My First Day Festival supports at-risk students in K-12 public schools by providing a backpack and the necessary first day supplies to assist families who are living at the poverty line or below. We are extending an invitation to local school administrators and teachers to join us in the Forty-One Wilder Community to get students excited for the new school year and to provide parents an early opportunity to learn about the resourcs available from their child's school. As the name indicates, this will be a festival, so we will also host a fun-filled day for the entire family with food, games, learning activities, music and other entertainment.  My First Day Festival is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 5, 2023,  at the the Forty-One Wilder Community Park in Saint Stephen.

Beginning in September 2023, AAESF community volunteers will begin our Each One Teach One Community Tutoring Program.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, volunteers will tutor in  group sessions, as well as one-on-one, in the the areas of math, science and reading.  Tutoring is offered throughout the school year, free of cost, to participants.

From mid November and throughout the month of December, AAESF will host our fundraising drive for Be A Saint To A Senior. This is an opportunity to give back to a senior citizen who might not feel as important or might not have anyone during the holiday season. All donations raised will go to support our seniors at Lake Moultrie Health and Rehab facility in Saint Stephen with much needed items.

Each week throughout the month of December, AAESF will host their concert series, Holiday on the Hill within the Forty-One Wilder Community. Each week, school choirs, soloist and groups will come together with the community to celebrate this festive time of the year.

The George Allen Simmons Sr. Community Garden's mission is to inspire your to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition by increasing access to and knowledge of healthy food and providing garden-based development programs. Throughout the 2023, AAESF will raise funds to secure and renovate a plot of land in Saint Stephen, transforming it into a thriving urban farm. Anticipated programs include:

• Saturdays @ The Garden

• Summer Camps

• Fall Harvest Festival

• Health and Wellness Fair

• Earth Day Events