This past week, we launched our second Zion’s Closet—a community resource center that serves parents and students who are unhoused or in need. We did it. And when I say we, I mean all of you who helped fulfill the Zion’s Closet list for Liberty Point. This is what happens when people show up.
Not only did more than 60 volunteers transform an empty room into a fully stocked resource center, but we’ve already had five schools reach out.
We’re now in conversations about opening a third Zion’s Closet with the support of community partners at Love Beyond Walls.
You might be asking, How does a closet of supplies actually help students and families? The answer is simple: the need is growing, and families are being impacted every single day.
When children are unhoused, or when parents can’t afford the basics, it affects learning outcomes. And this isn’t just about charity—it’s about making sure every single student feels seen and supported.
Recent cuts to the Department of Education aren’t just about line items in a budget; they directly impact students and educators on the ground.
Take Title I, for example. Title I is part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, designed to provide federal funding to schools serving high numbers of students facing poverty. These funds help schools hire reading specialists, support after-school programs, and provide counselors.
When Title I is cut, it’s not the policymakers who feel the consequences. It’s a third grader who loses her reading tutor, or the support teachers who are pulled from classrooms—the very ones who help reinforce learning.
It’s a high schooler who no longer has access to the guidance counselor who would have helped him fill out a college application.
It’s a middle schooler who loses after-school programming that kept her safe and on track.
It’s a student who can no longer see the school social worker who helped connect his family to critical resources.
It’s classrooms with larger student-to-teacher ratios, fewer intervention specialists, and less individualized attention for those who need it most.
That’s why Zion’s Closet matters, as Principal Lewis recently reminded us.
It’s a tangible way to show students and families that they are not invisible—that community can show up to meet needs, fill gaps, and give them a real chance to thrive.
So, thank you for your support and for being part of my Substack community. I’m truly grateful you’re here!
Terence
A Personal Invitation
I want to formally invite you to a book discussion and live reading I’m hosting on September 6th in Atlanta, called DisruptedATL.
In fact, this will be the first of many live talks I’ll give across the country—in cities like Louisville, Chicago, Dallas, and more.
I’ve asked my friend, sister, and colleague, LaTasha Morrison—New York Times bestselling author—to join me as we talk about education, justice, and what it truly means to show up in community and love your neighbor during these times.
At this first event in Atlanta, we’ll also highlight the work we’re doing in schools and explore how we can keep compassion alive in education, in vulnerable communities, and in the world around us.
Proceeds from this event will help us build more Zion’s Closet resource centers across the state and, eventually, around the country.
If you’d like to attend, click HERE, or the flyer above to RSVP.
If you’re looking for a way to get involved:
Show up in person to support the book launch and students in Atlanta.
Donate to Zion’s Closet and every item goes straight to students and helps us serve hundreds of children in a single school.
Volunteer by signing up to serve with Love Beyond Walls if you are in Atlanta.
Preorder the book and share it with someone who cares about students (11 days away).
And if nothing else—send prayers and positivity as we continue to do this work.
Book Dr. Lester to Speak [HERE]
Listen to the Imgaine Dignity Podcast [HERE]
