Helping the Children in Our Community

Dear Editor,
My name is Harold Daily and I am pastor at First United Methodist Church in La Feria. Last September we lead a community effort to help the children of the David G. Sanchez Elementary School. Over 60 people gathered to plant donated trees to shade the children’s playground and landscaping to beautify the school. This was more than a one day event, but the beginning of several ongoing programs for the kids, which continue to provide hungry children with weekend food backpacks, shoes for those in need, and tutors to help kids keep up with their studies.

While these programs at Sanchez Elementary will continue, this September we hope to build on last year’s success by taking on the needs of C.E. Vail Elementary School. This will only be possible through wide spread community support. Vail Elementary has requested the following:

1. Creation of a campus “Clothes Closet” to provide shoes and socks for child sizes: 10-13 and youth sizes 1-5, and coats for child sizes: medium (8-10), large (12-14) and extra large (14-16).

2. Books (new and gently used) for 3rd grade readers to support school’s “Reading Program.” Elementary dictionaries, thesaurus, chapter books and non-fiction books are needed most.

3. Volunteers to support a “Mentor-Tutor program” to help children practice their reading.

4. Assembly and installation of “Bulletin Boards” to be placed outside 45 classrooms for children to display their work. Donations are needed for the purchase of materials.

5. “Food Backpack Program” for an estimated 35 children. Through the food bank of the Rio Grande Valley, Inc., food for backpacks can be purchased for only $8 per child per week. This program cannot be initiated without a long term commitment from enough businesses and individuals to sustain it for the entire school year. (Approx. $12,000 per year is needed.)

Please help make 2013 another successful year in helping the children of La Feria. Clothing and Volunteers are needed to help build and install bulletin boards that same day. Financial donations for the purchase of the above items and/or pledges for the Food Backpack Program should be sent to the First United Methodist Church in La Feria. If you have any questions please contact the church, and thank you in advance for any support you can provide to help the children.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Pastor Harold Dailey