Fundraiser Will Bring ‘A Taste Of Central, South America’ To Montclair

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

There’s no better way to meet Montclair’s newest residents than through tasting their beloved food. On Saturday, Oct. 29, you can reserve a delicious home-cooked tasting plate as part of a fundraiser from the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence (MFEE).

Sabor Montclair celebrates the unique “sabor” that our Latinx community members bring to Montclair. Familias in MFEE’s Navegadores Escolares program have helped design this event which features delicious take-out meals highlighting their culture, while also sharing recipes and family stories.

In just one year, MFEE’s Navegadores Escolares program has expanded to support 60 families and over 105 Montclair Public School students – and it continues to grow quickly! In systems that operate almost exclusively in English, non-English-speaking parents in Montclair face many barriers to meaningfully engaging and supporting their children. Until now, families and students have been navigating our schools and community on their own. Students face barriers to accessing the education and fundamental resources to which they are entitled.

That’s where Navegadores come in. MFEE continues to recruit and train Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking community members and matches them to provide one-on-one holistic support to each new familia. Navegadores volunteer to help with everything from registering students in school to helping parents navigate the school district’s online portal, to attending meetings with teachers and counselors, to connecting parents to health, housing and food resources. They also connect students to community programs that nurture their talent for art and sports. MFEE provides regular community-building gatherings and workshops to nurture self-advocacy among las familias.

With the continued growth of Navegadores Escolares, MFEE has also recognized that Montclair's multilingual students needed additional support after school. In the past year, MFEE launched Entrenadores Escolares to support middle and high schoolers and Oruguitas to support students in K-5th grade. Both programs provide much-needed social connection, academic support, and educational enrichment. These programs could not run without the generous volunteer efforts of Montclair High School students and Montclair residents. Countless people and local organizations have come forward to support these immigrant students and their families.

Sabor Montclair is a fundraiser designed to tell the stories of these familias while helping to fund Navegadores Escolares, Entrenadores Escolares, and Oruguitas. Each plate reserved is a donation to support this work, as well as a way to connect to our newest residents through their stories and food. Donors will receive a generous tasting platter – with recipes – featuring:

Reserve now at https://givebutter.com/sabormontclair2022! Last year’s Sabor Montclair sold-out early, so don’t miss your chance to taste authentic Latinx food without springing for a plane ticket - or even leaving your town!

To learn more about Navegadores Escolares and its growth, click here.

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