Dear Friends,

I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe during this time. Here at Pomona Hope, we have all missed seeing students, parents, and volunteers in person over the past few months. 

I am so grateful for your on-going partnership and the ways that donors have gone above and beyond to support Pomona Hope during this crisis. Like many of you, I and the rest of the staff have faced the great challenges of working remotely while balancing family needs, but we continue to adapt and give our all to Pomona Hope families and students. 

In the past few weeks in our city and our nation, we have seen major protests and unrest. We know that racial injustice directly impacts many of our families and Pomona Hope will continue to live by the principles of Micah 6:8, “But what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” We pray for hope, unity, and justice in our city and invite you to join us. 

The 2019-2020 school year has ended and we celebrate the hard work of Pomona Hope parents in supporting their students until the end. We are proud of the strength of our students and the community built around Pomona Hope. Below you will find an update on what is currently happening at Pomona Hope and what we hope to see in the next six months. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly via email or phone. 

Thank you for your continued generosity and partnership in our work in Pomona. I look forward to the day that we will all reconnect and celebrate the resilience of our students, families, and city in person. 

Best regards,

Jeff Johannsen
Executive Director
jeff@pomonahope.org
909-921-3618 x 3

How is Pomona Hope currently supporting students?

• Through the end of the school year staff continued to support student learning by providing additional at-home learning resources and connecting students with volunteer tutors by digital means. Check out our highlight reel of the 2019-2020 school year here!

• We know that many students fall behind academically in the summer months and therefore it is our commitment to increase student learning in reading, STEM, and the arts through Summer Enrichment with Pomona Hope (SEPH). Enrichment workshops will happen online and be run by three summer interns remotely. 

How is Pomona Hope currently engaging with families?

• Staff continue to check in on families weekly and have connected parents to local resources such as the food bank and organizations providing emergency funds.

• Through the generosity of one of our donors, Pomona Hope was able to host four meal services while supporting small businesses such as Espiau's Restaurant and Pizza n’ Such. It is our hope that these events would honor parents and give them a night off to enjoy being together as a family. 

• Connections are being built even with physical distance such as streaming movie nights, online trivia events, and the Hope in Times of Adversity art contest. See the winners here!

What is going on at Center Street Community Garden?

• CSCG is thriving with 100% of plots currently rented out. There has been such a bounty of produce this Spring that our Garden Coordinator, Barb Evans, has been able to give fruits and veggies away to our neighbors. 

• The garden can always use volunteers and it is easy to physically distance while working outside. If you are interested in volunteering at CSCG please reach out to Barb at barb@pomonahope.org.

What is the plan for the Summer?

• We are proud to announce three summer interns: Andy, Hannah, and Priscilla. Andy is a Pomona Hope alumna and a sophomore at the University of La Verne studying art and Spanish. Hannah is a class of 2020 Scripps College graduate and Priscilla a senior at Pepperdine University. Given the continued need to physically distance, SEPH will look radically different this summer than ever before. Interns will design reading and enrichment workshop curriculums to be done online via group video calls. We are excited and hopeful about the creativity and experience these three bring to our students and look forward to how SEPH will develop this year. 

What is the plan for the Fall?

• While we would like to re-open programs as soon as possible, we will be listening to advice from the CDC, L.A. County Health Department, and PUSD. So much is uncertain at this time that the staff and board will wait to make a final decision until later in the Summer based on how comfortable families are with gathering in the building. 

• Consider committing now to volunteering weekly if Pomona Hope is able to safely re-open in the Fall. Reach out to nora@pomonahope.org to learn more. 

• Consider donating to our general fund here.
• In-kind donations for the current moment:
  • Hula hoops, jump ropes or any equipment to help kids stay active at home
  • Incentive prizes for Summer Enrichment Program: $5 gift cards to any of the following locations: Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid, McDonalds, Jack in the Box, the 99 Cent Store; Board games, boxed science experiments, small K-12 age-appropriate prizes
  • Summer toys (beach balls, sidewalk chalk, water toys, etc.)
  • Hand sanitizer (for when we return to programs)
• Find our on-going in-kind donation wishlist here.

• Consider committing now to volunteering weekly if Pomona Hope is able to safely re-open in the Fall. Reach out to nora@pomonahope.org to learn more. 

• Please pray for hope, unity, and justice in our city as Pomona and the nation confront deep divisions and injustices.

• For our students and their families as many face job losses, increased financial insecurity, and uncertainty for the future. 

• For our summer interns, Hannah, Andy, and Priscilla as they tackle planning and executing SEPH remotely.

• For staff members as they continue to juggle the demands of child care and work-load.

Connect

• We are more active than ever on our social media platforms during this time and we want to connect with you!

• Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/pomonahope/ and Instagram @pomona.hope.