Our unique home visit model allows us to work directly with our community’s most isolated children and their families. Over time we see changes not only in children but also in their parents, with greater parent engagement and self-sufficiency. Through education, we tackle the impact of poverty and help families move forward with lasting results.
As families grow, they change the dynamics in our community. One such example is Deborah who joined Way to Grow when her daughter Patty was three years old. We’ve shared before how Deborah saw her life and Patty’s change for the better because of Way to Grow. One of our strongest Parent Champions, Deborah found her voice in the six years she was with us. This past spring, Deborah and Patty graduated our program and they are now determined to give back.
Deborah recently sent a message asking if Way to Grow needed school supplies for families. Shortly after, she stopped by and dropped off a bag full of new and gently used backpacks. Our Family Educators quickly distributed the needed supplies. In the spirit of families learning together, one of those donated backpacks was given to another mom who is headed back to school and who was truly grateful for her “school supply.”
The support kept coming as Deborah again dropped off school supplies—five bags of notebooks, crayons, pencils, and scissors! It turns out, Deborah was doing her own donation drive to give back to Way to Grow for the years she and Patty benefitted from the program. We were blown away by her generous spirit. Deborah now talks about Way to Grow with other families she meets and shares the impact of our early education program on her family. She is a true Parent Champion and valued community leader.
