Julie Vanderheyden, Laurie Felling and Terri Burke share a common bond, the joy of community. All three women love the friendships they have made while working at Resale Select. Terri explains, “You always volunteer with truly genuine people who want to help others in our community.” Laurie adds, “Most of us didn’t know each other […]
Aisha’s story
On a cool August afternoon, in the middle of a global pandemic, Aisha* took her little sister’s hand and walked out their apartment door to an event at a nearby park. “I actually wasn’t planning on going,” said Aisha. “My mom was going to take my sister there, but she was running late.” A fortunate […]
June volunteer spotlight
Working on the Interfaith Outreach Back to School program is Linda Picek’s passion. She is amazed at the strong community support this program receives and is proud of our community and how individuals donate volunteer hours, supplies and funding. Providing our children with school supplies and a fresh, new backpack adds to the excitement surrounding […]
Repeat after me: no more gaps!
On May 19, I shared a personal story at our annual Caring for Kids (CfK) Breakfast — view it here. CfK, the foundational program of Great Expectations (GE), provides access and funding to quality early child care education and family support. And GE is our community’s collaborative response to educational inequities. Unfortunately, I did not […]
Supporting kids from cradle to career
As the Great Expectations Initiative (GE) matures into the next phase of its work, I am grateful for the passion and perseverance of the many community members who know we can do better for our kids. These dedicated advocates recognize how school and community can create an ecosystem of support around kids and families, build […]
The Danger of a Single Story
GREAT EXPECTATIONS: THE DANGER OF A SINGLE STORY Join us for an engaging discussion about how stories shape the ecosystem of support for kids in our community Tuesday, June 8 12-1:30 p.m. via Zoom Free and open to all RSVP Great Expectations works to strengthen the entire “ecosystem of support” – families, teachers, schools, community […]
