This past week was a difficult one for me personally, and I was so grateful that I was working at a small, community based nonprofit full of kind, caring people. I was able to take time for myself and still felt supported when I came back to work. All of the kids are so sweet too! Like I wrote about last week, it has been so fun seeing their personalities come out as we all get to know each other more. They are kind and silly and they are so sweet to each other, most of the time! We are still getting new kids to come to summer reading every night. We now have 72 kids!

I am happy I get to run the summer reading program for the neighborhood. Not only is it a time for the kids to practice reading and see their friends, it is also a welcoming time for parents to come ask questions and receive help. Last week we had a diaper distribution so as kids were reading, parents were able to get access to diapers for their little ones at the same time. It is also a great time for the neighbors to catch up with each other and continue to build community. It is cool to see how this one program has an impact beyond just the kids.

Starting this week, we will have grants do almost every Friday. This means I will be doing a lot more writing and research than I have since I graduated! I am looking forward to this. I love to write and I am excited to see how grant writing works and hopefully be successful in securing some funds for the organization. I’m sure writing is a lot more fun when you can earn money for it! I am looking forward to the week ahead and can’t wait to see what it brings.