Partnership Highlight
This spring, we have had the opportunity to engage in partnerships with a variety of amazing local organizations.
Beds for Kids
Beds for Kids is a Charlotte-based non-profit whose mission is to provide beds and essential furniture to children and families in need. Since partnering with Beds for Kids earlier this year, their organization has provided furniture to five Circle de Luz families and counting.
Founded in 2011, the organization started with an individual wanting to donate a gently used sofa to someone in need. They were given a family’s name from a church, and while they were delivering this sofa, they realized the rest of the home was empty. They began to research the continuum of housing services that existed in Mecklenburg County and found that one of the largest gaps was an organization committed to serving families impacted by furniture poverty.
This group pulled together resources to fully furnish the home of the family in need, and this first delivery inspired the creation of Beds for Kids, which has since served over 5,000 families in Mecklenburg County. For more information about this amazing organization, visit: https://bedsforkids.org/
Project 658
Project 658 is a Charlotte-based non-profit that provides a variety of support services to local families, with a key focus on international and refugee communities.
We had the privilege of connecting with Project 658 this spring, when they began to provide tutoring services to a student in the Circle de Luz Program. We look forward to seeing our partnership grow this coming year!
Project 658’s mission has four primary tenets: relief, reform, development, and service. Their organization’s services and programs help families build a sustainable future for themselves, their communities, and future generations. This includes providing free meals to families in need, offering free medical and mental health services, providing childcare and character-based sports programs, teaching ESL and professional development classes, connecting local families to provide mentorship and friendship, and more. For more information about this amazing organization, visit: https://project658.com/
Central Piedmont Community College
Central Piedmont Community College has been serving the Charlotte community for over fifty years. They offer associate degrees, pathways to a four-year degree, direct paths to employment, and more. Students can engage in programs that span twelve career fields or they can choose one of the fifty-five plus professional pathways offered by CPCC that will prepare them for their next steps.
In April, CPCC Student Angie Mejia generously volunteered her time and expertise to provide live American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services at our annual State of the Circle event. The ceremony was held in English, Spanish, and ASL, which helped us provide a welcoming and language-inclusive program for all attending guests. Thank you, Angie, and thank you, CPCC! For more information about CPCC, visit: https://www.cpcc.edu/