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Love abounds this November.
Following our call for donations in last month’s newsletter, we’ve received coats, socks, snacks and more…including an absolutely MASSIVE non-perishable donation from Pope Materials Inc. Our NESTlings were in awe at the number of snacks they could choose from once everything was sorted into our food pantry.
To mark the beginning of Thanksgiving break, NEST volunteers hosted a Friendsgiving dinner, which was filled with a sense of community and tradition. Students were able to share what they were thankful for while also digging into holiday classics, like turkey, green bean casserole and mashed potatoes.
Making the evening even more special, they also got to choose a book and a cozy blanket to take home with them for the weeklong holiday. This was made possible by a Sun City group called “Books and a Blanket,” which aims to promote literacy for children and young adults.
A huge part of my job includes working to ensure students feel cared for and comfortable, which can become difficult over school breaks, during which the NEST is closed and we have little to no contact with kiddos. This heartfelt donation certainly helped put my mind at ease, as students got to take a little coziness home with them.
We’re seeing a lot of new faces at the NEST, which is really exciting. My coworker asked one of our newest, regular attending students — an absolutely adorable freshmen — why they like coming here so much. Their answer was something along these lines:
“It’s a really good environment and it’s so much fun. We get to eat dinner all together and play games. And if you do something wrong or are feeling down, the adults here will stop and just talk to you about it. And that’s not always what happens with grown-ups.”
Thank you, a million times over, to everyone who helps make the NEST such a welcoming space for students.
-Brigid Cooley
TGP NEST Empowerment Center Coordinator
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