Project Expansions for Kids Café and T.R.E.E.

By Adele Schoenfeld

There have been many exciting changes happening in both Junior League placements, Kids' Café and Teaching Responsible Earth Education (T.R.E.E.). Due to the projects' successful impact on the community, both are expanding! Kids' Café is a program of Second Harvesters Food Bank, which provides meals and social development opportunities to children in an environment which is safe, clean, and accessible.

Previously, the Junior League sponsored one night per month at the Kids' Café Central City site, one of three Kids' Café locations. Junior League volunteers serve 50-75 kids and provided them with an educational activity after their meals. Now the Junior League will be sponsoring two such nights per month and doubling its number of committee members.

The Junior League sponsored nights at Kids' Café have become increasingly popular for both volunteers and kids in the community. Junior League volunteers sit at tables with the children and act as mentors, assisting them with eating, manners, positive conversation, and an educational activity. Its success is evidenced in the greater overall attendance of children than in the past. With the additional evening per month, the Kids' Café committee members' commitment of 10 weekday evenings will remain the same, but now a greater number of volunteers can enjoy their placement at Kids' Café.

T.R.E.E. is also expanding its opportunities. T.R.E.E. provides outdoor earth education programs to over 4,000 children, parents and teachers from Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Tammany, and Tangipahoa Parishes. T.R.E.E.'s mission is to educate children and adults about the life science processes that govern our planet to inspire them to appreciate the natural world, and to motivate them to protect it. The Junior League is an active participant in T.R.E.E.'s Earthkeeper program in which in which 4th grade students from area schools learn basic science concepts through hands-on, outdoor learning experiences that are fun and keep the students' interest. Students travel to the wooded setting of Jean Lafitte National Park and within three days cover 33 percent of Louisiana's general requirements for science and 34 percent of English and language arts while having a wonderful time. Junior League volunteers also assist by following up in the classroom to reinforce the concepts being taught.

JLNO previously sponsored only 30 students for this exciting program, but now will sponsor 60 students. JLNO will also increase committee membership from eight volunteers to 20 and expanding placement form solely weekday placement to include Saturdays. Now there are more opportunities than every to get involved in community projects that have a positive impact on the community.