book club that awards prizes depending on how many books they read.

On Wednesday mornings, the kids come to our campus to learn about growing fruits and vegetables in the Grace Community Garden (on the west side of our property.) A big thank you to Larry McLaughlin for lending his knowledge and expertise to teach these kids how to grow their own food, make compost, and ultimately learn how God is the one behind it all, causing it to grow and bless us. As the garden produces food, the kids will get to take it home to their families! Come join the fun and help us bless, love, and mentor these kids!