The RapidsCares Eastern Iowa 2018 Donation Goes To…Café 361!

2018-rapidscares

Rapids Vice President Eric Schmitt presenting the 2018 Rapidscares donation to the young women of Café 361

Each year, Rapids Contract donates 5% of the proceeds from our Volition line to an organization that improves the lives of those in our community.

Our 2018 Cedar Rapids branch recipient is Café 361. This organization works with young women (in grades 6-10) from ethnically and socio-economically diverse backgrounds and provides them with a safe, structured setting to learn about teamwork, volunteering to help others, the importance of education, and breaking down barriers related to diversity. Through these educational, volunteer, and career experiences, the girls learn valuable life skills such as communication, personal accountability, and leadership abilities, as well as to emphasize the importance of social skills through interactions with positive role models.

The main undertaking through which they accomplish these goals is community meals. Around once a month, these young women share a meal they’ve prepared and served with up to 100 members of the community. They also take part in projects such as preparing meals for homeless shelters. These opportunities teach them how to work together, as well as improve their cooking and time management proficiencies. They also get to interact with members of the community who may come from a background different from theirs.

Our donation of $675 will go towards the cost of food, transportation, and housing for Café 361’s yearly summer retreat. During this retreat, the girls will plan dinner themes for the following year, work on their leadership program, tour a college campus, and participate in a local service project. This summer, the retreat destination is the Chicago area. They will tour Elmhurst college and assist with the Feed My Starving Children Project in Aurora, IL.

Café 361 Website

Café 361 Facebook

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