By Gabrielle Terrett

The Vicksburg Post

Apostle Linda Sweezer saw a need for children in the community seeking educational tutoring, as well as a good meal, and decided to do something about it.

During the summer, Vicksburg’s House of Peace and Worship Church International had approximately 300 children attend an enrichment program.

“We saw that a lot of kids needed it and we wanted to keep them fresh during the summer,” Sweezer said. “And now what we’ve decided to do to be able to help these students is to continue the program to give them that push to keep going forward.”

Vicksburg’s House of Peace Worship Church International, 1301 Holly Street, offers free fall tutoring services and dinner to students ages 1-18 and grades K-12 weekdays from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

According to Sweezer, registered students will be fed physically and mentally with dinner being served along with the tutoring session.

All children are allowed to get a meal but only students in grades K-12 will be allowed to stay for school assistance, Sweezer said.

Students will have the opportunity to be tutored by local teachers, members of the Vicksburg-Warren School District and high school student volunteers.

“We have about five to six tutors,” Sweezer said. “We have three teachers, someone that’s working in the school district and then the support group. We are also utilizing our high school students as well.”

The fall tutoring and dinner sessions began Oct. 1 in Vicksburg and Rolling Fork. So far, more than 200 students have registered to receive assistance.

“Along with our program that we have out in Rolling Fork, we have about 300 students,” she said. “We have around 200 here and 100 in Rolling Fork.”

Sweezer said there are plans to make the free program a year-round event.

“This is open to the community,” Sweezer said. “A lot of the community needs this and I feel that it will help everyone.”

Registration for the program is still open. Interested parents or students should call the church at 601-630-3362.