In this edition of Wes's Weekly Wrap Up, Wes Tillett, LUM executive director, celebrates LUM interns by highlighting a video project produced by Brendan Weerts, a recent intern from Purdue, featuring the LUM After School Program. Please take a few minutes to watch the video and SHARE with others.

The LUM After School Program students returned from winter break to see a new floor installed in the LUM Youth Center at the LUM Ray Ewry Center (pictured below). This renovation was made possible with a grant from the Build, Learn, Grow Stabilization program. Using Indiana’s federal COVID-19 relief funding, the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) launched this program to "provide critical funding to early childhood and school-age providers, support their program’s operating expenses and help them rebuild their programs for the future."

The students were also excited to see the LUM After School Program team. Led by Kristi Hogue, LUM Youth Programs director, the LUM teachers do an incredible job of caring for and educating the LUM students each weekday afternoon. Currently, 60 students are enrolled from all over Tippecanoe County. The 2023 After School Program program aides are as follows:

LUM is fortunate and grateful to have these dedicated teachers & bus drivers on the ASP Team. Please consider investing in or volunteering with the After School Program – the LUM students need you. Please see below for four ways to help now.

LUM provides safe, fun and enriching childcare for children (Kindergarten to 8th grade) year round. The LUM After School Program serves up to 60 children from local elementary & middle schools for three hours each school-day afternoon, enabling their parents to finish their workday. 

Four Ways YOU can help the LUM students are as follows:

The LUM After School Program needs VOLUNTEERS from 2 to 6 p.m., every weekday. Volunteers are needed to tutor, read to students, give spelling tests and supervise the children. Please consider signing up TODAY. To begin, click HERE.

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette established an endowment with a limited-time gift matching opportunity to support the LUM 5th Quarter Summer Learning Program. Richard C. & Betty M. Nelson have generously offered to match, dollar-for-dollar, gifts of $1,000 or greater for an endowment named in honor of the Nelsons. Gifts of $10,000 or greater qualify for a named endowment, i.e., Joan and James Smith Endowment for the 5th Quarter Summer Learning Program at Lafayette Urban Ministry. Gifts will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until matching funds are accounted for or, through July 15, 2023, whichever comes first.

To participate in this match opportunity, please email or call Candy Silver with The Foundation regarding the types of gifts that are eligible for this matching program (candy@inspiringgreater.org | 765-742-9078).

The LUM Solar Energy Initiative was switched on four years ago. The amount of energy generated daily has been substantial. In addition to the environmental benefits of going solar, the savings to LUM has been close to $5,000 per year. These savings include a reduction in energy needed as well as revenue from trading Solar Renewable Energy Credits.

The money saved ($19,558.62) has been reinvested in LUM programs & services in support of local families, children and individuals experiencing homelessness. LUM plans on expanding this solar energy initiative in the future. Stay tuned.