Summer is here! To celebrate the successful completion of the school year, volunteers from Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church hosted a fabulous "Breakfast at Tiffany's" for their partner school, Piney Point Elementary.

Piney Point teachers and staff were welcomed into the cafeteria amidst a chorus of cheers and thank-you's from MDPC volunteers, outfitted in formal black and white serving attire. A delicious feast was then served up on the volunteers' best china for the rockstar teachers and staff.

Volunteer coordinator Judye Hartman brought the room to tears with her heartfelt thank you for the excellent way in which these men and women work day in and day out for the precious children at Piney Point.

"My grand-daughter will be attending [another school in Houston ISD], but I wish she was coming here. You really have the best teachers here!" she proclaimed.

Not to be outdone, the teachers and staff expressed their appreciation for the volunteers a bit later in the morning with an enthusiastic standing ovation.

"We are so blessed by you, MDPC. You keep us going," said principal Bobbie Swaby. "It was a tough year - but just to know that someone cares goes a long way."

20-year teaching veteran Nora Ryan agreed. "We went through so much this year, but I'm so grateful to be a part of this community. You all are wonderful - I couldn't stop crying this morning. I feel so blessed."

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35


Thanks to Judye and the MDPC team for your commitment to loving your community in this way. Thanks for affirming teachers and staff, and for the big and small ways you support them every week. And thanks to the Piney Point teachers and staff for faithfully investing in your students and their families year after year. We're so grateful for all y'all do! Watch more of the Piney Point/MDPC story here.

Want to partner with your local school? Contact Mike at [email protected]. Want to share your partnership story? Contact Marilyn at [email protected].
Summer Serving Suggestions 
by Samantha Jo Berry

Summer is here! Fortunately, it's never too late to start a partnership with your local school. Here are a few ideas to help you get started this summer:

Help with end-of-school parties

If your local school is still in session, helping plan these events or even offering to bring goodies will be appreciated greatly. Budgets are empty, patience has worn thin, and the lack of sleep is finally taking its toll. Help get a teacher through these final days! 

 

Offer manpower.

Moving a classroom sounds easy, but pulling staples out of walls for hours can be brutal. Ask your local school's building secretary if you can help teachers move. If this isn't an option for you, that's ok! You can also serve in this area by donating boxes! (Great packing tips here.)

 

Resource an extracurricular program.

Coaches and advisors are already planning for the next school year by taking inventory of equipment. Each year, equipment is lost, stolen, or broken, and there's not a dime to replace it. Contact a local school coach or advisor - you could be the miracle they've been praying for.

 

Sponsor summer experiences.

Summer camps are often too expensive for many families. Work with parents to co-sponsor kids for a local camp, or make use of your church facilities to host your own educational and recreational activities. (Don't forget to offer nutritious meals!) 

 

Support teachers.

Contact your local school to see what projects teachers are working on for summer school or for the fall. Then get a group together to help prepare materials, host a supply drive, organize a volunteer day to help with classroom preparations or facility renovations, or sponsor teachers for training or workshops. (Here's a great training opportunity.

 

 

School's out, and the time is right to dive into serving local schools!

 

picture from teacherpop  

picture from TeacherPop
 
  Volunteers


We're so grateful to have Samantha Jo Berry volunteering with us! Samantha is a Spotlight Award winning journalism teacher in CyFair ISD who loves Jesus, flat shoes, and adventures. She's passionate about supporting teachers and students and excited to be able to use her gifts to engage the Church in this work. We're glad to have you on board, Samantha!   

 

Follow her on Twitter @samanthamazing or read more of her work on her blog here. 

 


  Opportunities

Start or expand volunteer efforts in your local school. Email Mike.

 

Volunteer with Loving Houston. Email Marilyn.

Learn about issues affecting Texas children. Click here to register for the "Future State of Our Children Conference" hosted by Children at Risk.

 

 

Book Icon  Inspiration

 

"Everyone wants to live in a neighborhood where they can be connected, where there is a good school... Poor people are not different, and any approach to community and neighborhood development premised on an idea that they are somehow distinct as a group - a group lacking in some respect - is doomed to failure. Under that model, you may provide a service, but you will never achieve a transformation."

"People are not the problem, people are the asset... our job is not to fix them... We build on strengths and skills. You can't build on broken."

-Angela Blanchard, "People Transforming Communities. For good."


Our schools are full of staff and teachers who are committed to the well-being of their students. Let's support them and build on their strengths and on the strengths of the neighborhood. We're better together!


Our Staff  Our Staff

PETER FORBES

Executive Chairman

MICHAEL KRAXBERGER
Operations Manager

MARILYN LEE
Communications Manager

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