For the past four decades, Mt. Airy Learning Tree has organized small classes in which neighbors can teach, learn, and share experiences with each other. In early March, as the COVID-19 pandemic was dawning, our staff and board got together to ask how we could work to fulfill our mission when physical gathering is prohibited. 

Like so many educational institutions worldwide, our learning curve has been steep, but we’ve been able to adapt at least part of our course listings to an online platform. Language classes like French and Irish easily moved online. Watercolor, Pilates, and ‘80s Aerobics were more of a challenge for our instructors, but students loved being able to continue learning and connecting with their classmates from home. In this moment of extreme social isolation, our mission feels more important than ever. We are working hard to find new ways to facilitate connection between community members, even during quarantine.

It became clear early on in this crisis that our organization — like so many small and lean businesses in our community — would be hit hard. But with support from the community and an undying commitment to fulfill our mission in new ways, we will persevere. 

What would you like to learn this spring from your neighbors — all from the comfort of your own home? Check out www.mtairylearningtree.org for a growing list of online offerings, from cooking classes to computer literacy to painting and drawing and more. And, of course, we’d love your financial support; a donation of any size will help us keep our doors open after this global health crisis lifts.

We hope to see you online! And we wish you and your families health, comfort, and moments of joy and peace.