After talking to Alistair’s secretary, they were able to set a schedule after 3 days.
Currently, Mayor Alistair has a foundation, but it is just small. That was why he planned to expand it further and add even more benefits, hence the proposal he sent to Gray.
Now that three days have passed, he and Mara are currently in Daniel’s car. They were on the way to the location that the secretary had informed them of.
They passed by countless high-rise buildings on the way. After a few more minutes in the car, their view changed from modern buildings to more homey community centers. After a while, the car stopped.
Mara pointed out the window. "I guess it’s that?"
She pointed out a medium-sized building. The building didn’t look like a foundation at all. In fact, it looked more like an old community center that had been refurbished.
There was a small banner that was hanging by the entrance with the foundation’s name. The paint on the walls looked newly retouched, yet the structure itself clearly looked old.
Gray stepped out of the car and looked around, taking note of the sight he was seeing.
"It looks small," he murmured.
"Small doesn’t always mean bad," Mara replied from the side.
The two looked at each other before walking to the entrance. Before they could even knock, the front door opened already.
A woman in her late thirties stepped out with a warm smile on her face. She wore a polo with the foundation logo embroidered on it on the chest.
"Hello, are you Mr. Adams?" the woman asked kindly.
"Yes," Gray nodded in response. "I came here with my secretary."
"Oh! Welcome! I’m Lita, the site coordinator of this foundation. The mayor’s office told us you’d be coming. Please come in." The woman was delighted to hear it. She quickly stepped back and enthusiastically gestured her hand inside.
Gray and Mara smiled at the woman before following her inside. When they stepped in, they immediately noticed the difference from the outside.
Compared to outside, the interior was modest and clean. Bright posters decorated the walls. There were nutrition charts, school schedules, and drawings done by kids. There was also a small reception table set to the side with stacks of paperwork neatly arranged.
"Sorry if it isn’t fancy," Lita muttered, followed by a short, embarrassed laugh. "We rebuilt most of this ourselves. Volunteers helped repaint the area, and the parents around the area also donated some of the furniture."
"It’s fine," Gray answered. His voice came out lower than usual. Something about the place reminded him of old centers he and Lily used to visit when they were younger.
Lita gestured for them to follow her.
"Let me show you our small classrooms first. We used them to teach kids; they also act as their little library and playground."
They walked down a short hallway. On the left, a door was slightly open. Inside, Gray saw around ten kids sitting at long tables, working on worksheets while a young volunteer guided them.
Most of the kids looked between six and ten years old. They were wearing simple clothes, and some looked noticeably old.
When the kids noticed them, a few waved shyly. Gray blinked, unsure how to react at first, but then he raised a hand back and waved back at them.
"Some of them already go to the nearby local school. Many of them don’t have any parents already. Some were orphaned at a young age, while there are a few whose parents died early." Lita explained.
"Now, this is their home. We provide food, basic needs, and their education."
"Can I ask, where do you get their food?" Mara asked.
"For their breakfast, we have a small partnership with a local bakery. For the rest of their meals, the mayor’s office provides the money for it. We buy at local groceries, but there are times that it’s really not enough, so we ration as best as we can." Lita gave a sheepish smile. "We make do."
They continued the tour after that. On the way, Gray and Mara saw more kids running around. Some would stop and glance at them when they saw them walking.
They arrived at another room at the end of the hall. Lita opened the door and stepped aside so they could look in.
"This is our infirmary," she said quietly.
It was small. There were two beds, a metal cabinet filled with basic medicine, and a desk where a nurse volunteer seemed to be organizing supplies. When she saw them, she stood and greeted them politely.
Gray looked at the space without saying anything. The beds looked well-kept, but old. The cabinet was almost empty. There were only a few boxes of bandages and basic medicine left.
"We try our best to get donations for medical supplies," Lita explained as she led them out again. "But sometimes, we just run out and have to wait for the next batch."
They continued walking until they reached the back area. The sound of kids laughing filled the air. A small playground sat there, clearly used but cleaned and repaired. There were old swings, a slide, and a tiny shed that served as their playroom whenever the weather was bad.
A group of kids was playing under the afternoon sun. When they noticed the visitors, a few slowed down with curiosity. One little girl, around five years old, peeked from behind the slide and stared at Gray with wide eyes.
The little girl’s dress was already faded. Her small hands were dirty from playing, and her hair was tied into uneven pigtails. When she realized Gray was looking back at her, she quickly hid behind the slide again.
Mara let out a quiet laugh. "She’s shy."
"They all are at first. But once they get used to someone, they stick to them like glue." Lita smiled warmly.
Gray’s heart slightly warmed at that. For a few minutes, he just watched the kids run around.
"We also do some activities here," Lita continued. "We teach them how to read, help with homework, and sometimes we do art days. The mayor wants to expand all these, which is why he’s proposing a better foundation with bigger funding."