Mrs. Janis' First Grade
Evergreen Network
Home
This Week in 1-J
Maple Hill Information
New Photos
Challenge Morning Math
Proud Papers
Between the Lions, etc.
Pen Pal Page
Favorite Links
Contact Me
Site Map

Evergreen Network   Friends Through the Seasons

20 Years of Service and Compassion


Evergreen Network is pleased to announce our 20th year anniversary!

Since the beginning of the pandemic, ENI has provided services and relief for those affected by HIV/AIDS and their extended families in the greater Bridgeport CT area.

Evergreen lead the way in providing the nation's very first children's support group, "The Sunshine Kids", for children orphaned or affected by HIV/AIDS.

"The Sunshine Kids" along with our women's, our grandmother's, and men's groups, have been meeting on a continual basis for these 20 years.

This past Christmas, ENI was able to serve 87 families with 120 children and 158 adults!

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all our generous supporters, volunteers, and our client families for their continuing efforts and inspiration.

 

Works with families affected and infected with
AIDS/HIV in the greater Bridgeport area
Provides counseling and support group services
Works hard to encourage the characteristics of “resilient kids”

3 Characteristics of Resilient Kids
Have a caring adult in their lives
Celebrate birthdays and holidays
Know the value of a  good education

How Evergreen Helps the caring adults
Encourages adults to stay active in the child’s life
Provides counseling, education and support groups for
both adults and children
Sends many of the children to summer camp

How Evergreen Helps with the celebration of holidays
Provides the food for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner
Provides Christmas presents from each child’s wish list
delivered while children are at school
Provides Easter baskets
Provides a birthday card, cake and gift for each child
How Maple Hill Helps Evergreen with birthdays
Casual day donations are combined with student donations
to pay for a gift book for many of the 175 children in the Evergreen Network.
Most of the books are multicultural.
This year we will donate 150 books which cost only $234!

How Evergreen Helps with the value of an education
Every year the children are sent back to school with a new backpack
and grade-appropriate school supplies so they can be like “everybody else.”
Children often use their birthday gift books for book reports—many
have never owned a book!

Evergreen Network Facts
Since 1989, Evergreen has gone from working with 25 children
to almost 175 children. Most of them are black or Hispanic.
Many of the children have lost one or both parents to AIDS/HIV
and are living with relatives.
Some of the oldest children have been the first in their families
to go to college. Other have been the first to graduate from elementary school.
One “graduate” of Evergreen came back to intern with the Network.
One family has a grandmother raising 14 adopted children with no state aid.
The children who do the best are “gotten” by the Evergreen Network when they are young.
Evergreen has one paid staff member and gets all of its funding from private donations.
My friend Bernadette Baldino is the Executive Director.
Thank you for your help in continuing the good work of the Evergreen Network!

September 7, 2005

Dear Nancy,

I am writing a special thank you for your efforts coordinating the Evergreen Network, Inc. (ENI) Birthday Buddy Program at Maple Hill Elementary School. Having this wonderful project be part of the school is so greatly appreciated.  I thank you as well as the staff, families and children who take part in this project.

Because of this generous monetary donation to help purchase books many of our children to whom we provide services in the Greater Bridgeport area will have a very happy birthday.  These children infected, affected or orphaned by HIV/AIDS are frigthened because of illness or death in their families. Research
shows that the simple act of others to maintain the celebration of holidays provides an important part of the resiliency for survival.

You, the teachers, students and their families helped to make all of this possible through the generous spirit of giving.  The children, their families and our staff wish blessings of safety, health, and joy to you and your loved ones.

Most sincerely,

Adaline Q. De Marrais
Executive Director

 

Maple Hill School Naugatuck CT