Generosity from our Local Business - Evergreen Subaru and Giroux Family Masonry Stepped up!

Amid the COVID 19 pandemic, we noted a significant drop in our individual donations and we had to postpone our golf tournament and cancel all of our missions teams. Additionally, grants that have been typically available this time of year were redistributed for other purposes due to the pandemic. 

We depend on these funding sources to create seven weeks of super summer day camp and twenty plus teen work experiences across the neighborhood including Super Summer Teen Squad Leaders and Lew Crew Lawn Care and Woodworking. 

Our team pressed forward to creatively determine how to use the governor’s guidelines to safely produce a summer camp experience. We had faith that the means and wisdom necessary to do this important work during a season of such uncertainty. 

That’s when Evergreen Subuaru and Giroux Family Masonry called us looking for an opportunity to invest in our work in the neighborhood, making the summer of 2020 truly super. 

"Evergreen Subaru has long admired the life-changing work that The Root Cellar makes in the L/A community. During these uncertain times when so many families and organizations are struggling, we are so proud to help support their core summer programming for kids."

- Lynn Weisz, Marketing Manager, Evergreen Subaru.

This donation helped to create socially distanced, safe and fun opportunities for 70+ neighborhood elementary aged children and 22 neighborhood teens. Super Summer Day Camp provided a safe place for 70 kids to work, play, grow and gather together. Every morning Monday through Thursday, the kids gathered together for the morning session, starting with breakfast, provided in partnership with Lewiston School system  followed by “Brain Food”, the morning session focused on academic development. After a break from 11 to 12, kids return for the afternoon session. Starting with eating lunch, followed by engaging with each other in character building activities, including arts and crafts, sports in the park and learning to ride bikes and scooters. 

In addition to our day camp, local teens can apply for summer work experience programs. This summer, twenty-two neighborhood teens received a stipend for participating in an 8+ week summer work experience.

“From a business stance during the pandemic, we felt it was important to help our community  as much as we could. We love and appreciate the direct, tangible differences that The Root Cellar makes in the lives of kids. It’s something we want to be a part of for a long time. This is part of the reason we are in business.”

- Mason Giroux, owner of Giroux Family Masonry

Super Summer Day Camp provides working and volunteer opportunities for teens in the community. The participating children are divided into groups, all led by Teen Squad Leader (TSL).

Lew Crew Lawn Care and Woodworking is another summer program blessed by the donation. Lew Crew Lawncare and Woodworking engages neighborhood youth to develop work experience and small business skills with a focus on neighborhood beautification. Lew Crew currently serves thirty-three properties and has completed over 50 woodworking projects. 

“We are incredibly grateful for the way that Evergreen Subaru and Giroux Family Masonry partnered together to give generously during a time of great economic uncertainty. This is what loving your neighbor looks like in 2020.”

-Joel Furrow, Executive Director 

This donation from Evergreen Subaru and Giroux Family Masonry will continue to have ripple effects in our community as we look ahead to the rest of the year.

With our local schools hybrid learning plan in place, we have been able to open a Downtown Safe Learning Hub, offering educational opportunities for neighborhood children as they navigate these difficult days.