September 21, 2021

Diana Pinto – Executive Director, South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project (SC LAMP)

SC LAMP is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

Here we go! School is in session and in person, again. What a gift!

I am struck by the irony of this reality – prior to the pandemic going to school felt like a chore, so many of us not realizing our schools are much more than educational centers. Perhaps one of the more important lessons we at SCLAMP have learned as a result of this challenging time is that school is where you make friends, where you find adults who comfort you, where you find peers who understand your challenges, where you escape from your everyday troubles.

Remote learning, while addressing the actual “content learning,” could not provide all the other aspects of learning that a traditional school setting can offer. One living testament to recognizing how our school is much more than a learning center for children is seeing the joy of our mothers reuniting with their friends. For a community that often feels isolated, the pandemic has been especially difficult. Many had built relationships within the online classes we offer, but being on-site has made a world of difference for everyone, both the mothers and our staff too. They were able to connect with others who had been through similar experiences. While we are not perfect, and every day we learn something new, it is absolutely incredible to welcome our families on-site to a place that’s not just a setting to learn content, but a place to find comfort, support, empathy as well as a place to learn! SCLAMP, in all ways, is our “home away from home.” If you are ever in the neighborhood, come and visit!