THE BETTE RAE RECREATION CENTER
Although the Bette Rae Center is funded by Mecklenburg County, many needs are not being met. There is a great need within the Senior Citizen's program. Mutual Aid has been delivering snacks and beverages to the 40+individuals that show up everyday day. But there's more! Supplies are meek for most of the programming so they depend on donations, which are few. They also need a handful of volunteers throughout the week. Now through the end of February programming consists of sewing and crochet lessons. At the end of February, a Fashion Show has been scheduled to show off the clothes they have made during these 2 months....and it will be so much fun. I hope you will plan to attend!
CURRENT NEEDS: Fabric (yardage and scraps), sewing supplies, crochet needles and yarn; and volunteers to help with these projects.
Our contact for the Senior program is Damitria Morris who will also be attending the January Social.
Freedom Fridge
The next delivery date is January 14th. Please bring donations, if possible to the Social on January 7th at SupperClub SouthEnd. A member of the Mutual Aid Team will assist you upon entrance. Other donations can be dropped off with one of our Neighborhood Organizers before 10am on Wednesday, January 14th.
Drop off locations: Dilworth, Park Road, Steele Creek, South Boulevard, Matthews, Pineville, and Waverly
Contact Debbie Baynard for addresses: baynarddebbie@gmail.com
GREAT NEWS....WE'RE EXPANDING OUR EFFORTS IN ENDERLY PARK
While we continue stocking the Freedom Fridge, I'm happy to announce we are officially supporting two new projects within the Enderly Park community.
The Enderly Park Collective is a vibrant network of local entrepreneurs, creatives, and changemakers in Enderly Park. They are a coalition of business owners and community leaders who believe in putting the unity back in the community. Through collaborative engagement, inclusive programming, and hands-on service, they are working to rebuild a thriving ecosystem that connects businesses with neighbors in meaningful, lasting ways. The collective hosts events that bring joy and resources to the neighbors such as National Night Out, seasonal celebrations, community cleanups, and signature experiences reflect the heart of Enderly Park. Their goal is to foster trust, pride, and opportunity by bridging the gap between local businesses and the families that are served.
One of the organizations within The Collective is The Fatherhood Empowerment Network which hosted the annual SHARE THE SMILES TOY GIVEAWAY for Christmas. Mutual Aid was there to assist with set up, and to provide cookies and hot chocolate...and YOU helped by donating toys. The number of neighbors attending was not expected! Last year, 215 people attended and this year over 900 people showed up. Unfortunately, there were not enough gifts to go through 3 times as in past years, so the children were allowed only one toy each. These families spent hours waiting in line for just one toy. Does that prove to you how much Mutual Aid is needed in their lives?
Our contact for The Enderly Park Collective is Rufus Lockhart. You'll have the opportunity to meet Rufus at the January Social.
By establishing this network, ICLT aims to create a grassroots support system that can respond quickly and effectively to the needs of these communities, which may be at increased risk due to current political policies and rhetoric. The project reflects ICLT's commitment to defending democracy and protecting the rights of marginalized groups in the face of potential threats to civil liberties and social programs.
