BRONX, N.Y. (NCC)- In response to the C-D-C recommendation of social distancing, the South East Bronx Neighborhood Center provided afterschool, daycare and other services online.
SEBNC an acronym for the South East Bronx Neighborhood Center has offered education to families in the Bronx for 88 years. A non-profit, multi-service organization to empower, plan and provide services that enhance the quality of life for residents of the Southeast Bronx community. Its mission has not differed due to Covid-19, the program has changed its approach transferring from in- person learning to virtual classrooms.
Mildred Williams, SEBNC program director believes the changing of dynamics due to COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge she has faced throughout her ten years as director.
“With this pandemic I think we noticed that there are a lot more flaws in our systems and in our communities. It was very difficult for the kids to get their hands on the technology. On Wi-Fi it was like a major issue and I think being in the school, we already had it in school for them. I guess we didn’t realize that they lacked it at home. So, I think that was an eye opener for the organization and for me as well. And now I would have to extend that service as well. Maybe providing them with more technology,” Williams said.
SEBNC was able to provide the children with technology and phone service, helping families get free Wi-Fi. Williams was not just concerned about laptops, but other things as well such as resources where families could get food and receive assistance to pay their rent. Williams learned a lot through the pandemic, she saw a lot of what many people in the community were blind to before.
Williams has thought hard about the next steps and what she will do for the students in September.
“I’m definitely going to invest into more technology for the students, definitely. More activities with online things, online websites, online apps, maybe even more computer classes for them and not only for them. Maybe workshops for the parents, but internet services and things that I’m really, really going to invest in laptops and more technologies,” Williams said.
The most valuable lesson she has taken from this experience is we have to be more united and help each other out. Williams read a book by Wes Moore titled The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. In the book Wes Moore states the mission has to be to pull up others behind us.
Williams agrees if we are ahead, we should be able to pull up those who are behind us, so they could reach our level.
