Preschool families

sponsor at least one student per year, this year has been so difficult for island families she finds herself pulling quadruple the load

Calling Karen Durand from the Pine Island Food Pantry was indeed the right call to make, as it brought her to Loughren, who was happy to help

“Winn-Dixie gave us toys and the Fire Department came here and gave them toys,” Ramirez said

Ramirez has three student families who have been left homeless from Hurricane Ian Currently, they are living in tents, with one family living on a boat, she said

“The family living on a boat is mom, fad and two little girls one is 5 and one is still an infant I service all of them, and I knew going into the Christmas break they weren’t going to have enough food to carry them through I reached out to Karen Durand who was giving us food from the church pantry and she got me in touch with Dan,” Ramirez said

Because there is no kitchen at Creative Coast, Ramirez is only allowed to provide snacks for the children When the hurricane hit, she said, she lost a great number of children due to out-of-work parents, and only a few of her students returned

Having never reached out for help until now, Ramirez confessed she’d needed assistance

“Right now I am sponsoring four of these families That’s why I talked to Karen I said, I’ve never reached out to any of the organizations on the island to ask for any type of help, because I was able to do it on my own, but now I need help If I don’t offer them free daycare, these parents that still have a job and are trying to rebuild, won’t be able to, because they don’t have anybody to look out for their kids, the kids don’t have a safe place to be I’m their safe haven I know that if they’re here with me, they’re being taken care of and they’re being fed. I will figure out a way to make sure these kids are taken care of -- I have to be here regardless -- whether I have 1 child or 20 children, I still have to be open So, they are coming here for free” Ramirez said

Although, due to her recent income deficit, Ramirez is not able to buy lunch and snacks for the children, as she had been able to do in the past, she said she will continue caring for her students the best she can, as this is an ongoing process for her In order to keep her doors open, Ramirez finds herself no longer afraid to ask for help.

“Anytime anybody calls me and they want to donate whether it’s used clothes, or shoes or food, I’ll go meet them I tell them, you don’t have to drive here, tell me where to meet you and I’ll go and get it, because I want to make sure that these families are OK It’s one step at a time and every little bit helps,” Ramirez said Currently, she said her families are in need of winter clothes, both for adults and children Sponsoring each child aged 2 to 4 is $150 per week, and after school care is $85 per week

“I want to say thank you to everyone on the island -all the organizations and individuals that have reached out, like DJ Holloway He came out for Christmas and fed the children, their families and staff that were here for the Christmas party, and he donated money to the daycare We all help each other out I know I need help, but these families need more help than I do Every day is a struggle, but as long as my doors are open I want these people to know that they have somewhere for their kids to come, whether they can afford it or not,” Ramirez said