by Mindy Kyle
HOW ONE LOCAL ORGANIZATION IS HELPING KIDS DURING THIS TRYING TIME
GLEN ELLYN–Starting the new school year has been a unique stress for parents these last few weeks. Will we have hybrid in-school learning? Will we have remote learning? Will my children fall behind? Will they be mentally and socially impacted? Although valid concerns for all parents, these issues become exacerbated within our low-income families.
Research shows that lower income children are less likely to participate in online learning and have less available support at home. This is where the Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center has been able to step-up to assist and expand to help more children this fall. The GECRC mission is to help children from low-income families acquire the necessary skills in academics and social interaction to move successfully through grades K-12 by providing after-school and summer programs which emphasize literacy and community involvement using the talents of teachers, volunteer tutors, GECRC staff and a variety of local organizations.
In the fall of 2003, GECRC became a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation in order to better serve the greater Glen Ellyn community. Since then, they have opened after school programs at Abraham Lincoln and Churchill Elementary Schools, Hadley Junior High and their newest program this fall at Glen Crest Middle School allowing them to serve students living in Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights and Lombard. Last year, GECRC was able to support 186 students in their after school program and 115 students in their summer program.
“Our students interact with a variety of tutors, some that are close to their age and others are college students, parents or retired teachers,” says Leah Harding, GECRC Executive Director. “It is impactful to young learners to know that so many people are there to support them, encourage them, and help them reach their potential.”
Starting September 15th, GECRC students will begin working with volunteer tutors online to assist students remotely with their e-learning assignments while at home. Volunteers will be asked to sign-up for hour slots between 4-5:30pm. More volunteers are also needed to launch their new program at Glen Crest Middle School. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the “Volunteer Questionnaire”, which can be found on their website at www.gecrc.com/volunteer/application. To learn more, visit www.gecrc.com .
