With March upon us it is only natural to reflect on how these last 12 months have gone. My personal journey with PATH may have only started this past September but even my short time with them has been enough to assure me of this team’s resilience in such trying times. We have continued to put 110% into serving our community’s needs across all spectrums.
The PATH Cares initiative is likely the best example of how this organization has stepped up for our community in these last 12 months. We began with packaging and distributing over 100 care packages for Lake county students that included food, entertainment, mental health resources, and more. When school started back up, PATH brought backpacks of school supplies to the students at River Forest Middle School. Next PATH brought students face masks and headphones to help them with their E-Learning. We are currently in phase 4 of our project and are working to collect craft supplies for the teens at the LCJC.
While we worked hard on our community outreach in those spheres, we also furthered our dedication to our usual programming – even when that programming had to happen in unusual ways. Our teams of educators never let the digital format discourage us from giving our students the best possible access to resources and information on healthy life choices. In fact, we even expanded our programming this year with the new Love Notes program – which serves an additional 208 students on top of the over 4,000 students we serve digitally in our other 5 programs. We have expanded our team, bringing in new team members, and training 25 new program facilitators.
As an AmeriCorps volunteer, I cannot speak highly enough of how serving one’s community helps in these difficult times. The needs of our community are greater than ever – and doing something about it makes a world of a difference not only in their lives but in your own as well! If you’re interested in being a part of this, check out our website for volunteer opportunities or ways to donate to our cause. We are incredibly proud of the work we have been able to do since last March, but none of that would be possible without the help of our supporters.
Claire LeMonnier
