Programs Fact Sheet 2003

Kids Club is the after school program of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New Rochelle, NY whose primary purpose is to help children with their homework. About 25 elementary students come between 3:30 and 5:30 Monday through Thursday. Currently all the children are from immigrant families with the majority from Mexico. Our major need is more volunteer mentors.

The main objectives of Kids Club are:

+ to help the children finish their homework

+ provide additional nutrition

+ teach socialization skills

+ teach computer skills

+ provide vocal and instrumental music lessons

+ ameliorate the stressful lives of immigrant families through building  relationships, counseling and referrals.

Additional activities to aid Mothers and Children:

+ Mrs. Kim has begun New Rochelle Chimes Choir on Thursday afternoon (as the children have less homework at the end of the week)

+ We have a summer camp each year, usually following the 4th of July to  the  last week of July. Last year we enrolled 40 children which stretches our resources. We need to plan on funding a director and staff for 2003.

+ We have a 10-week, 60-hour ESL class through Southern Westchester BOCES, 6:30-9:30 PM, Monday and Friday.
 
+ We are beginning a computer skills class to create a life-changing, job opportunity.

+ STEPS is a 10-week parenting class for Hispanic mothers. It meets 9:30 AM- 1 PM on Tuesdays.

+ We have 8 families enrolled in a nutrition assistance program that currently gives 2 bags of food every other week. We do this in assistance with The Master's Hand on Bonnefoy Place. None of the enrolled families receives any government assistance.

+The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program at Sound Shore Medical Center assists mothers who are most needy and is often an immigrant's first connection with an agency in our community. For Christmas 2002 we gave the WIC program 25 Bethlehem Boxes: a shoe box containing clothes, feeding bibs, teething rings, baby cups, spoons, etc.