Neighborhood Ministries Inc

TO BE THE PRESENCE OF JESUS CHRIST, SHARING HIS LIFE-TRANSFORMING HOPE, LOVE, AND POWER AMONG DISTRESSED FAMILIES OF URBAN PHEONIX TO IGNITE THEIR PASSION FOR GOD AND HIS KINGDOM.

NUEVA ESPERANZA PROGRAM: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT, CHILDREN COMING OVER THE BORDER UNACCOMPANIED ARE RECEIVED WITH ARMS OUTSTRETCHED WITH LOVE, MEETING THE BASIC NEEDS OF FOOD AND CLOTHING, SAFETY, EDUCATION, HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL SERVICES THROUGH A DAY CENTER AT NEIGHBORHOOD MINISTRIES, HOME CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THIS PROGRAM UTILIZED AZ LICENSED FOSTER HOMES FOR SHORT TERM CARE FOR THE CHILDREN.

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS: THE FOOD BANK IS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND IS OPEN ONCE A WEEK ON FRIDAY MORNINGS. THE FOOD BANK SERVES APPROXIMATELY 40 FAMILIES EACH WEEK. FAMILIES QUALIFY FOR CLOTHING DISTRIBUTION ONCE PER MONTH AND A FOOD BOX EVERY NINETY DAYS, AND EMERGENCY DISTRIBUTION IS AVAILABLE BASED ON NEED. THE FOOD BANK IS SUPPLIED BY VOLUNTEER DONATIONS AND SEVERAL CHURCHES AROUND THE PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA. DISTRESSED FAMILIES PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS SUCH AS ASSISTANCE WITH UTILITY BILLS, PHONE BILLS AND RENT. THIS PROGRAM WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SCALED BACK DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING, HOWEVER IT STILL PROVIDES SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES WHO SUFFER AN UNEXPECTED, NONRECURRING FINANCIAL SETBACK THAT MAY IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOME OR REMAIN EMPLOYED.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS: KIDS LIFE IS A WEEKLY YOUTH GROUP DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR KINDERGARTENERS THROUGH 7TH GRADERS, SERVING APPROXIMATELY 450 CHILDREN. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION FOR CHILDREN FROM WITHIN A 100 SQUARE MILE AREA FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO STAY CONNECTED WITH THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES BIBLE CLASS TIME WITH A SMALL GROUP LEADER, TIME FOR SINGING AND WORSHIP, AND ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SOCCER, CRAFTS, METAL AND WOOD SHOP, CHOIR, DANCE, BASKETBALL, AND DRAMA. KIDS CAMP IS A ONE-WEEK CAMP FOR 65 4TH 6TH GRADERS AT MOUNTAIN MEADOWS CAMP NEAR PAYSON, AZ. THE GOAL OF THE CAMP IS FUN, SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, AND STRENGTHENING BONDS WITH LEADERS BEFORE THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS AND THE CHILDREN PROGRESS ANOTHER GRADE. KIDS CLUB IS A TWO WEEK SUMMER DAY CAMP FOR 500 KINDERGARTENERS THROUGH 6TH GRADE. OVER 80 YOUTH WORKERS PROVIDE LEADERSHIP FOR THE CAMP. YOUTH WORKERS ARE A MIX OF YOUTHS FROM URBAN AND SUBURBAN BACKGROUNDS. THE MORNING SESSION BEGINS WITH SINGING, SKITS AND CLASSROOM TIME WITH A BIBLICAL BASED CURRICULUM, AND THE AFTERNOON SESSION CONSISTS OF FIELDTRIPS AND FUN ACTIVITIES. VOLUNTEERS AND CHURCHES FROM AROUND PHOENIX PREPARE THE CRAFTS AND SNACKS FOR THE CHILDREN. SENIOR HIGH INCLUDES A WEEKLY YOUTH GROUP DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR COMBINED WITH VARIOUS CAMPING AND RETREAT OPPORTUNITIES. THE WEEKLY YOUTH GROUP INCLUDES SMALL GROUP BIBLICAL INSTRUCTION AND DISCUSSION COMBINED WITH FUN ACTIVITIES. MANY OF THE YOUNG DEVELOPING LEADERS ARE GIVING BACK IN THE YOUTH GROUPS FOR THE YOUNGER AGES. BARRIO WORKS IS A HANDS-ON WORKSHOP DESIGNED TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUTH TO DISCOVER AND DEVELOP THEIR TRADE SKILLS THAT WILL BE VALUABLE FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT. THE WORKSHOP IS MULTIUSE INCLUDING A BIKE SHOP, WOOD WORKING AND METAL WORKING. THE GOALS FOR BARRIO WORKS INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY WORK HABITS, TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY FATHERS AND FATHER FIGURES TO PARTICIPATE IN SHOP ACTIVITIES WITH THEIR CHILDREN, TO TEACH SUCCESSFUL MICROENTERPRISE SKILLS, TO DEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES FOR OLDER YOUTH TO SERVE YOUNGER YOUTH AND TO HELP THE YOUTH GROW IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. SOCIAL JUSTICE IS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. IT WAS DEVELOPED AS A WAY TO TEACH OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AGE YOUTH THE POWER OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. AS THEY DISCOVERED THAT MANY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WERE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE, THEY BEGAN A LARGESCALE, NONPARTISAN EFFORT TO GET PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND THEN ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACTUALLY VOTE. THEY WERE ALSO VERY INVOLVED IN THE SUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO MOVE A PROPOSED LIGHT RAIL LINE FROM A HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL STREET TO A MORE SUITABLE COMMERCIAL STREET TWO BLOCKS AWAY. THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EDUCATE VOTERS AND TO COMMUNICATE WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS ON ISSUES AFFECTING THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.