First Baptist Cares Seeks Funding for Virtual Learning Center

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Students in Hamilton County are winter on break, which means First Baptist Cares’ virtual learning center is empty.

As grant money for the fall is drying up, President of the non-profit Terry Ladd hopes it does come stay spring semester.

“We received that money in November of 2020 to run our virtual learning centers and we would not be eligible to and we will not be able to apply for those grants again until November of 2021” said Ladd.

“I think at this stage we’re just trying to get by month to month” said Chattanooga Pastor Melody Winderweedle.

Winderweedle partners with First Baptist Cares and says the much needed funding supports staffing, day to day operations and keeping the facility clean.

“My hope is that we can secure some grants through other non-profits to continue to open our centers” said Winderweedle.

Ladd says his church is a necessity for students come spring semester, “Some of them did not have the capability at home to have WiFi. Many siblings, brothers and sisters, when everybody is trying to get on at the same time it causes challenges.”

“I don’t know how long situation with the pandemic is going to last but I predict that it will probably go into fall of 2021 so being able to have funding to get us all the way through the end of the pandemic I think that would be ideal” said Winderweedle.

Below is a link to First Baptist Cares’ GoFund Me page: