Mama Loca’s wins Battle of the Businesses

The results are in, and the winner of this year’s Ash Grove Care To Learn Battle of
the Businesses is Mama Loca’s Cafe and Cantina. Mama Loca’s raised $325, with
Pennington’s, $129, and Clear Creek Dental, $56, coming second and third. A
grand total of $510 was collected during the fundraiser.
Also to benefit Care To Learn, was a food and change drive at Ash Grove and
Bois D’Arc elementary schools. Bringing in the most at Ash Grove were students
in Mrs. Livingston’s pre-k class and Mrs. Arthur’s second grade class, with $1,510
and 3,020 food items. The top collectors at Bois D’Arc were Mrs. Pedersen’s
fourth grade students and Mrs. Courtney Jackson’s fifth grade pupils, with
$933.17, and 2,044 food items. For their efforts, the winning classes got to spray
their teachers with silly string during an assembly and have a donut party in their
class.
What is Care to Learn
Ash Grove Care To Learn provides for the emergent health, hunger, and hygiene
needs of students in the Ash Grove R-IV School District so that every student can
be successful in school. From a pair of shoes to food to paying for a prescription,
Care to Learn - Ash Grove ensures students in the Ash Grove R-IV School District
have their basic needs met. Just this year the group has provided eye glasses,
coats, shoes, clothing, utilities, weekly food bags, and school supplies to students
in school.
Fundraising limited for Care To Learn
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented multiple challenges for Ash Grove
students and their families as well as the organizations that work to serve them.
Ash Grove families are facing lost jobs, rising gas prices, and less money to pay
for the health, hunger, and hygiene needs of their students. As Care to Learn -
Ash Grove works to provide for these emergent needs, they are facing increasing
challenges in raising funds. Care to Learn - Ash Grove has not been able to hold
their annual fundraising events due to the health risks associated with large
gatherings of people. Therefore, they lost out on those funds.
The group is also receiving fewer donations due to the financial burden brought on
by the COVID-19 pandemic as supporters and community members struggle. With
the decreasing donations and fundraising opportunities it is becoming increasingly
difficult to fulfill the needs of students. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need
to meet students’ basic needs has continued to grow each year. Next year, they
project they will be facing increased requests to meet the emergent health,
hunger, and hygiene needs of students while receiving fewer donations.