The Arizona-based nonprofit Steps of Love helps young people in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico break the cycle of poverty they come from by providing them access to education. This project, a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Tempe Downtown and the Phoenix Rotaract would provide resources for Steps of Love to create needed physical space adjustments, purchase educational materials for tutoring, and purchase chairs for students.
About Steps of Love: The local Puerto Peñasco team is currently providing nearly 600 students from kindergarten through college with the resources they need to go to school and succeed academically. A large part of their academic support is the before and after school programs they offer, known as homework clubs, provide tutoring, homework help and mentoring for students who do not have this type of support at home. They have recently added a third homework club to one of the areas of highest need in Puerto Peñasco. A local, run-down church has offered a large room for the group to use during the week at no cost. Over 70 young students attend this homework club each day, and while their teachers do the best they can with what they are given, this location still lacks fundamental academic resources. If granted the $2,000 from Rotary, Steps of Love will be able to:
• Finish building divider walls that will create three smaller spaces within the large room. This will allow teachers to adequately group grade levels, work with kids one-on-one and create smaller, quieter environments that keep kids focused.
• Equip staff with the proper grade-level curriculum materials, classroom furniture and school supplies essential to a student's success.
The team at Steps of Love is eager to begin these improvements. Phoenix Rotaract and the Rotary Club of Tempe Downtown look forward to the possibility of being involved in helping make sure the resources are provided and adjustments to physical space are made so that students can receive tutoring and educational support. The funding of this project would be an important step in creating a functional and vibrant academic setting for the students in this program.
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