Fruits of Your Support

It has been three weeks since we last tutored. But your work is producing fruit!

Despite the news, it’s been a week full of joyful moments at SDRT as we have had the privilege of delivering (safely, and within CDC’s health guidelines) exciting packages to students and their families. TEAM SDRT put together and delivered “Home Libraries” for 15 families and encouraged all family members to keep their books in these containers so they could share texts with each other, locate reading material easily and keep these precious items safe!

Along with that, TEAM SDRT prepared homework for at least a dozen families and promised prizes upon completion. One student had begun the packet before his sister had even closed their front door! Another big sister texted the picture (below) of her siblings who were hard at work, completing their packets within 24 hours of drop-off!

We are certain that our kids were delighted to see a bin of books because of you and the program at SDRT. Most of our kids can really read. This is huge. They have grown to love books. And, they genuinely are interested in the titles we carefully selected for them. Your patience, perseverance and hard work with our kids is paying off, even if we are not together. All those tutoring sessions of “30 minutes of reading” with you encouraging “just one more book” is definitely producing fruit!

Thank you also to those of you who brought us donations of food and other supplies. While we were at one house this week, the kids said they had no soap. A few seconds earlier, a donor texted us, asking, “What else can I ship for your families?” Within minutes of giving her our list: “laundry detergent, hand soap, body wash,” it was on its way. TEAM SDRT will deliver these hygiene items to that family tonight. Thanks to you all, TEAM SDRT also delivered 3-4 grocery bags to a dozen families this week.

TEAM SDRT has begun communicating to our families in their own languages (thanks to our translators) about the school district’s computer device distribution plan. Most of our families will be going to get their kids’ computer devices in the next two weeks. This is also great news as many of our kids have very limited access to online learning. Our next step will be to help them get Internet access.

TEAM SDRT is working diligently, meeting both basic needs and educational needs. As we learn of layoffs and decreased work for our kids’ parents, we are compiling resources and hoping our translators can help assist with these applications.

As you can see, the work is plentiful around here.

Now, more than ever, we could use your support.

Please consider DONATING now.

About Melissa Phillips

Melissa Phillips is one of the founders of San Diego Refugee Tutoring and currently serves as its Program Director. She has four incredible children, many years of teaching experience, and a supportive husband who also works in education.

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