Immigrant and refugee families face special challenges when it comes to preparing for school. In addition to the difficulty of completing the registration process in an unfamiliar language with unfamiliar procedures, families must also obtain a variety of school supplies. This is a maze which many of us can easily navigate, but for immigrant families, it is filled with confusion and challenge.

CBF Field Personnel Sue Smith describes the reasons that LUCHA Ministries provides school supplies to Latino immigrant students. The reasons are similar for many other immigrant groups.

1. Parents simply can't read the supply lists to go into a store and buy everything.  Parents may not have the reading skills or English vocabulary to read the lists and purchase the necessary supplies for their children.

2. Parents don't always understand how their child’s classroom works, so they may not fully understand the need for various items. The school supplies distribution provides an opportunity becomes a time to orient and educate them.

3. Supplies are expensive, and many families, particularly those with several children, simply can't afford them.

4. The percentage of Latino kids who do not finish school is rather high. Providing the them with school supplies as a way of investing in their education helps affirm and encourage these students.  (even to high schoolers) removes some of the cost barrier to obtaining an education.

5. Immigrant kids enter school on an equal footing as everyone else, with the "tools" they need, and are hopefully looked upon favorably by teachers. 

Not only might the teachers be favorably disposed to the immigrant students because they are have the proper supplies, other field personnel report that especially for younger children whose lives are full of "hand-me-downs," receiving the brand-new items they need often boosts their own morale and self-confidence as they enter an unfamiliar and sometimes scary world.

In 2009, LUCHA provided school supplies for 163 students. The ministry custom assembles the school supplies for each child, according to what is specifically required by that student's school and grade. An investment in school supplies is not just about the cost of supplies. It represents an investment in the education and life of a child.

Distributing school supplies to Spanish-speaking immigrant families is more than simply dropping off a backpack filled with pencils and crayons and marble composition books. At LUCHA Ministries, this is an opportunity to help parents understand what's on the list (learning new English vocabulary), how it is used in the classroom (education about the classroom setting), and why it is important that their child have as many of the supplies as possible (how emotional well-being affects learning potential). That lays the foundation for additional support for families throughout the school year as questions or issues arise.

Eduardo, a second grader, told his teacher that he couldn't do his homework because he didn't have any supplies at home to do the homework with, his mother didn't speak English, and she didn't really care if he did his homework or not! A visit with Eduardo's mom proved that this was not the case. But Eduardo really didn't have the supplies he needed to complete his assignments. Eduardo was the oldest of five children, and his single mother couldn't afford everything he needed for school, so she bought only what she thought was absolutely necessary.

A social worker with LUCHA Ministries gathered all the supplies Eduardo needed for both home and school, and began to make regular weekly visits to help Eduardo establish a pattern of doing his homework. She helped his mom know where to look in his agenda for homework assignments, and to learn English words and phrases like "read aloud for 20 minutes" or "complete math worksheet." She worked with both the teacher and the parent to improve communication. Eduardo's classroom behavior and work began to improve, and he has a new respect for his mom as they work together on homework on a regular basis.

Internationals Team Field Personnel are ministering to these needs in a variety of ways. You can be part of the success story for an immigrant or refugee student. Click on the links below for more information on what they are doing and how you can get involved!

Immigrant and refugee families face special challenges when it comes to preparing for school. In addition to the difficulty of completing the registration process in an unfamiliar language with unfamiliar procedures, families must also obtain a variety of school supplies. This is a maze which many of us can easily navigate, but for immigrant families, it is filled with confusion and challenge.

CBF Field Personnel Sue Smith describes the reasons that LUCHA Ministries provides school supplies to Latino immigrant students. The reasons are similar for many other immigrant groups.

1. Parents simply can't read the supply lists to go into a store and buy everything.  Parents may not have the reading skills or English vocabulary to read the lists and purchase the necessary supplies for their children.

2. Parents don't always understand how their child’s classroom works, so they may not fully understand the need for various items. The school supplies distribution provides an opportunity becomes a time to orient and educate them.

3. Supplies are expensive, and many families, particularly those with several children, simply can't afford them.

4. The percentage of Latino kids who do not finish school is rather high. Providing the them with school supplies as a way of investing in their education helps affirm and encourage these students.  (even to high schoolers) removes some of the cost barrier to obtaining an education.

5. Immigrant kids enter school on an equal footing as everyone else, with the "tools" they need, and are hopefully looked upon favorably by teachers. 

Not only might the teachers be favorably disposed to the immigrant students because they are have the proper supplies, other field personnel report that especially for younger children whose lives are full of "hand-me-downs," receiving the brand-new items they need often boosts their own morale and self-confidence as they enter an unfamiliar and sometimes scary world.

In 2009, LUCHA provided school supplies for 163 students. The ministry custom assembles the school supplies for each child, according to what is specifically required by that student's school and grade. An investment in school supplies is not just about the cost of supplies. It represents an investment in the education and life of a child.

Distributing school supplies to Spanish-speaking immigrant families is more than simply dropping off a backpack filled with pencils and crayons and marble composition books. At LUCHA Ministries, this is an opportunity to help parents understand what's on the list (learning new English vocabulary), how it is used in the classroom (education about the classroom setting), and why it is important that their child have as many of the supplies as possible (how emotional well-being affects learning potential). That lays the foundation for additional support for families throughout the school year as questions or issues arise.

Eduardo, a second grader, told his teacher that he couldn't do his homework because he didn't have any supplies at home to do the homework with, his mother didn't speak English, and she didn't really care if he did his homework or not! A visit with Eduardo's mom proved that this was not the case. But Eduardo really didn't have the supplies he needed to complete his assignments. Eduardo was the oldest of five children, and his single mother couldn't afford everything he needed for school, so she bought only what she thought was absolutely necessary.

A social worker with LUCHA Ministries gathered all the supplies Eduardo needed for both home and school, and began to make regular weekly visits to help Eduardo establish a pattern of doing his homework. She helped his mom know where to look in his agenda for homework assignments, and to learn English words and phrases like "read aloud for 20 minutes" or "complete math worksheet." She worked with both the teacher and the parent to improve communication. Eduardo's classroom behavior and work began to improve, and he has a new respect for his mom as they work together on homework on a regular basis.

Internationals Team Field Personnel are ministering to these needs in a variety of ways. You can be part of the success story for an immigrant or refugee student. Click on the links below for more information on what they are doing and how you can get involved!