Now more than ever, your SUPPORT is NEEDED!

The Holiday Season is a time of year when we celebrate family and friends. It’s also a time to be generous with our good will and think of those who may not be as fortunate as us. For a variety of reasons, some families will struggle to get through the holidays.

Your support, ‘Now More than Ever’ is Needed!

The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation, through its programs, supports children and youth in Hastings and Prince Edward counties. We believe that all students should have the support they need to realize well-being and success, and we’re committed to creating equal opportunities for all students.

As you consider how you want to make your community a better place, and where you will lend your philanthropic support, consider ‘The Story of J’, as shared by an Elementary School Principal;

“I wanted to share a little about needs of students in the communities that we serve. Their needs are typically not sudden and not the result of a disaster or huge life-changing event. Our families live, what I describe as “very close to the edge”. This is not just when it comes to finances. They are “close to the edge” with their physical, emotional and mental health as well. Stress that comes from everyday living is often enough to cause a crisis. We see this every day in our breakfast and lunch program. Families struggle to put food on the table and in lunch bags on a daily basis. And this is just one example. Our families are “close enough to the edge” financially, that any unplanned need will cause a disruption. For example, an unexpected cold snap that causes a greater hydro bill or the need for a new battery in the car will put a family in need.

Simply put, the HPELF recognizes that these types of needs exist and responds to these needs in our communities. It works because we, the school staff, often see the needs of our students very quickly and the HPELF gives us access to an effective support structure. With the support of the HPELF we have been able to help families with food, clothing, medicine and field trips just to name a few things.

My favourite story is J’s glasses. J is a struggling learner. School staff has been working for years to support him and through a special needs assessment we determined that he may need glasses. After an eye test, it was shown that J’s eyesight was a significant impairment to his learning. He required special glasses that would allow him to effectively see written material. J lives with his mother who is unable to work. He is not supported by his father. She fought back the tears when she came to tell us that she had ordered his new glasses but that it would probably take her several months to pay for them.

Through the hard work of the HPELF, we were able to support the purchase of J’s glasses. Today J is sitting in his class, engaged in learning.

The biggest difference between the HPELF and other charities is that once we, the school, recognize the need, we don’t have to “jump through hoops”. We simply identify the need and we can act. So many families in Hastings and Prince Edward live ‘on the edge’. We are a better community because we can offer the supports to our families!”

Please make a donation to The Learning Foundation!

Did you know that during the pandemic up to the end of August, through Learning Foundation programs, we provided more than $472,000 in grocery gift cards support to food vulnerable students and families in Hastings and Prince Edward counties.

Our support is continuing with 477 backpacks full of school supplies provided to students who otherwise would go without. Food for Learning programs are providing nutrition to both at school and virtual learners and our Student Emergency Fund is responding to funding requests for children and youth in crisis situations.

As a School Principal has said, “I choose to give to The Learning Foundation because I know that the money I give will directly impact the lives of children. I know whatever I give makes a difference for children and their families. Our children are our most precious asset and as such, every child deserves the best start in life we can give them. Our children shape the future.”

Another School Principal shared this about our programs, “As a school principal, I think I have the best job in the world. I have the tremendous privilege to work with and to celebrate with our families and our students as they overcome obstacles and take monumental steps towards their goals and lifelong success. I also find myself supporting our families and students as they tackle the lowest of lows. And, one of the critical pillars of support that we as a school and a board provide comes to us by way of The Learning Foundation. Since the beginning of my career with Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board 3 years ago, I have seen the funds from The Learning Foundation used in a number of ways: Supporting the purchase of eyeglasses, providing assistance with travel to crucial out-of-town medical appointments, immediate nutritional support through Food for Learning, emergency housing support for a family in dire need, assistance with the purchase of second hand laundry equipment for a student who was coming to school with dirty clothes, assistance with accessing curricular and extracurricular opportunities, the list goes on and on.”