Bob Burdette Center Hosts First Family Engagement Night: A Night of Togetherness, Cooking, and Community
The Bob Burdette Center recently held its first Family Engagement Night, bringing together students from our free after-school program and their families for an evening of good food, connection, and support. The event was designed as part of the Center’s “Healthy Habits Curriculum” to encourage families to cook at home, not only for health and budget-conscious reasons but also to promote quality time together in the kitchen.
More than 100 meals were served during the event, with every family receiving a free, hot meal along with simple preparation instructions. To extend the experience beyond the evening, each family also received a bag filled with all the ingredients needed to recreate the meal at home. This initiative aimed to empower families to make healthy choices while reinforcing the importance of shared mealtime.
In addition to the meal kits, families were also gifted a bag of toiletry essentials, helping to alleviate some of the financial burdens that can come with everyday necessities. The event was fully staffed by Bob Burdette Center team members, who were on hand to serve food, assist families, and engage with the community.
This special evening was made possible thanks to generous grants from United Way of Central West Virginia and the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington. Their support allowed us to provide families with meaningful resources that promote healty habits, well-being and togetherness.
The response to Family Engagement Night was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees expressing appreciation for the thoughtful resources and the opportunity to spend meaningful time together. The success of this event highlights the importance of providing not just educational support to students but also practical assistance that benefits entire families.
We are proud of the impact this night had on our community and look forward to hosting more events like this in the future. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make our first Family Engagement Night a success!
Stay connected with the Bob Burdette Center for updates on upcoming events and ways to get involved.