Tutoring center opening delayed

Jennifer Kho

WESTSIDE -- The opening of a new learning center at the Someone Cares

Soup Kitchen has been delayed.

“We just need to get everything in place, and it is takingus longer

than we thought,” said George Neureuther, development director at the

kitchen.

The new center, a collaboration between the kitchen and Think

Together, which oversees the Shalimar Learning Center, was scheduled to

open Monday.

Shalimar provides tutoring and academic help for Westside students in

first through 12th grades. Laura Johnson, executive director of Shalimar,

has said the new center -- the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen’s Tutoring

Program -- will follow much the same pattern.

The difference will be that the children at the soup kitchen will have

the bonus of getting a snack during the tutoring session and a meal to

take home.

Staff members at the kitchen and Think Together are working to finish

a contract detailing the commitments of both organizations and to gather

all the necessary paperwork and fingerprints from volunteers, Neureuther

said.

Between 40 and 50 volunteers have already signed up to help tutor at

the new center, he said.

“It’s been going really well with that part,” Neureuther said. “A lot

of people want to help. We just need to get all kinds of things in place

before they start tutoring.”

Johnson said two weeks ago that the center is aiming to attract 80

volunteers and is planning to serve 35 children initially. Johnson was

not available for comment by press time Monday.

No new opening date has been set, but Neureuther said he expects it

will be in two or three weeks.