Outreach program offers hope

On any given day, there are more than 900 homeless or at-risk children living in Sarasota County. Among the many challenges these children face, self-esteem issues are frequently cited but often overlooked. For these children and their parents, attending school alongside their peers can be an especially trying time.

When parents are unable to afford haircuts, new clothes, school supplies, doctor visits or other back-to-school items, the children often feel out of place with the other students.

In summer 2009, Sarasota resident Pam Hawn recognized this need and saw an opportunity to help this group of people.

“The economy was getting bad, and I was worried about being able to afford things to send my own kids back to school,” said Hawn. “It was sort of a humbling moment for me, because if I was worried, imagine how these other moms and dads were feeling.”

With only a few weeks remaining before school started, Hawn started the Hope Kids Community Day of Hope, with the goal of serving Sarasota’s homeless and at-risk children as they headed back to school.

Through volunteer work and donations, the community outreach program provided qualified children with free medical and dental exams, eye exams and reading glasses, haircuts, school and family portraits, new backpacks filled with school supplies, bags of personal-care items and gift cards to help purchase school uniforms or clothes.

The first year drew more than 200 volunteers and raised more than $25,000 and, today, three separate churches host the event, which now serves a total of approximately 500 homeless or at-risk children.

“Our goal is that on the first day of school, these kids will be on a level playing ground with their peers,” said Hawn. “One of the biggest issues is self-esteem, and this helps the kids want to go to school.”

This year marks the fourth annual Day of Hope event, and support for the program continues to grow.

“The outpouring from our church and others has been unbelievable,” said Laura Crouse, a member of the leadership team at Church of the Redeemer, which is participating in its second Day of Hope this year.

“It really strikes a chord, and it’s just as much of a blessing for the kids as it is for the volunteers. It’s not just providing charity, they really build relationships with these families.”

This year, Church of the Redeemer is dedicating the event to the memory of Gay Lewis, a longtime Sunday school teacher at the church, who was instrumental in organizing the program last year and was head of the dental crew.

“Gay was an amazing person,” said Crouse. “Losing her was such a shock to our community. This was really important to her, so we’re dedicating this amazing event to her memory.”

IF YOU GO
Hope Kids Community Day of Hope
The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Ave.; Saturday, Aug. 4, at Sarasota Baptist, 7091 Proctor Road; and Saturday, Aug. 11, at Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Road.

For more information, visit www.hopekc.org