Opportunity for Generosity
July 2025

West End Center School Supply Drive

​

West End Center for Youth is a non-profit organization located at the corner of Patterson Ave and 13th Street. The Center serves about 120 children from all over Roanoke, 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 45 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 granted a large gift toward the bathroom and kitchen renovations.

This year the center was a recipient of a grant from the Women’s Foundation that helped to renovate a large room into a gym and multi-purpose space for our Middle and High School students. This age group has continued to grow and we want to encourage their attendance. This room has new windows that let in natural light, a new floor, padding around the walls, a basketball hoop, new ac/heating units and a new sofa and loveseat seating area near the windows for socializing.

Our students are enjoying a fun summer with swimming at the new Washington Park Pool, field trips, hikes, education enrichment activities and playing on our new playground. Your donations help to support our programs, staff salaries and maintenance.

The West End Center Friends Mission Group would like to encourage you to participate in the July School Supplies Drive. 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 RCPC or West End Center by Sunday, August 3 in order for individual bags to be prepared for each child that will be specific to their school and grade. The supply list can be found below or at the table in the Gathering Area.

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 (540-989-2103). We also welcome anyone who would like to be a part of the West End Center Friends Mission Group to sign up at the table.