3-Generation Family ESL Program: Full family educational program where each family member is taking steps out of poverty through education. Adults learn English through ESL classes and children (3 months- 12th grade) receive educational support. An entire family receives the educational supports they need to take steps OUT of poverty.

Learning Enrichment Centers (LEC):  In 2007, immediately after our first free summer lunch camp, parents began asking us to help their children with homework.  Parents explained, they understood education was their child’s opportunity out of poverty. We agree – education is the crossroads between poverty and prosperity. Festa’s Learning Enrichment Centers (LEC) can stand alone in a community or be found inside our 3-Generation Family ESL program.  We are committed helping children with their homework so they stay at or above grade level.

  • 2021-2022 school year our LEC will be inside our 3-Generation Family ESL program.
  • 2020-2021 we ran 5 LECs in 4 school districts across Central Ohio. Children in grades K-12 received free homework help and a Grab-n-Go dinner in a safe, socially-distant setting with reliable Wi-Fi access.
lwel

Free Summer Lunch Camp:  We’ve been standing in the summer hunger gap since 2007, providing nutritious, free lunches daily for children who receive a free or reduced lunch during the school year. Our Summer Lunch Camps combine friendship, fun activities and nutritious food to combat suburban poverty.

04080139

The Good Tidings Christmas Store: Parents facing suburban poverty purchase new Christmas toys and winter coats for their children at a reduced cost in a dignity-filled model. Families are supported with dignity.

  • 2022 Store Dates: December 5-9
  • Click HERE to learn how you can donate toys for Good Tidings

Connecting to Resources: We serve as a vital link connecting families with needs to a host of community services. Our goal is to help families maintain stability and stay in their homes. We work with church and community partners who are able to assist families with rent and utility bills through their benevolence funds. We serve families who attend our programs. Our staff completes the need vetting process then links the family to a community partner who can assist. We also established our own temporary COVID-19 Benevolence Fund to assist families directly with rent and utility bills during the pandemic, and we are participating in the NeighborRelief program created by the GroundWork Group. We continue to maintain the Hilliard Helps website listing free and low cost programs and services offered in the Hilliard School District community.

Carolyn

Festa Youth Board: Founded in 2017, the Festa Youth Board is an extension of our Board of Directors and made up of dedicated teen interns who have worked in our programs. The board meets bi-monthly to discuss issues facing the community and Festa programs.

100652399_3094497113906357_7007271656326430720_n
Level 1-2

Excelerate: A café based academy that affirms work ethic, fosters leadership and grows young entrepreneurs. Excelerate is a one word program title that captures who these amazing children are – an image of them running their restaurants – a word that captures that energy and that passion:
1. The children in grades K-8 run their own restaurant business (i.e. Taco Bell Jr, Horizon Shine, Sweet Treats International Café…etc.) INSIDE our free Summer Lunch Camps and our 3-Generation Family ESL program.
2. In the summer, we train local entrepreneurs to come four times during camp (once a week for four weeks) to teach the children business lessons (marketing, HR, etc.) to help them ‘run their business.’ We modified Junior Achievement materials (with permission) to make them appropriate for a camp setting.
3. We start challenging middle schoolers to create a new business.
4. Teen intern volunteers are ‘helpers’ at these restaurants, helping the children think through what they need to do (and learning alongside them).

First Day of School 7
IMG_8240
IMG_9182
IMG_5653