Bread for the Journey:

Planting the seeds that help vulnerable children thrive

Since 1988, Bread for the Journey volunteers have micro-granted over three million dollars to help creative people launch projects that make their communities more vital, healthy, and just. Over half of the grants Bread for the Journey chapters have ever made have seeded projects that improve the wellbeing of vulnerable children and youth.

At Bread for the Journey we believe that communities have within them the seeds of vision, creativity, and wisdom to know how to best create the conditions that will help the most vulnerable children in their communities thrive. Bread for the Journey’s 20 volunteer chapters keep their ears to the ground, and listen for the passionate leaders – the seed planters – that, with the help of a small grant and a lot of faith can bring to fruition projects that help racially diverse, vulnerable children and youth succeed. These seeds of creativity take many forms. Here we share just a few. These visionary projects are employing the arts to enhance learning and school success, using gardening and nutrition to increase access and build skills for healthy living, and creating opportunities for the families of vulnerable children to participate in their children’s education.

Denver, Colorado: Opening doors to help vulnerable children succeed

Bread for the Journey of Denver invests in projects that open doors for families of vulnerable children to participate in their children’s education so that that they can help them thrive and succeed.

• Twenty years ago, Denver resident Pensal McCrae and her husband learned by experience the challenges of helping a child get into college and find scholarships. Seeing a great need to help other families who may not have college experience, Pensal started the Ethnic College Counseling Center (ECCC). At ECCC, middle school and high school students meet twice monthly to learn the skills necessary to get into college and be successful once there. They receive workshops in test-taking, study skills, ACT/SAT preparedness, completing college applications and financial aid forms, and, most importantly, keeping a positive attitude. BFJ of Denver was happy to give the ECCC a grant of $1500 to support their "Spring Break" trip to visit historically black colleges and universities. For Pensal, "There is no greater joy that an individual can experience than when he or she has had a part in helping another person to reach their full potential."

Northern New Mexico: Inspiring school success through the Arts

For 20 years, Bread for the Journey of Santa Fe has partnered with visionary leaders in northern New Mexico’s impoverished, but culturally rich, rural communities to initiate projects that inspire the creativity of vulnerable children to help them succeed in school.

• One of these extraordinary leaders is Roger Montoya, a gifted artist and teacher, whose heart ached for the vulnerable children of his native Española Valley. Over the years, Bread for the Journey has had the joy of helping this passionate visionary initiate several projects to engage thousands of vulnerable children and their families in the arts. Just in the last five years, more than 3,000 students at twelve elementary schools have participated in learning projects in dance, music, drama, and the visual arts. Outcomes have included higher test scores, increased student attendance and retention, greater self-esteem, and dramatic behavioral improvements. Bread for the Journey recently gave Roger two grants of $2,500 each to provide after school and summer programs in the movement arts such as Spanish Flamenco, contemporary ballet, Mexican Folklorico, and Hip Hop dance. Response to the program has been overwhelming! This summer, Roger and his team of volunteer professional artists are offering 56 classes per week to 365 children! At the parents’ request, Roger will soon offer movement classes to parents to help combat skyrocketing diabetes in the community. Bread for the Journey was happy to grant Roger funds to help cover the costs of the dance classes, and construction of a dance floor, portable mirrors, and a sound system.

Southwest Michigan: Cultivating health in vulnerable children, from garden to table

Bread for the Journey of SW Michigan is cultivating projects that bring healthy foods, wellness education, and skills to children and their families in impoverished neighborhoods in Kalamazoo.

• Recently, BFJ made two grants to projects that benefit the children of Woodward School for Technology and Research. Woodward is a racially diverse, public magnet school in which 80% of the students qualify for free or reduced-cost meals. In recent years, the school has adopted a health-and-wellness science curriculum to teach students how to make choices that support a healthy lifestyle. The school’s nutrition committee revamped the breakfast menu and created a healthy snack bar. In 2007, Bread for the Journey provided a grant of $1,000 for the Growing Matters Garden, where Woodward students grow and harvest fresh produce, and learn to cook and enjoy healthy foods. The garden curriculum includes lessons in diverse subject areas including math, history, language arts, social studies, science, nutrition and wellness, physical education and art. In order to embed health and wellness even more deeply into Woodward’s school culture, Principal Beth Yankee had a vision to engage students in creating a vibrant wellness mural at the school’s entrance. BFJ was happy to provide a second seed grant of $1000 launch the mural project.

Bread for the Journey: Seeds of participation yield a harvest of success

In each of these stories, Bread for the Journey has helped cultivate and nourish projects that are rooted in the unique vision and assets of diverse communities to meet their own needs, in this case, to help their most vulnerable children to thrive. These small seed grants, given to the right person at the right time, take root in the fertile soil of excitement, and flourish through participation by children, youth, and the parents and elders connected to them. This is what makes for vibrant healthy, communities where vulnerable children and youth can thrive – everyone working together to offer their gifts and coming together to share in the harvest.

Click here to read the previous INSPIRATIONS.