Dear friends,
2013 is off to a great start with huge demand for all that Podcasts for Peace has to offer. The waitlists for computer classes and for the Artisanship/Savings program exceed 30 youth, and parents we haven’t seen before are coming to Podcasts to sign their kids up for program activities. There is so much interest and need in the community for what we offer...we just don’t have the space, computers, money, and staff/volunteers to meet the demand!
But before looking ahead into the new year, we have some things to celebrate with you from 2012, including the construction of 10 speed-bumps on 5 different neighborhood streets. Heavily loaded trash trucks with well-worn brake pads used to speed through the neighborhood on their way to the nearby municipal dump. People were very concerned about the safety of their children, who have the streets as their main recreation area. So in 2011, Podcasts for Peace applied for and won a grant from a Canadian organization called Casa Canadiense that included funds to purchase the necessary materials.
2013 is off to a great start with huge demand for all that Podcasts for Peace has to offer. The waitlists for computer classes and for the Artisanship/Savings program exceed 30 youth, and parents we haven’t seen before are coming to Podcasts to sign their kids up for program activities. There is so much interest and need in the community for what we offer...we just don’t have the space, computers, money, and staff/volunteers to meet the demand!
But before looking ahead into the new year, we have some things to celebrate with you from 2012, including the construction of 10 speed-bumps on 5 different neighborhood streets. Heavily loaded trash trucks with well-worn brake pads used to speed through the neighborhood on their way to the nearby municipal dump. People were very concerned about the safety of their children, who have the streets as their main recreation area. So in 2011, Podcasts for Peace applied for and won a grant from a Canadian organization called Casa Canadiense that included funds to purchase the necessary materials.
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Community members took it from there, volunteering their time and expertise to buy the sand, gravel, and concrete mix, organize labor shifts, and prepare lunch for everyone involved in the project. The construction took place over 3 Sundays and helped people make their neighborhood safer. Marlen, a mother of three children involved in the program, is happy with the project: “The motorcycles aren’t going to be flying through the streets anymore. There are lots of kids here, so it was dangerous before.” Since the event, people have even approached us to request Podcasts’ administrative support as they raise funds amongst themselves for additional speed-bumps.
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We are also very proud of the Salsa Dance program. Four neighborhood youth learned Salsa at Cultura Salsera, a professional dance studio that gave them scholarships to attend classes. Casa Canadiense paid their transportation fees, and the youth took on leadership roles as the official Podcasts for Peace Salsa Dance Teachers, offering free weekly classes in the Podcasts center. This system is set to continue into 2013, with up to 12 people attending weekly classes they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
We still have more to share with you from 2012! In the next blog, we’ll tell you about some of the visual arts and psychology enrichment workshops we hosted last year.
Thank you,
James and Mika
We still have more to share with you from 2012! In the next blog, we’ll tell you about some of the visual arts and psychology enrichment workshops we hosted last year.
Thank you,
James and Mika
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