Dear Friends and Supporters of The Foundry,
I am so thrilled to be in this role that God has placed me in at The Foundry! I am also excited about the things God is leading us to for the year 2021.
The Gospels are filled with examples of Jesus ministering to the whole person; He not only taught the people He encountered, but He fed them and healed their physical bodies. We also know from research that children’s academic success is strongly linked to their health. That’s why we are thrilled to announce that, through the Good Samaritans Grant, The Foundry has received funds to promote our new Healthy Foundry Initiative, providing a holistic wellness approach for the mind, body, and spirit.
Recently, we hired Shawna Wood as our Healthy Foundry Director. As soon as she accepted the position, she began building new connections and strengthening existing connections with healthcare partners in Bowling Green. The Healthy Foundry plans to provide health screenings (vision, dental, hearing, general wellness, and mental health) for people in the West End and help them find further care when needed.
Also, contingent on local COVID-19 guidelines, the Healthy Foundry will be offering organized fitness opportunities for people in the West End community. These family-friendly events will also involve a faith component, such as prayer or a short Bible teaching.
This year, we are excited for the expansion of our existing gardening project to include high tunnels through a partnership with Crossland Community Church. Community members will once again be able to grow fresh produce for themselves, and the high tunnels will expand the growing season to nine months out of the year. This will provide income possibility for local residents through a local food bank that is needing locally-grown, fresh produce. In addition to gardening education, we will offer nutrition and cooking classes for community residents wanting to learn how to prepare healthy meals at home.
The Foundry is working with the South Central Workforce Development Board to host a job fair in 2021. Individuals in the West End will be pre-screened to find out what types of work they are looking for, and then employers in need of those types of workers would be brought to the job fair, which should hopefully result in a high number of people gaining employment! This event was last held at the Bowling Green Hot Rods stadium, and we are excited to hold it on the soccer field at The Foundry this year.
Through all we do, our objective at The Foundry is to be the hub of the West End and direct people in the right direction regarding their needs. The question I want each of us to ask ourselves is, “What can I do to further impact our children, families, and the entire West End?”
When you invest in The Foundry, it leaves a lasting impact on the West End and with children and families at large. This area can change and transform, but it takes consistency, investment, time, and sharing the message. With every investment a person makes into The Foundry, the trajectory of a child, family, and community is changed.
We invite you to join us as we continue to invest in the future of the West End.
Dr. Terry Daniels
The Foundry, Spring 2021