July 2020
In this issue: LaAmistad Afterschool Online, 27k Meals Delivered, Gala Date Set, ESL Virtual Classroom, The Sandy Springs Society, The 2020 Census, and more
LaAmistad Afterschool Online Aims to "Be the Village"
As local school districts solidify their plans to teach students this fall, one thing is abundantly clear to student advocates: the digital divide will play a significant role in educational disparities among students. It's important to keep in mind that online learning can be prohibitively expensive for students from low-income families and that LaAmistad students will need access to the same resources already afforded to their more affluent classmates.

Online Afterschool will continue to be a major support for LaAmistad students to lean on, as it has been for nearly two decades. With many of the same challenges that inspired our foundation now present once again in distance learning, volunteers, staff, and supporters will be more critical than ever in ensuring the success of our students this fall.

We are performing independent family needs assessments, with the goal of finding a way to bridge the digital divide for families wherever necessary. We are establishing the framework for the online platform LaAmistad Afterschool will use next year to connect volunteers with students. We are gathering any and all available educational resources to help keep our students on track, engaged, and thriving.

It's going to take a village to continue to provide students with the supports that have served them so well in the past, and LaAmistad needs your help to be that village. Volunteers will have a unique opportunity this fall to pair up with an individual student, and we know that LaAmistad's dedicated, compassionate community of givers is more than up to the task.

 Can our students count on you to continue helping them online?
Click the button below to be part of LaAmistad Afterschool's digital journey!
LaAmistad Distributes over 27,000 Meals to LatinX Families
As part of its extensive relief efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, LaAmistad Inc. has distributed over 27,000 meals to LatinX students and families throughout Atlanta. Meals were contributed by a variety of local organizations and entities including Atlanta Public Schools, Mission Foods, Mercedes Benz Stadium, Second Helpings Atlanta, and more.

The goal of the relief efforts was to combat pandemic-related food insecurity for LaAmistad's over 300 Latino students and their families during COVID-19. In response to the current public health crisis, LaAmistad has prioritized serving as the main point of contact for its low-income LatinX families. To meet families' immediate and critical need, LaAmistad performed needs assessments and used the data it received to strategically deliver meals and gift cards to families throughout the metro area.

Click the button below to learn more!
LaAmistad Annual Gala set for
March 13th, 2021
An elegant evening  of dinner, a silent auction, and celebrating community heroes is set for March 13th! Join us at the Four Seasons Hotel as we celebrate the amazing people making a difference in Atlanta's Latino community. Purchase your tickets and sponsorships below, and help us celebrate the heroes of our community!
Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta
March 13, 2021
Cocktail Reception: 6:30 pm
Dinner: 7:30 pm
ESL's Virtual Classroom Going Strong
LaAmistad's ESL Virtual Classroom keeps the community together even when they're forced to be apart
Summer classes are off to a great start! We currently have 42 students enrolled, and it’s not too late to join. Click the link below to register! 

 
Levels: We are currently offering classes for all English proficiency levels. We have Basic, Level 1, Level 2, and advanced Levels 3 and 4.
 
Welcome everyone to the ESL family! 
Registration is now open! You can register with this link: https://www.laamistadinc.org/Forms/ESLRegistrationForm
Dates: Our online sessions run very similar to that of our in-person English classes. Sessions last for 10-11 weeks leaving room for extra testing time or time to review the curriculum before students move on to the next level.

The current session started on July 13 th and will end the week of September 30 th

Cost: You can sign up to take English classes online by paying a small registration fee of $30. Students will purchase their own books through Amazon. 

Student experience: We now have our first international student ! Samia, who is in level 4A, joins us all the way from Brazil . We are so excited to have her and even more excited that online learning opens the door for students from all over the world to join. 

ESL is always looking for volunteers and program assistance. Do you think teaching virtually is for you or would you like to provide support? Please reach out to [email protected] !

You can also support this program by donating: https://www.laamistadinc.org/Giving/  
Share this opportunity with friends and family!
Sandy Springs Society Awards LaAmistad $10,000 for ESL, Afterschool
The Sandy Springs Society recently awarded LaAmistad a grant in the amount of $10,000.00 to support its ESL and Afterschool initiatives. The award comes as part of a larger effort by the Sandy Springs Society to support programs focused on improving quality of life for city residents. Nonprofits that received support promote the arts, education, the environment, heritage, and social services.

Click the button to read more about grants from the Sandy Springs Society!
Don't Forget to Complete the 2020 Census!
For months LaAmistad has been encouraging the participation of the families it serves in the 2020 Census. It is now more critical than ever before that the Latino community be accurately represented in the data. Federal resource allocations, like the one designed to ease the economic impact of COVID-19, will be based on the collected data for the next ten years.

We must not forget that, even during this time of crisis, participation in the 2020 Census carries profound longterm implications for the students and families we serve.

Click below to respond to the 2020 Census!
Success Spotlight: Delivering Hope & Support to LaAmistad Families
Peachtree Church
Shallowford Presbyterian Church
Embry Hills United Methodist Church
Honeysuckle Park
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