Give Me A Chance in Ogden will host a dinner to sow Guadalupe Garden and fund programs

Friday, Aug. 29, 2014

OGDEN —The public is invited to “A Stitch in Time,” hosted by Give Me A Chance, a ministry of the Daughters of Charity Sisters, on Sept. 12 at the Give Me A Chance Learning Center in Ogden.

The dinner has two purposes, said Daughter of Charity Sister Maria Nguyen, who founded the center in 2010. “We want the community at large to know more about the center, and we would like to raise funds to continue to expand our programs,” she said. “We have so many programs in mind that we would like to implement and we want the community to be a part of this organization. We want people to feel they have some ownership through their contributions; we are here to help the community.” 

The GMAC Learning Center, located on Grant Avenue, will offer an after-school program this year, said Sr. Maria. “This summer we had an academy for kids, and it is great that a lot are participating. The after-school tutoring program focuses on math and reading, and we expect to have about 60 kids in first through sixth grade this year. We also provide math tutoring for students in seventh through 12th grade.” 

In addition, the center assists children with their homework in other subjects, offers them sports, crafts and sewing activities. In the future, Sr. Maria would like to implement a music program, she said.

“We want to enrich the children’s lives with all kinds of activities,” she said. 

Development of the Guadalupe Garden is ongoing. 

“We would like to add a gazebo, a fountain and playground equipment,” said Sr. Maria. “We would like to finish the garden by next year. The garden is intended to serve as a place of relaxation and prayer, but we would also like to offer it as a reception area for quinceañeras, weddings, birthdays or retreats to help generate some revenue.” 

The center also provides various services for low-income adults, including parenting classes, day care, counseling and a computer center. The women are offered various entrepreneurial skills and at the same time, the programs help to build their self-esteem and self-confidence, said Sr. Maria. Scholarships are given to women who want to become certified nursing assistants. 

“The mission of our center is for women to become self-sufficient,” Sr. Maria said.

Valencia Dylla became involved with GMAC after attending the grand opening of the Learning Center and was “amazed at how this organization helps empower low-income women in our community to become self-sufficient; it’s about helping each other become stronger and learn marketable skills,” said Dylla, who volunteers as GMAC’s public relations manager.

Dylla has witnessed success stories and said the center “is growing faster than Sister Maria had imagined it would. ... This upcoming event will compel people to come into our store on Washington Boulevard, where people can find prom or wedding dresses or tuxedos; we also do alterations, and not just on formal wear, but on anything. The women learn the skills and then put them to use by making the clothing we sell at the De Marillac Bridal & Formal Center.” 

 

WHAT: A Stitch in Time

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 10 p.m. 

WHERE: GMAC Learning Center, 2913 Grant Ave., Ogden

COST: $50 per person; table sponsorships are available

For information, visit www.gmacutah.org/, or to make donations, sponosorships, or reservations, contact Valencia Dylla at 801-648-5074 or GMACpublicrelations@aol.com.