St. Andrew's Helping Impoverished Students

Shortly after adopted Dover Elementary School as one of its ministries, the ministry's coordinator, Nancy Plate, was playing a game of charades with the children at the school.

"I was pretending to make a bed, but the children weren't able to guess what I was doing," said Plate. "When I mentioned this to the school's social worker, she told me that most of the kids don't have beds. They sleep under blankets on the floor."

At the school populated by the children of migrant farmworkers, things most children take for granted, such as backpacks and books, are a luxury.

When they became aware of the many needs of the children at the school, members of St. Andrew's, 3315 Bryan Rd., Brandon, began the ministry to help the students and their families.

"It began over five years ago with our Friendship Circle just tutoring the students," said Plate. "Over time, we have added enough tutors, 10 to 12, to help the children every week."

Plate noted that the one-on-one tutoring sessions are especially important at Dover Elementary School where English isn't always spoken in the students' homes.

The tutoring also is necessary because the children miss so many days from school, she added.

"The attendance at the school fluctuates during the year because of the influx of produce pickers who come to Florida during our growing season," she said. "Consequently, these children miss many days of school and need extra help to catch up."

Education, said Plate, may be the children's only ticket out of poverty.

"Over 90 percent of these families are below poverty level and receive free lunches for their children. Many of these children depend on the free breakfasts and luncheons for their daily nutrition."

Read more about for the students in Bloomingdale-Riverview Patch's recent feature story.