AventWest Community Development Corporation

Description

AventWest Children's Mentoring (AWCM) seeks to meet the needs of neighborhood children who are at academic risk of failing a grade in school by providing them assistance with homework, a nutritious meal, a caring adult to give them attention and a safe place to play after school. The program incorporates instruction on nutrition, health, self-esteem, peer pressure and making healthy choices to help the children develop confidence, competence and caring attributes. AWCM addresses chronic conditions of hunger by: meeting the children's immediate need for nutritious food by providing an evening meal; teaching the children about nutrition and related issues so that the children can improve their health and well being by avoiding malnutrition; and helping the children achieve academically, improving their chances of graduating from high school and obtaining additional education. The program helps children become self-reliant through developing their reading, math, language and writing skills.