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Fall 2022
Newsletter
Steph Transforms the Ada Jenkins Center
“Years ago, when Steph Curry was a volunteer with Ada Jenkins Center’s LEARN Works afterschool academic program, he was a role model for our students,” says Ada Jenkins Center’s CEO Harold Rice. “Now he’s a superstar role model, demonstrating for youth everywhere the importance of trust, care, commitment — and hard work.”
The Currys’ Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation and the Team Summit Foundation are partnering to transform the Ada Jenkins Center gymnasium into a place of equity and access — where neighborhood children and youth will be inspired to be their best. During the Currys’ recent visit to Davidson, they unveiled the rendering of the upgraded gymnasium, in the Ada Jenkins Center colors of red and black, with a wall mural with Steph’s image. To celebrate, volunteers and representatives from Eat.Learn.Play and the Team Summit Foundation shared lunch and played games with current LEARN Works students. Under Armour and Curry Brand sent basketball shoes, t-shirts, and string bags for the students.
“We can’t say thanks enough to everyone who made this possible,” Rice adds. “We are thrilled that these groups came together and selected the Ada Jenkins Center as a place to change the game for good.”

We’ve expanded to serve more students!
LEARN Works, our signature education program for students 1-3 grade levels behind their peers, is conducted afterschool throughout the academic year, providing elementary and middle school students with academic support and enrichment programming.
Our Davidson campus is at its 60-student capacity. Recognizing that the need is much greater, LEARN Works has expanded to a second location – at the David B. Waymer Center in Huntersville – serving an additional 12-15 students during the 2022-2023 school year.
Without supplemental instruction and adequate support closer to home (easing transportation burdens for parents), these students most likely would continue to lag behind.
Teachers and administrators at CMS schools in Cornelius, Davidson, and Huntersville refer their students to us, and CMS buses bring them to our campus. Our teachers create individualized learning plans via the iReady (reading) and MobyMax (math) curricula. Volunteer tutors and classroom assistants also work with the students.

Bella T. is on her way to a beautiful career!

Bella, who lives with her daughter in Huntersville, was studying to be a cosmetologist. But the rising cost of living meant she could afford either her utilities, or her studies — but not both. She turned to the Ada Jenkins Center for help, and completed the eligibility for our Financial Assistance program.
Within days we were able to pay her Duke Energy bill from our Critical Assistance Fund, and did so for several monthly bills. As a result, Bella could afford her final cosmetology courses — and graduated last month! She’s now in the process of setting up a station within a local salon.
The Quarterback of the North

Service Updates
Our program year ended June 30, 2022 — and thanks to the generosity of friends, volunteers, and donors throughout the year:
- We responded to 1,776 e-mails, calls, or texts seeking information about financial assistance or other family needs
- 1,199 people obtained groceries through our Loaves and Fishes food pantry
- 106 families received emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities
- 173 people had their tax returns prepared for free, saving our clients nearly $50,000 in tax preparation fees
- 290 new clients entered our Economic Mobility program, receiving tenancy education, connections with area housing, budget assistance, and employment and training resources
- 97 people experiencing homelessness were connected with critical services, and provided with emergency supplies
- 54 students were enrolled in our LEARN Works afterschool academic program for the school year, and received backpacks full of donated school supplies
- 587 volunteers contributed 8,491 hours to help tutor our students, make food deliveries, improve our building and campus, and so much more
There’s still more to do. Over the summer, requests for food pantry service and financial assistance were the highest they’ve been in more than a year. There are several ways to inquire about economic assistance: by calling our offices at 704-896-0471, by sending an email, or reaching us through our website.