2021 What a Year

Dear Friends of FEAST,
While it appears as though the pandemic will soon be in the rear-view mirror for many of us…I believe it has made some paradigm changes to families in the United States and how they view education for their children. In the 35 years FEAST has been serving homeschool families, we have never seen the exponential increase in those choosing to homeschool as we have in the last 18 months.

In keeping with the COVID trend of 2020, throughout 2021, we saw record numbers of families inquiring about, and moving to, private home education. We experienced a 400% increase in calls, emails, and social media messages, from families beginning their homeschool journey and seeking our help. To meet the demands of our rapidly growing homeschool community, FEAST added two more Resource Specialists to the team, including one fluent in Spanish! Next, the team modified procedures to help discern if inquiring parents wanted to homeschool or simply school at home. They recorded quick tutorial videos shared online (both in English and Spanish), as they simply could not answer the incoming calls fast enough.

Additionally, with this influx of families transitioning to homeschooling, parents realized there are student needs beyond academics. FEAST’s athletic programs provide both community and competition for student-athletes and families. With this increased demand and participation in our sports programs, Athletics recently expanded to ten sports program offerings! As a result, we have greater equipment needs and higher-cost facility rentals for courts, fields, and stadiums.

With city and state COVID mandates being dropped, and the reopening of our city and state; FEAST Resource Center brought back opportunities for learning, fellowship, and socialization such as: character book days, science workshops, private consultations, topic-specific orientations, an athletics exposition, and a book fair! The return to normalcy was a welcomed reprieve for our FEAST staff, volunteers, and homeschool families alike!

Over the last year, we have seen the boundaries and demographics of the homeschool community stretch and grow beyond anything we could have imagined! However, although the need to serve and minister to the swiftly growing homeschool community grew, our financial support did not.
We know the qualities that homeschooling produces in students: hard-working, respectful, high achieving, community servants, and family-oriented. We know that given the right tools, parents are excellent teachers, and students thrive under their instruction. Families are closer and stronger, and that translates into well-balanced, happy individuals who are prepared to step into leadership roles within our communities.
Why do we need your help? Many families who benefit from the various services FEAST offers are unaware that we are a nonprofit organization, which, unlike public school systems, receives no state or federal funding. Your gifts can make a difference in the lives of these families. It is FEAST’s desire to remain a refuge, information hub, and multifaceted resource to all South Texas homeschooling families for many years to come. Your contribution can help us do that!

Please consider adding FEAST to your Christmas list this year. Your tax-deductible donation will make a difference to our families! Click here to see our donation page.

lwhiten@homeschoolfeast.com
210-342-4674 ext. 102

Testimonials

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“As a high school counselor, I know the high demands and needs that are required to support students in need of a non-traditional education. I took a leap of faith this year and decided to commit to this student population and opened my own homeschool program, Pathways Academy of San Antonio. One valuable resource that has has played a role with getting PASA off to a good start was FEAST. FEAST has guided and supported me in various ways. I’ve walked away with multiple resources, gained valuable knowledge through their orientations and consultations, and most importantly, gained a fruitful alliance. I look forward to a long collaborative journey with FEAST.”

-Maricela Luna

“FEAST Sports has been a blessing to our family for so
many reasons. We were thrilled to discover that we still had the opportunity to participate in team sports as a homeschooling family. Additionally, the coaches, who volunteer their time to work with the athletes, genuinely invest in the students. Not only do they share their faith in God and encourage our children to do the same, but they also encourage them to excel physically and mentally. Finally, our family has grown closer to so many like-minded families through our participation with FEAST. The blessings are numerous, and we are truly thankful for these programs and volunteers.”

-Wendy Foster

“FEAST has been a wonderful resource for our homeschooling journey! We have been homeschooling since 2009 and have enjoyed the many services free and for a small cost offered. This has truly been a blessing for our family. Recently we were able to attend a hearing and speech testing session where they went above and beyond in scheduling, and explaining the process. They were professional, thorough and even tested my two toddlers ages 2 and 3. It is reassuring to know that services are brought to us without having to go through public school system and all that entails.”

-Norma Ortega