Harold Rice: Ada Jenkins CEO

Aug. 4. The Ada Jenkins Center will be able to expand it’s LEARN Works affter-school program by a third this fall thanks to new space in the David B. Waymer Center in Huntersville.

The Davidson campus holds up to 60 students.

An additional 20 students who are one to three grade levels behind their peers will receive individual and group reading and math instruction in Huntersville.

The center’s program year ended June 30, and CEO Harold Rice Jr. thanked the public for its support during the 2022 program year.

Highlights for 2022:

—The center responded to 1,776 emails, calls, or texts seeking information about financial assistance or other family needs

—1,199 people obtained groceries through the Loaves and Fishes food pantry

—106 families received emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities

—173 people had  tax returns prepared for free, saving clients nearly $50,000 in tax preparation fees

—290 new clients entered the Economic Mobility program, receiving tenancy education, connections with area housing, budget assistance, and employment and training resources

—97 people experiencing homelessness were connected with critical services, and provided with emergency supplies

—54 students were enrolled in our LEARN Works afterschool academic program for the school year, and received backpacks full of donated school supplies

—587 volunteers contributed 8,491 hours to help tutor students, make food deliveries, improve the  building and campus

Record-setting June

In June, the center saw its highest number of food pantry requests in a year, and as a result the center is working to expand the pantry’s hours, Rice said.

Thanks to a local Eagle Scout, the center has added a Community Refrigerator that’s open 24 hours a day/365 days a year — no referrals needed, no questions asked.