The initial project under Bridges of Hope was an after-school tutoring program in partnership with a local elementary school and a church located in an immigrant neighborhood.  For over 6 years, this program invested in the lives of the children and families of the Sylvania Heights neighborhood.  It ended when the school also began investing in its ESOL or second-language families and offering after-school homework clubs.  

 

In  2019-20, LUCHA supported these after-school homework clubs for ESOL students through a partnership with Spotsylvania County Schools in five local elementary schools. The schools provided tutors for the students, a local church provided snacks, and LUCHA provided funds to purchase supplies and homework kits.

 

Due to online learning during the pandemic, the project was extended into 2020-21 to support the needs of virtual students with school supplies, homework kits, etc.  Bridges of Hope also served as a connection between families and schools and helped ensure that the most vulnerable ESOL families had access to laptops, tablets, and home internet.