Busy Building Connections!

It's been a busy year so far for CAN! As spring sets in, we are reflecting on a great semester of Afterschool Program, bustling community centers, and connections with partners. The warmer weather also has us thinking ahead to summer with big plans for camp this year! As always, thank you for following along and being a part of the CAN family!

Partnerships Key for Educational Success

Connecting with vital partners is just one of the ways CAN finds so much success with our educational programs. Just check out what Torey Madura and the rest of our staff have been doing recently to engage with Ann Arbor Public Schools!

• Attended the students' Vocab Parade and 100's Day Parade
• Helped out at Market Day and volunteered at the Book Fair
• Sang onstage with the kids during the Black History Month assembly
• Regular visits with faculty and school social workers to ensure students have the resources they need
• Attended AAPS' Student-Focused Partners Meeting: Well-Being & Mental Health training
• And more!

Recent Highlights

Murals galore! It's no secret that art and design are intertwined with so much of what we do here at CAN. Four of our sites have recently connected with the students in the community to design and create murals to brighten up our outdoor spaces! Pictured above is the mural for Brick Community Center in progress, which features the school's therapy dog, Mindy!

Last month, we celebrated Black History Month through community events (like the one pictured above at Green Baxter Court), lots of activities, and art projects!

Our Beyond the Books program is growing! After a successful pilot at Brick, where kids lit up with curiosity and confidence, we expanded to Hikone - and next up is Creekside! This three-week program makes reading fun and interactive through videos, group reading, and hands-on activities. We can’t wait to bring the magic of books to even more young minds!

As part of our CAN CARES program, which supports students' mental health through hands-on activities, personalized plans, and resources, students created Worry Boxes. Each student decorated their box and filled it with their worries - a simple yet powerful way to support their well-being!

Coming Up!

Farewell Harrison

This month, we said farewell to a member of our team who will have a lasting impact on CAN and everyone he worked with.

Harrison spent 8 years with CAN, first as a VISTA leader, then a Site Director, then Director of Teen Programs and Staff Development.

It is nothing short of special when someone can dedicate that many years to CAN impacting lives in a variety of ways like Harrison has.

We will forever be grateful to him for his time, dedication, passion, and kind heart.

We wish you nothing but the best, Harrison!

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PO Box 130076

Ann Arbor, MI 48113

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Community Action Network partners with children, youth, and families from under-resourced Washtenaw County neighborhoods to create better futures for themselves and improve the communities in which they live.

Community Action Network

info@canwashtenaw.org

www.canwashtenaw.org

(734) 994-2985

PO Box 130076, Ann Arbor, MI 48113