Heartache often filled 7-year old Sandy's head with the sense of something missing when she would lay down to sleep at night. Her father had tragically passed away and she missed him so much, often feeling his absence. Her mother worked incredibly hard to support her family and Sandy was grateful for that, and even though her mother did everything she could possibly do, they still had a very low income and struggled to get by.
English was Sandy's second language and her mother spoke very limited English. Sandy did the best she could, but it made it extremely difficult for her to understand her homework, make friends and feel any sense of self-confidence. In addition to educational challenges, Sandy suffered from significant dental issues, but due to her family's lack of insurance coverage, those issues went untreated. She was a very picky eater but loved candy, which exacerbated her dental problems. Sandy missed school often as a result of feeling ill.
"Sandy did the best she could, but it made it extremely difficult for her to understand her homework make friends and feel any sense of self-confidence"
Sandy started attending Adopt-A-Family's Project Grow and immediately began receiving academic services, including literacy tutoring from the program’s AmeriCorps members and one-on-one tutoring in all subject areas with Grow’s school district tutor. Sandy has also been seeing Adopt-A-Family's on-site counselor to process the loss of her father. She expressed that she was afraid to see a dentist so Project Grow staff talked to Sandy about the importance of proper hygiene and regular dental visits for her overall health. After participating in the “Grow it, Try It, Like It” nutrition classes at Project Grow, she learned that she could substitute fruit for candy. Adopt-A-Family was able to connect Sandy’s mother to dental and health services for her family and Sandy has since received the dental treatment she needed.
Sandy had a hard time easing into the program at first; she would cry almost every day, struggled with her reading and was extremely shy and hesitant to participate in class. The amazing teachers, tutors and staff refused to give up on her though, and diligently worked alongside her and regularly met with Sandy's mother to better support her academic and personal growth. 
Sandy is now in 1st grade and has become a bright, outgoing young girl. She is absent from school much less often and has even become a leader in her Project Grow classroom. Her reading skills have improved because of the tutoring services she has received, her dental and overall health has improved significantly and she has gained immense self-confidence. Sandy enjoys participating in science experiments in her Project Grow classroom and dreams of one day becoming a Police Officer.
Do you want to be a part of Sandy's story and other's like her? Consider donating today and your gift will go directly to Project Grow and the impact the program has on children's lives every single day.
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