This fall we received a referral from a Yancey County elementary school counselor. She told us about a grandmother in her seventies raising her 5-year-old, energetic granddaughter because of the daughter’s substance abuse. The grandmother is not in great health and does not have the energy to take her granddaughter out and about. The child was restless, getting in trouble in school, and falling behind on her lessons.
Since joining the program in November, the grandmother has been regularly attending our monthly RAPP support group meetings while her granddaughter has been playing with and getting to know the other children.
Her granddaughter received piles of presents at Christmas from one of our extraordinary donors. “All the presents were things she has really loved! I still can’t believe the generosity!” she texted later.
Recently the child joined us on a field trip snowtubing at Hawk’s Nest. She had so much fun it was hard to get her to leave when it was over.
Most importantly, HCC found 2 volunteers who each meet with this girl weekly to play games, read books, and help with her schoolwork. One volunteer is a retired preschool teacher and the other is a woman who helped run her church’s Sunday School.
A recent email from her school counselor tells us the impact: “We can tell {name withheld} is getting lots of support as her behavior and academics are improving in leaps and bounds. Thank you so much for organizing all this.”
Thanks are extended to you, our donors, who make the work we do in the community possible. You are the wind beneath our wings and we are so grateful to you.