At Judson ISD, we love it anytime community partners take an active role in our school district. When they begin making the kind of difference Praise Cathedral Church has made at Candlewood Elementary, we want to shout it from the rooftops!
Mr. George Allen from Praise Cathedral said that reaching out to the community is what the church is all about.
“Our role in the church is to seek out and explore where there are gaps and needs and find ways to fill those gaps,” Allen said
Praise Cathedral has donated supplies for classrooms, supported campus literacy by reading to students, brought in guest speakers and presentations for Black History Month and the list goes on. Recently, however, they have made a different kind of impact. They donated $2500 to support the Snack Pak program at Candlewood.
The Snack Pak program provides weekend food packs for students with limited access to food when they aren’t in school. Last year, Candlewood participated in the program through a one-year grant. This year, without Praise Cathedral, the program wouldn’t be available to Candlewood students.
Candlewood’s Communities in Schools Liaison, Sarah Duran, knows that this contribution can make a big difference for students.
“Limited access to food can impact students’ emotional health and learning. Snack Paks will provide supplementary nutrition to approximately 20 of our students to help support them throughout the weekend,” Duran said.
Candlewood Principal Rachelle Diaz is incredibly grateful for the support her Eagle Family receives from Praise Cathedral and knows that the partnership directly affects students.
“When schools and community organizations work together it supports learning and increases student engagement. Partnerships, such as the one we have with Mr. Allen and Praise Cathedral can serve to strengthen, support, and even transform our students' outlook,” Diaz said.
Allen says they just want to serve the people in the community. He doesn’t see anything the church is doing as extraordinary.
“The church is all about people. If you can’t touch the people in your community then we aren’t working in our purpose,” Allen said.
However, Ms. Diaz thinks what Praise Cathedral does for their school community is extraordinary and the connections and impact they make go beyond just filling a specific need.
“Our partnership with Mr. Allen and Praise Cathedral builds and strengthens a healthy learning environment and allows for additional opportunities for our Eagles to connect with other local community members. When a child feels supported, it can address barriers to learning, enhance healthy development, and strengthen families and neighborhoods,” Diaz said.
Thank you to Mr. George Allen and Praise Cathedral for making Candlewood an even better place to learn and grow.
If you are interested in learning more about the Snack Pak 4 Kids program or becoming a sponsor, visit www.sp4ksa.org.
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