We wanted to highlight one of our HUB highlights in the Webster Neighborhood led by Nia Hodge-Grier.
1.In light of DRIVE, what is the vision for Another Level Training Academy in the Webster Neighborhood?
The vision for ALTA is to make lasting relationships in the community, creating spaces for the community to heal by taking ACE’s courses to relate to those who have been marginalized and not heard. ALTA desires to meet the community’s needs by showing members of the community how to leverage the gifts that they possess while allowing them to use their voice and stated needs. ALTA’s goal is to move the community from needing services to creating a vibrant ecosystem within the community they live. We hope that this will become a trend in the community for generations to come.
2.How is being a DRIVE HUB in the Webster neighborhood providing an opportunity to engage in your community in a more profound way?
Being a DRIVE HUB in Webster has challenged ALTA to take a more creative approach to reach residents. ALTA is learning new ways to leverage relationships and connect with organizations amid people hesitant because of COVID. ALTA is connecting with youth in the community through educational institutions to draw the seasoned members of the community to the table. ALTA is learning to lean into this work and allowing the community to lead with what they desire for the community they live.
3.How has ENP been of support to you and Another Level Training Academy?
ENP has been an enormous support to me by leading with transparency and letting me know that we are all learning as we go. In addition, ENP has been good about referring the information on additional training to help ALTA grow in the capacity it needs to serve the community further. I am very comfortable moving into the DRIVE initiative having the support from ENP to help us thrive internally and externally. I am confident that ALTA will continue to thrive with the support of ENP.
4.Up to this point, what is one thing you would like to highlight & share with others?
The Highlight of the DRIVE initiative is the effort being put forth to ensure that this initiative is diverse, inclusive, and practical.
Hub Leader, Nia Hodge-Grier.
Alexis KaluginHub Highlight: Another Level Training Academy
Join us for our Annual Fall in Love with Fresno Banquet on Thursday, September 23rd at 6:00pm at Arte Americas in Downtown Fresno. We would love to see you there!
Searching to make a difference this year? Read Fresno with ENP works to raise the reading and academic abilities of local elementary school students each year. Read Fresno is now recruiting qualified students for the 2021-22 academic year to serve as mentors. If you qualify, you could earn up to $15.00 per hour. Mentors work approximately 10-15 hours per week, based on work-study eligibility. In order to qualify for one of these openings, you must:
Be eligible for Financial Aid Work Study funds (the Financial Aid Office has already indicated to us if you are eligible!).
Have excellent oral and written English language skills.
Be interested in working with elementary-aged children.
Priority applications will be accepted online until Friday, June 25. Applicants selected to move forward will be contacted for a one-on-one interview via Zoom between Monday, June 28-Friday, July 16.
As summer approaches, we wanted to share free and low-cost summer resources and activities for kids from some of our partners.
Reading and Learning
ENP Literacy Mentoring
Trained and equipped Literacy Mentors meet one-on-one virtually with K-3rd grade students to help them with their foundational reading skills and sight words. Sign up using one of the links below:
School Libraries will be open to the public at all summer school locations. Find summer school sites HERE.
Sora App
Students in Fresno Unified School District can use the Sora App for online reading access
Fresno County Library
The Fresno County Library has free summer reading programs and activities for kids, teens, and adults. Click HERE for more information and a calendar of events.
High-quality digital tools for kids that are both educational and entertaining.
Free At-Home Learning Library
Share Wide Open School in English or Spanish with families to help them find activities.
Online Learning Sites
Really Great Reading’s Heart Word Magic – complimentary teaching tool designed to help students learn to read and spell high-frequency words, particularly those that aren’t very decodable. Show your students the animations, then try their fun, hands-on free Student Practice Activities
Starting the week of June 15th, the City of Fresno will be offering Free 3-day overnight camps. While they hope to open camp to current youth leaders, they are particularly interested in also opening to the most vulnerable. They are most eager to provide the opportunity to teens who perhaps would never have had a chance to experience an outdoor camp; or perhaps those who have made some bad choices in life and an outdoor experience like this might impact their lives positively. Complete the interest form below:
Fresno PARCS offers a variety of activities for kids. Some of these activities have a cost associated with them. To learn more and register, visit their website.
You can also visit their Facebook page for upcoming events and activities.
Martin Park VBS
Martin Park is hosting 7 weeks of VBS CAMP to reach kids with the Gospel!
They have partnered with Child Evangelism Fellowship, First Presbyterian, River Park Bible Church, Children’s Champion and The Well to facilitate a VBS CAMP for one week at a time.
VBS Camp will run from June 14th-July 30th on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, from 3pm-5pm. Dinner will be provided each night at 4:30 for children and volunteers!
On the 3rd week (June 28-July 2) they will take kids to VBS at River Park Bible Church.
On the 6th week (July 12-16) they will take kids to City Bible Adventure at First Presbyterian Church.
Each day the kids will participate in singing, lessons, craft and games.
Call 559-554-4319 to sign up!
Additional Websites
Activity Hero – Search this website for upcoming events for kids in Fresno
Fresno Summer Camps – List of summer camps in Fresno, costs associated with these camps
Central California Food Bank is here to help you get access to the food you need. To find a food distribution near you, utilize the daily calendar, enroll in CalFresh, or sign-up for a pick-up.
Food Locator – Find food distribution partners near you.
Food Distribution Calendar – Find Neighborhood Markets, Mobile Pantries, and USDA Commodities partners by date.
Groceries 2 Go – Schedule a pick-up appointment at our Groceries 2 Go location Monday – Friday (7am-4pm) or at one of our satellite locations near you (hours vary by location).
CalFresh – Their team can help you enroll in CalFresh.
Other
Webinar
Consider hosting a Summer Learning Program! Hear tips and plans from our partners by watching the webinar recording HERE.
College students have been a big part of our work for many years. Through serving with ENP, they are able to give back to our community, gain valuable experience, and put their studies into practice. Win all around! This year we especially relied on college students as they had the capacity and knowledge to support our online programming!
Huge applause to each one of these seniors who is graduating from Fresno State this weekend!
Here are some quotes from graduating seniors on what they learned from their exerience with ENP as a whole.
“I learned that students really enjoyed having someone to talk with and they cherished that 30 minutes. They looked forward to those days even if they didn’t always want to do their sight words…This really showed a resilience in the students and I actually got to learn from them not just them learning from me. This whole experience during a pandemic really put into perspective the importance of literacy mentors and the important work that ENP does by giving volunteers an opportunity to make a difference and see a difference in the students they work with.” – Angelica Torres
“I learned to take leadership in my mentoring skills and support students who need help on academia.” – Chong Hang
“I am learning how to communicate with younger kids and how to create curriculum that best supports their needs. I am also learning how to be comfortable with communicating with parents. I think this is really valuable for me because it prepares me to work with kids in my future profession!” – Gwyneth Quitorio
“As a whole through my experience I learned that for my future career I want to work with kids. I learned how to be patient with students and how to adjust to their learning to get them to being more engaged.” – Cyenna Garrett
Alejandra Lopez Andrea Rivera Maranon Chong Hang Coraima Godinez Stephanie Gonzales
Recreation Intern
Matthew De Leon
Health/Fitness Support
Alex Valdez Kathryn Orozco
Digital Literacy Aide:
Michelle Pinal
“It has been one of the most impactful and rewarding experiences of my life. Through this opportunity of teaching, I ended up learning a lot myself. This opportunity opened my eyes to a greater need in my community and now more than ever I want to dedicate my time and efforts to make as many positive impacts in my community as I can.” – Ashley Moreno
Every way that I would start this report could sound silly and trite. Let me just say that 2020 was radical. 2020 was a year of transition for ENP.
Moving from our founder, Artie Padilla to myself.
This year moved us into new spaces like food distributions and virtual engagement.
As a staff we have been focused on growing in our understanding of how Trauma affects the families in our neighborhoods AND how we become more resilient to the daily stress of poverty and all of its results.
This year as a team we had to put into play a lot of those strategies for ourselves and our organization.
I am proud to say that we have come through it. Here is our reflection on 2020. We are grateful for your support and belief in this work.
I know for some COVID has really be a slow season, but for ENP things have ramped up! We have pivoted and have learned new skills and competencies, but all centered our some of our core ways of being.
We connect others.
We support our churches and community to volunteer.
We share information that helps others.
As we wrap up January we wanted to give you an update of some of the events that we are a part of or some resources that have been shared with us.
Thank you so much for your support in this new year. Your support means the world to us! If you want to give financial you can give online today!
If I can help you or connect with you please let me know!
Andrew Feil Executive Director, Every Neighborhood Partnership
UPCOMING EVENTS
JANUARY
DISCOVER FRESNO – Sat, Jan 30th
Our local community and churches have been faced with many challenges in 2020 including the Creek Fire, COVID-19, and racial tension. In these difficult times, God is still using the people of Jesus to engage the gospel and meet the needs of others in tough places.
Join us online for an in-depth look into four local communities and hear how the gospel is working in and through the lives of the people there.
Early 2020 Reading Heart and ENP were gifted with over 170 Fresno Bee Newspaper Boxes.
With your help, we have begun the process of beautifying and installing them across Fresno County. We have already placed or donated over 50 book boxes and want to continue this work.
Bid on a box to be housed at your desired location. Every box purchased will be stocked with books.
The proceeds from this auction will help continue this work because we believe a good book should always be within reach.
ENP is continuing Food Distributions at FUSD school sites in partnership with the Central California Food Bank, Fresno Unified School District, and many churches and community volunteers!
If you would like to volunteer at a food distribution, visit Serve Fresno to sign up.
DIGITAL LITERACY CLASS – FEB 8TH
One of the issues that has become very clear during this COVID pandemic is that not everyone has the say level of Digital Literacy or Education. As we have helped over 100 kids be matched with mentors we have recognized that many of our church and community members would like more training. ENP is hosting a class starting February 8th.
If you would like to sign up please text Digital Literacy or Alfabetización Digital to 559-423-0624.
RACIAL JUSTICE CONVO – FEB 17
ENP has committed to bringing an UNDIVIDED course to Fresno in February.
UNDIVIDED is a six-session journey designed to help individuals grow within the context of a diverse group setting. Our program follows our 6R’s (Redeem, Relationship, Reality, Repentance, Reconciliation, & Reignite) to spark conversations that are catalysts for the kind of growth that bridges racial divides.
If you are interested in being one of the key leaders to go through it, sign up here.
Do you have a passion for kids and love of reading (and a computer)? We have many kids waiting for your support! Meet virtually with an early reader one-on-one for about an hour a week from the comfort of your home.
Learning Hubs
Did you know lots of our kids come from homes where remote learning is almost impossible? In response to the need, churches and businesses throughout Fresno have committed to providing a safe place and good wifi connection for kids to complete their virtual school day from. They need volunteers who can help weekly for at least a 3 hour block. This would require you to be onsite at a location and adhere to all COVID safety policies.
Three Neighborhood Fitness Instructors are currently being trained to become Promotoras, also known as Community Health Workers. These Community Health Workers will serve as liaisons between health educators, communities, social services, and other healthcare professionals. To put what they are learning in action and support the community, they are kicking off a weekly Women’s Support Group on Fridays. If you or someone you know would like to join email jennifer@everyneighborhood.org.
INFORMATION TO SHARE
Fresno County Food Map
Looking to point people to food distributions around you? Or looking for food yourself? Thanks to Bitwise Inc and Shift3 Technologies and the COVID-19 Fresno County Food Group we built a map that has every food distribution in Fresno County that we know of on it. This is an INCREDIBLE resource. You can also embed it on your org/church website! Visit fresnocountyfood.org
CBO CALL – Bi-Weekly
If you want a bi-weekly dose of COVID-19 Health Updates and to learn about the latest topics that are affecting Fresno County join the Fresno County CBO Call.
For the last several years churches throughout Fresno/Clovis have started the year with a season of prayer and fasting. This year we are going virtual. Find a night of the week that works for you and let’s partner across our city to pray that God would give us a vision and a heart to love and serve others.
Fresno Clovis Pastors Cluster 21 Days of Praying and Fasting
God Heal our Land • 2021
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
Weekdays 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm • Weekends 5.00 pm to 5:30 pm
