This year the West End Center celebrates its 40th Anniversary! West End Center for Youth is a non-profit organization located at the corner of Patterson Ave and 13th Street. The Center serves about 100 children in the West End area of Roanoke and beyond providing after school care with homework tutoring and other opportunities to enrich their lives. RCPC has had a relationship supporting the endeavors of the center for most of those 40 years. The first director of the program was Kay Hale, a member of RCPC. We have provided socks and underwear at Christmas, tutors to help with homework, school supplies and our Endowment Board helped the center to purchase mini-buses to be able to transport the children to activities around the valley and recently granted a large gift toward the bathroom/kitchen renovation.
The West End Center Friends Mission Group would like to encourage you to participate in the August School Supplies Drive. There is a display set up in the Gathering Area with a complete list of the supplies needed. When a child has the materials needed to begin the school day he/she feels more confident and prepared to engage in the lessons. All supplies need to be brought to the church or West End Center by Sunday, August 11 in order for individual bags to be prepared for each child that will be specific to their school and grade.
This is also a perfect time to consider serving as a homework tutor at the center for the school year. A homework tutor sits with a child and helps the child focus to complete his/her assignments. If a child needs extra help in reading or doing multiplication facts, you can also give that help. It is helpful for the center to have mature tutors who come on a regular basis. Even one afternoon a week or month is very helpful on a regular basis. If you would like more information about tutoring or would like to sign up, please visit our table in the Gathering Area or call Susan Kessler (989-2103).
We also welcome anyone who would like to be a part of the West End Center Friends Mission Group! Sign up at our table in the Gathering Area.