Collegiate Times

This is where the Pilot Street Project comes in. This program is a partnership between Refugee and Immigration Services, the Virginia Tech Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships and the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority. As listed on its Web site (http://www.vtserves.vt.edu/Pilot/main.aspx), it provides intergenerational English language and literacy programming and cultural transition support for refugee and immigrant families. For children, there are book-lending programs, homework help sessions and summer programs.

Unfortunately, the condition of the economy has made it harder and harder for the Pilot Street Project to function. Since it is sustained through donations and small grants and not through official funding, there was question last semester of whether it could stay in existence at all. Out of the more than 5,000 refugees in the New River Valley, Pilot Street only has the resources to help a maximum of 500. If equipped with adequate resources and locations, Pilot Street would be able to reach more people. But that is a big if; with the way things are now, Pilot Street is still struggling to provide its essential services. What can you do?

Anything is appreciated, and for complete information, refer to the Web site listed above. Simple things you can volunteer for are helping with some of the English as a Second Language classes, taking a family to the grocery store or the doctor’s office, helping a family fill out paperwork, or like I did, spending time with children who are desperate to get out of their homes for a little while. You can also donate money, household items, children’s books, or your time in simply telling other people about Pilot Street.

What is desperately needed now are winter clothes for adults and children, especially warm shoes. Some mothers only have flip-flops to wear in the snow as they struggle to provide for the rest of their families. But why should you care?

We take things for granted. Many of us have cars and we can drive to the grocery store to get what we need. We know how to call our doctor’s office to make an appointment. We know how a refrigerator works and most of us have the necessities to live. The Pilot Street Project seeks to help the people trying to support their families and rebuild their lives who do not have many of those skills. There are simply not enough volunteers to help them.

Help the members in our community within the New River Valley and find out how you can become involved with the Pilot Street Project.

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A version of this article appeared in the Feb 9 issue of the Collegiate Times.