Rebuilding & Renewing Community Life, Spiritually
Beginning the first and second weeks of November our tutoring programs began. Collaborating with Goode Elementary School these churches included:
Asbury UMC 14 4th graders Tuesdays 6:30-7:40 pm
Grace UMC 12 3rd graders Mondays 7:00-8:15 pm
First Presbyterian Church 5 2nd graders Thursdays 6:30-7:40 pm
The evenings include transportation, snacks, emphasis on reading with homework help as needed. Martin Memorial Library has supplied books at the reading levels needed. Volunteers serve as snack preparers, tutors, librarians, drivers, and substitute tutors.
In two churches Secret Pals have been recruited to send an encouraging note to the students at least once a month. They will meet the students at the end of the year party in April.
Rebuilding & Renewing Community Life, Economically
Mildred Roland and Minnie Green from Friendship Baptist and Beth Myers, Kim Hackett, and Dave and Linda Meanor from Asbury UMC have begun work on our second plan. We are preparing evening workshops (6-8 weeks) to help adult residents (18+) become more employable. Included will be job search skills, resume writing, interview strategies, computer skills, employment aptitude inventory and identifying resources or additional training opportunities.
After meeting with representatives from Community Progress Council and Career Link it was determined that many residents in our Shalom Zone are not using these resources. Some work at low paying jobs but make just over the earning limit to go to CPC or they are not able to go during the day. Career Link is outside the city limits and either distance or attitudes keep our residents away. We are currently receiving “New Job Orders” each week from CL. We have also contacted Dress for Success and now are “referring agents” for any women with whom we work who are going for interviews or secure jobs. DFS will give them complete outfits that suit the type of work they secure. God has also placed men’s clothing in our laps from the Men’s Wearhouse in East York—currently stored at Asbury.
The next step is developing the training which will begin on Dec. 6 or 8. (Anyone interested in helping with this part—please contact me.)
We hope to begin the workshops in March, 2012.
Empowering Health, Wholeness and Healing
Audra Johns and Marilou Yingling are taking the lead in this area. We will sponsor an annual Health Fair providing information and/or screenings related to overall health, visual and dental health, nutrition and physical fitness. Asbury UMC interior and exterior areas will be used. Most of the work for this area will begin in June/July as the Health Fair is scheduled for Saturday, September 22, 2012.
Strengthening Multicultural Relationships
We will join the Northeast Neighborhood Block Party with intentional recognition and celebration of diversity in August, 2012. We plan to provide opportunities to work towards removing prejudices and developing tolerance, valuation, and celebration of differences through sharing cultural richness in food, art, music, etc. Faith communities, businesses, cultural and ethnic groups, city officials, community residents, etc. will collaborate to make this happen. Work will begin in March, 2012 with Chrystal Sexton-McEachin and Sarah Yanda coordinating.
