The last six months have been a busy period for the children, parents, and field staff and volunteers at NOC’s center at ONYX (Simmons Cay) in Bluffton.
About 40 children have registered in NOC’s after school and summer learning programs. The children are excited to come to NOC’s facility at ONYX, Monday through Thursday, where they enjoy healthy snacks and the support of teachers from local schools, dedicated volunteers, and NOC’s field staff. Parents are fully engaged, contributing snacks for the children, as well as helping to clean the center. A highlight of this period was the cheerful Christmas party, which was enjoyed by both children and parents.
The mobile unit from the Beaufort County Library has made bi-weekly visits to ONYX, providing the children with books that they can check out. This is a highly successful program for the children. In addition, the health screening program, in partnership with the Beaufort Memorial Hospital, was useful, especially for families who do not have access to affordable health care.
NOC expects these children to demonstrate improved learning skills in math, reading, and language arts when they take the school-administered standardized tests during this academic year.
In a recent interview with WHHI, Dr. Narendra Sharma, Founder & Chair, of Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC), discussed negative changes occurring in neighborhoods in Hilton Head Island — neighborhoods that provide affordable housing for working families and retirees living on modest incomes. He explained that this trend poses a serious threat to the local economy, future investments, and quality of life in HHI. The Island is already strained by the lack of affordable housing for the workforce that supports the service, construction, health, and domestic sectors. As the cost of living increases, retirees and working families are negatively affected. This in turn has a roll-over effect on the Island’s economy as the cost of services increases for all residents.
