A foundation for thanks
Penn State Altoona volunteer Adrienne Brown helps 5-year-old Saahirah Thompson select her food Thursday at the Gloria Gates Foundation Thanksgiving dinner at Fairview Hills Community Center. (Mirror photo by J.D. Cavrich)
The after-school program at Fairview Hills housing project served a turkey dinner Thursday for Thanksgiving. But Wednesday evening was more the heart of it, said Toni Bilik, director of the Gloria Gates Foundation, which runs the program. On Wednesday, the kids helped the staff fix mashed potatoes and stuffing, while making placemats and setting tables. Growing up poor, they tend to be on the receiving end of good works, but Wednesday they learned how it feels to give, Bilik said. It’s a critical lesson for breaking the cycle of poverty, she said. It’s one her boss, Dr. Zane Gates, lives: He started the foundation to run the after-school program at Evergreen Manors family housing project, where he grew up, setting up a system that would give others the benefits he got accidentally when wealthier families showed him kindness and guidance.
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