The door is always open at the Rabbittown Learners Program Inc. according to its dedicated staff, teachers and board of directors.
If any current or former student needs something, all they have to do is ask and that staff will do its best to ensure that individual receives some form of assistance.
The Adult Basic Education program that has operated in the organization for the past 30-years has had a great amount of community assistance, volunteers and staff who have helped forge futures for 100s and 100s of people who have attended the program.
The Sisters of Mercy and Presentation Sisters dedication to the program and the emergence of a new benefactor through the United Way of Newfoundland and Labrador has allowed Rabbittown the opportunity to upgrade its computer system.
Both organizations have pledged $10,000 each to Rabbittown which will help purchase new computers so its students are learning skills on the most up to date equipment available to them. The funding was announced during the Adult Basic Education Level I graduation ceremony held earlier this week in St. John’s.
“We want to have an impact on education and other programs we support here,” Sister Patricia March of the Sisters of Mercy said Tuesday.
“It used to be many of the sisters were involved in education as teachers since we’ve been here in Newfoundland and Labrador. That is not the case anymore so we have had to find other ways to provide education such as programs like this here at Rabbittown,’’ March added.
The cost of replacing those computers is about $14,000 and the remaining funds will be allocated to other educational needs at the centre.
March said the benefits of the program are evident in the kind of help shown to those who attend the programs and also the benefits these individuals make to society once they leave the programs.
The second organization, the United Way of Newfoundland and Labrador are making its inaugural donation to Rabbittown through its Poverty to Possibilities program. They were approached recently for funding and it didn’t take long for them to determine this was a viable place to invest in.
“The key to moving out of poverty is through education and this is a great way to support that mandate through an organization like this,’’ Tammy Davis, executive director of the United Way of N.L. said.
“It was not a tough decision for us. They applied and received money on their very first request. This has been a learning experience for us. You don’t hear about this level of education so to fund a program like this and to address the root causes of social issues is a commitment we are happy to make,’’ she added.
