Unfortunately, hunger can not typically be seen on the outside. In the community that we serve, 27.9% of children under the age of 18 live in a household that is food insecure (according to the Capital Area Food Bank 2015 statistic). To combat this statistic, Mentoring Through Athletics has created a Food Support Program where M.T.A. feeds the children and their families within the communities they reside. The goal is to assist the families with transitioning from dire food insecurity into stability.
Majority of the school systems in our community require students to wear school uniforms but there is no mechanism in place to assure that all students can comply. Mentoring Through Athletics has decided to support the kids and the families within its program with school uniforms prior to returning to school. This impacts decision making because a family is not put in a position to choose clothes over food.
Sugar Rush is a sports-themed carnival that rewards its game participants with quality programming that encourages family engagement and community enrichment. Often times families miss opportunities to connect because of a variety of reasons, whether it be due to work schedules, personal challenges, or there simply not being enough hours in the day. Sugar Rush seeks to provide a safe space for families and students to reconnect by providing an indoor carnival, packed with games and family friendly activities.
The purpose of the Cleat Drive is to provide kids with cleats that may come from households that do not have access to additional $30-$40 to purchase them. Cleats are an essential piece of equipment for performance in outdoor sports, so it is inevitable that our student athletes have what they need in order to achieve success on the athletic playing field. Having the proper equipment contributes to the athletes’ confidence and self esteem amongst his/ her peers.