LA’s BEST Offers Free Holiday Meal
In a true display of Thanksgiving spirit, the staff of LA’s BEST after-school enrichment program at Napa Street Elementary School has invited the families of Napa students to a free holiday dinner Friday.
Complete with “turkey, ham and all the fixings,” the dinner will mark the second consecutive year that LA’s BEST has hosted a holiday meal for Napa students and their families, many of whom live in the Park Parthenia housing project near the school, said coordinator Dee Ann Rivera.
“A lot of these people won’t have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner because they can’t afford it,” said Rivera. “This gives them the opportunity to enjoy the holiday like anybody else.”
Established in 1994, LA’s BEST now operates programs at 22 Los Angeles Unified School District elementary schools in areas considered vulnerable to gangs, drugs and crime.
The programs combine tutoring with field trips and activities such as sports, dance and art in an effort to boost academic achievement and self-esteem, said Tammy Sims, a spokeswoman for LA’s BEST.
“This is a good example of the kind of thing we do to draw parents in, to get them more connected to their child’s school,” said Sims.
The dinner will be from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Napa Street Elementary School Auditorium, 19010 Napa St., Northridge. For details, call (818) 717-0538 after 2:30 p.m.
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