GDS’ independent volunteer projects are #notcanceled
Stacey Pearson (MET ‘18) is a doctoral student at Northeastern University, studying child abduction homicide. She is also the founder and principal of Espoir Consulting, where her mission is to provide hope for missing, abducted, and exploited children by empowering child safety advocates through education. You can connect with her on Twitter at @capableguardian.
During a typical school year, the Three O’Clock Project, a non-profit based in Baton Rouge, would provide about 300,000 healthy after-school meals for some of Louisiana’s most at-risk students. Then COVID-19 changed everything. With schools shuttered and food service operations suspended, the Three O’Clock Project now delivers about 300,000 emergency meals a week to children throughout South Louisiana.
Earlier in April, the Three O’Clock Project hired more than 350 additional workers and moved its operations to Celtic Studios. Louisiana’s largest film and television studio has transitioned its 30,000 square-foot Stage #7 from making movies to making breakfast, lunch, and dinner for kids who would otherwise go hungry.
Children in Louisiana experience hunger daily. According to Census Bureau data, more than 25% of Louisiana’s children live in poverty and struggle with food insecurity. Thanks to the Three O’Clock Project and many community volunteers, Louisiana kids know their next meal will be delicious and free.
COVID-19 also changed Boston University’s annual Global Days of Service! With in-person volunteering limited, I chose to support my home state’s Three O’Clock Project by donating one day’s breakfast and lunch for the ~350 kids whose families will be able to get their grab-and-geaux meals at the Jackie Boys & Girls Club of Acadiana community site in Lafayette, Louisiana, on May 5th.