Every year, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, my colleague Jenna prepares a massive turkey and I order a church-sized batch of Puerto Rican pernil. Care Center staff members each bring in a homemade side dish or dessert to share. Aida and I cook rice and inevitably argue over whose is more delicious. (We both substitute Kielbasa for the more traditional ham but I also throw in the very controversial cilantro.) We pile into the United Congregational Church, just down the street from The Care Center, and enjoy a delicious, lively meal with our students, their families, and many of our own family members too.
Of course, that’s not going to be possible this year. Like everything else in 2020, we must adapt. So on Monday, my colleagues delivered Thanksgiving care packages to each student’s doorstep. We packed these bags with all the fixings for a Puerto Rican Thanksgiving: stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, rice, oil, sofrito, recao, tomato sauce, gandules, Sazon, Adobo, ham powder, olives, potatoes, mayonnaise, red pepper, juice boxes, cranberry juice, cookies and a $20 gift certificate for meat.
We did this for a simple reason: for many students, this is their first Thanksgiving as a mother and life right now is hard. If we expect our students to overcome the incredible challenges they face and focus on their education, we must help ensure their basic needs are met. This includes food and shelter, and it also includes a sense of community, a sense of belonging, the comfort of knowing someone cares.
It is only through the support of generous donors like you that we are able to meet students needs as they pursue a life-changing education. Your gift, of any size, will grow in ways you could never imagine as students survive this crisis and achieve their goals.
As Anne mentioned in this video, we face financial uncertainty in the year ahead. Giving Tuesday is December 1 and we hope you will donate here. You can also mail a check to Jane Slater’s attention at The Care Center, 247 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA 01040.
Thank you to everyone who has donated already. We are so grateful. Be safe.
Ana Rodriguez
Director of Education
