Community Outreach

. . . not to BE served, BUT TO SERVE

March 31, 2015 andrewfeil Community Outreach, Partnership Spotlight

More than 150 projects took place during Serve Fresno Week, with 40+ churches participating. There were 11 park clean-ups, 6 school beautification projects, and 1000’s of hours of raking, shoveling, cleaning, beautifying, painting, blessing, playing, crafting, tutoring, bike fixing, advocating and encouraging!

Projects blessed many non-profit organizations, including Poverello House, Youth for Christ, Rescue the Children, Campus Life, Spirit of Woman, Community Food Bank and Marjaree Mason Center. The data is truly impressive, but it’s the stories that share impact!

In the Sequoia Neighborhood, two projects were coordinated by Clovis Hills in coordination with the principal and vice principal at Sequoia Middle School. They invited students, parents and staff to join them for an alley clean-up project on Thursday and a campus beautification on Saturday.

The relationship that has been built over the years between Clovis Hills and Sequoia is a true partnership, evident by the church’s presence neighborhood throughout the year. They are seeing the value of including students, staff and families. We will enjoy watching this partnership (and these relationships) continue to grow.

At the Lafayette Park Clean-up Project, folks from two different churches were there sweeping, raking and cleaning up this beautiful park. A little boy came by and asked what they were doing. One of the volunteers told him, “Some friends from my church and Pastor Oputa’s church are cleaning up the park tonight. The little boy then asked, “Can I help?”

“Of course you can!” they said. Then he worked alongside volunteers until the project was done. He knows Pastor Oputa from Saturday Sports which takes place at Lafayette Park twice a month. He also now has a glimpse of other ways The Church serves and loves his neighborhood . . . and he wants to be a part.

GREAT STORIES FROM ACROSS THE CITY
A life group from The Well helped organize a celebration with a small church in Sanger for for kids in this farming neighborhood. It was a huge success! When the volunteers found out the church struggles to do this event every month, they decided that together their life group would take it on as a monthly project.
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At the 4141 Ministries project, a couple Fresno State volunteers signed up to serve. One of the girls, now a freshman at Fresno State, (not so many years ago) faithfully attended one of the first Saturday Sports Programs in Fresno. She grew up seeing The Church love and serve her neighborhood and in the process a strong relationship was built with her family. Now she is finding ways to follow that example of service and giving back to her city.

In serving we are not simply doing something that needs to be done, and not just so we can check “serving” off our to-do list. In the process of serving, we learn more about our city and the people we would not get the chance to know if we didn’t spend time in their neighborhood. We are hearing the stories and learning about needs of the people, organizations that are serving and the opportunities we have to walk alongside them, support and encouragement them.

LIVES ARE BEING IMPACTED
It was an amazing week to watch THE CHURCH united in serving Fresno (and beyond!) It also brought a lot of folks from our churches outside the walls of buildings, into the heart of our city and into the lives of the people.

In serving, we are setting an example for our children, for the Church, and our city. We may never see the full impact, but in the process of serving He brings people into our lives; and while we think we were there to make a difference in THEIR neighborhood, He often uses the opportunity to make in impact in OUR hearts!

It is the Mission of ENP to help churches partner with elementary schools and neighborhoods in our city, with a vision of seeing the Church deeply engaged and invested, not for just a week, but throughout the year. It is the goal of ENP to see a church partnering with every neighborhood in our city, to see our schools supported and blessed as they teach OUR kids. Ultimate goal: healthy families and a thriving city! During Serve Fresno Week it felt like THE CHURCH made a giant step toward that goal!

*SERVE FRESNO is a movement of churches united in serving the city as the body of Christ . . . not just for a week, but throughout the year! This movement WILL continue and we look forward to watching it it grow.

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“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

*Check out the Serve Fresno Week highlight video on the home page.

Clovis Hills Hosts World Changers

July 16, 2014 andrewfeil Community Outreach

Over 150 kids and leaders from various churches throughout the states came to Fresno last week on a mission to serve and love our Southwest Fresno neighborhood.

These young people were a part of World Changers, an organization that “seeks to provide Christian youth and adults with opportunities to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others through practical learning experiences that teach servanthood and personal commitment to missions”. Clovis Hills did an amazing job organizing and coordinating this weeklong event. (A HUGE “high-five” to Michelle Pellerin!)

The teams stayed at Fresno Rescue Mission at night and spent their days working in SWFresno. This gave them an up-close look at the needs in our city and opportunities to make a difference through their service. Six local churches provided lunch each day for the teams while they were on the job sites. It was truly a team effort! (See the list below of all the churches, businesses and organizations that came together to make this week possible.)

Projects included repainting and beautifying homes, a neighborhood church, a local business, an elementary school, and a community center. In 100+ degree weather, teams worked daily from Tuesday through Friday. Those who came from Arizona had no complaints about the heat, however the team from Washington State struggled a bit more and probably applied more sun block during their week in Fresno than in their entire lifetime!

On Almy and Roy Avenues a total of 5 homes were blessed (as were the families that lived there). Houses received a fresh coat of paint, yards were cleaned and clutter removed into trash bins donated by Allied Waste and Southwest Waste. Each home had a team of 15-20 members working to complete the project. It’s amazing how cleaning up a few houses in the neighborhood inspires other residents to make some changes!

At the southeast corner of Fig and North Avenues both the church and the convenience store were painted.

At West Fresno Elementary, teams focused on repainting the cafeteria. The staff break room was cleaned and kids also spent time on the campus, picking up debris and trash. But it didn’t stop there! The speed bumps in the parking lot received a bight yellow coat of paint, fire zones were repainted a shiny red, and the curbs and poles at the front of the school were repainted creating a fun and colorful entrance.

On the other side of the elementary school is the middle school. The lower 6-feet of the gymnasium received a fresh coat of dark green paint to cover scuff marks and graffiti. Several teams worked together throughout the week to complete this large project.

At Mary Ella Brown Community Center, teams worked together to clean up the community garden, and adding more planter boxes including some that are wheelchair accessible. On the inside, the center received new floor giving it a modern updated look!

When the week ended, everyone looked back at the huge amount of work that was accomplished, but even more impactful were the relationships that were made, the residents who were blessed and a SW Fresno neighborhood that looks just a little bit brighter.

Did they change the world? Maybe not quite yet, but if you ask Mona (one of the homeowners pictured below), we’re pretty sure she will tell you that this team of amazing young people that spent the week working at her home truly changed her world last week! And for these young people, their world got just a little bit bigger and they no doubt went home with a part of their heart that will always find ways to serve others. That’s kind of the point of it all!

Just imagine if we all served and loved our city the way these kids did last week! . . . maybe together, WE could change the world!

Let’s start small!

How about we just start with FRESNO!

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THANKS WORLD CHANGERS!

. . . and thanks to the following churches, businesses and organizations who helped make this week so amazing:

Allied Waste, Cargill, Clovis Hills, Cornelia Baptist Church, Cravings, Fresno Rescue Mission, Darling Industries, Fresno Grizzlies, Habitat for Humanity, Lifeway Baptist Church, Lowe’s, Mary Ella Brown Community Center, New Hope Community Church, Soma Christian Church, SouthWest Waste, United One Productions, Wawona Frozen Foods and Woodward Park Baptist Church

Many Serve Together at Olmos

May 19, 2014 andrewfeil Community Outreach, Partnership Spotlight, Saturday Sports

When Pastor Du’Chene came up with the idea for a serve day at Olmos Elementary, he probably had no idea that such a variety of groups would come together to serve!

On the morning of Saturday, May 17th this team cleaned up the streets around the campus, an empty lot across the street, as well as the school campus itself. Then they planted 4 flats of flowers around the school. Not only were there volunteers from Pastor Du Chene’s church (Faith Worship Christian Center), there were also students from Olmos, Sunnyside High School as well as a group from Cal Poly who were in Fresno with F.I.F.U.L. for 24 hours learning about urban ministry.

As they were preparing lunch for everyone, a parent who was dropping his kids off at Saturday Sports asked what was going on. They told him they were having a Serve Day and asked if he wanted to join them. He EAGERLY joined in and was a HUGE asset to the day.

Key Word: ASSET! Every neighborhood has assets. Sometimes it just takes an event like this to begin discovering them, and the potential when they work together and focus on an opportunity for change and growth. So many came together on this day:

Olmos students were serving at their own school.

Parents were involved not only in this serve day, but have been “the force” that started the Saturday Sports Program at Olmos.

Principal Tharpe has been such an encouragement! She is a part of everything that goes on at Olmos and a visible presence even on the weekends.

The church, Faith Worship Christian Center, that holds services each Sunday at Olmos, now calls this school “home”, which makes them more deeply invested in the neighborhood.

Students from Sunnyside High school served Saturday at Olmos – a school that feeds into their school. This gave them opportunity to talk to the Olmos kids about high school.

Students from Cal Poly came to serve and were able to talk to the Olmos and Sunnyside students about the value of a their college education.

It was a GREAT DAY in the Olmos Neighborhood and Pastor Du’Chene feels very blessed to be connected to this school and neighborhood. It’s a partnership that has potential to grow even more!

It’s a neighborhood where many assets are being discovered. That makes us smile!

Beautifying School Campuses

April 30, 2014 andrewfeil Community Outreach, Partnership Spotlight

During the past several weeks, five elementary school campuses have been beautified by a variety of groups from partnership churches as well as families and students from the schools. Centennial, Columbia, Ewing, Williams and Susan B Anthony all received a splash of color with bright, cheery flowers in the flowerbeds and a lot of people had the opportunity to get their hands a little dirty making our schools and neighborhoods look more beautiful.

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During spring break week, jr high and high school students planted flowers and raked leaves at Williams Elementary. (This was one of several projects they worked on in Fresno that week.

For a Serve Dei project two groups of volunteers from The Well beautified the campuses of Columbia Elementary and Centennial Elementary. At Columbia, volunteers also planted 8 trees, cleaned and sanitized the playground equipment and donated portable bleachers. The principal from Columbia said she feels “so loved” by The Church because of all the engagement she receives at her school.

Leadership students at Susan B Anthony teamed up with volunteers from their partnership church to plant flowers in the atrium. Some of the kids had never planted a plant in the ground before! It was a great experience for them. They loved hearing the great comments and thanks you’s from the staff and fellow students.

At Ewing Elementary this past weekend it was parents and students from the school that volunteered, along with the principal and a few staff member. They planted 6 flats of flowers on their campus and were excited to see how nice the campus looked when they were done. They decided to plan another workday together in August with more projects on the campus.

We love to see volunteers from partnership churches investing in our neighborhoods, but it’s even more exciting to see families and students from the schools beautifying their own neighborhoods. Seeing the feelings of pride and ownership on their faces is priceless!

This is a great progression! We see volunteers from our partnership churches coming alongside the schools, neighborhoods and families, and working together to make our neighborhoods not only more beautiful, but a better place to live.

What’s the next project we can work on together?

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Special thanks to Gazebo Gardens who has been a great resource for beautifying our schools! Thank you for being such an awesome community partner!

Organizations add EXTRA dose of FUN!

March 26, 2014 andrewfeil Community Outreach, Saturday Sports

On any given week-end there are as many as twenty-five Saturday Sports Programs going on in Fresno. On Saturday mornings you can see kids wandering toward elementary school campuses anticipating fun activities with encouraging volunteers. Partnerships run the programs and do an amazing job consistently investing in the children and families in our Fresno neighborhoods.

Over the past year we have seen an increase in the number of organizations who have asked how they can be involved. ENP and our partnership leaders are encouraged and blessed by the ENERGY these groups bring to Saturday Sports and various events in our neighborhoods!

Here is an overview of a few of the groups we have enjoyed seeing this past month:

AT OLMOS SATURDAY SPORTS – Fresno State SNDA members (Student Nutrition Dietetic Association) students brought some fun and educational activities for the kids to enjoy.

The Fresno Pacific Water Polo team joined in the fun with more that 25 volunteers who engaged the children in basketball, football, arts and crafts.

WOLTERS NEIGHBORHOOD – (El Dorado Park) Fresno State volunteers beautified the neighborhood and made Saturday Sports extra special with breakfast, face painting, water balloons, and and EXTRA dose of FUN. Volunteers also painted a mural, organized a food distribution, worked on a beautification project at an apartment complex and the neighborhood resource center.

KIRK SATURDAY SPORTS – Volunteers from Junior League spent the day at Kirk Elementary Saturday Sports, bringing with them an assortment of crafts, activities (and yummy snacks) for the kids to enjoy! All the kids are hoping they come back again VERY SOON!

The kids love it when new volunteers come to Saturday Sports, and volunteers feel very much appreciated. It doesn’t take much to add an extra dose of fun to something they already love!

A CONVOY of HOPE

January 6, 2014 andrewfeil Community Outreach

A Convoy of Hope invaded the Fresno Fairgrounds at the end of November! Hearts of compassion, grace and love were evident in the 2000+ volunteers that spent the day serving meals, giving haircuts, fitting people with shoes, taking family portraits and sharing valuable information with more that 6000 guests who were welcomed, served, prayed for and loved that day; and those are just a few of the things that took place at Convoy! Health & Dental Services were also provided, flu shots were given and resumes were prepared. It was HUGE!

The follow through started as people had their groceries carried to their cars and new doors are being opened as the Convoy team now engages in connecting people with churches, small groups, organizations, etc. At the end of the outreach, before Saturday was through, impassioned Convoy volunteers took some of the leftover prepared meals to folks in need in downtown Fresno, feeding them, engaging them, continuing the Day of Hope and extending it beyond the Fairgrounds. Guests that responded “yes” to offers of connection to a local church are being followed up with follow phone calls and conversations.

People are being connected, resumes are being submitted, transportation is being arranged back to churches through bus tokens, and workshops are being planned with much more to come. It was an impactful day, but it’s not just about ONE day! The doors are open now for many to continue to build upon the connections made.

Lowell Moms Giving Back

November 24, 2013 andrewfeil Community Outreach

“Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” I Peter 4:9-10

The moms at Lowell Elementary were eager to show their gratitude to the teachers for the time and energy they pour into kids on a daily basis. Many of the mothers at Lowell, however, are not able to communicate effectively in English. But they found a way they could give back and bless the teachers in a meanginful way!

Food is nourishment to both the body and soul! Food connects people! These moms sent a strong message of thankfulness through their loving act of service. The meal was fabulous! The teachers LOVED it! The moms felt blessed by the opportunity to serve and now recognize that their cooking skills are a gift that can be used to bless others . . . this week it was the teachers that teach THEIR children who were on the receiving end!

It’s exciting to watch these ladies use their gifts to be a blessing to their neighborhood!

– Ariana Martinez

Heart + Vision = IMPACT

November 4, 2013 andrewfeil Community Outreach, Economic Development

The relationship began a few years ago when a group of people from The Well Community Church were challenged to “be the church” and find creative ways to serve our city. Rather than choosing from a bunch of planned service opportunities, folks were challenged to look around and find impactful ways to reach out. Jerry DiBuduo’s life group got together with some others and decided to pick 5 Boys & Girls Clubs in Fresno and take 15 kids from each club to a Fresno Grizzley’s game. Twenty-five chaperones and seventy-five kids – they had a fantastic time!

That started it all! They really connected with the kids that day and from that point, decided to “adopt” the Pinedale Boys & Girls Club. Once the relationships were formed with those kids and their families, other needs were discovered and this group was committed to do what they could do to bless this community. “For YEARS”, they said, “we had all written checks to various causes, but rarely shared our TIME!” WHAT an impact! Not only in the lives of the kids, but the volunteers as well.

Last year they decided to take on a bigger project and transform the alley behind the Pinedale Boys & Girls Club into greenspace, with a raised bed garden area and a shaded patio, greatly expanding the usable space for the kids in the neighborhood. It was a huge project that involved hundreds of people and thousands of dollars. It is beautiful!

A few weeks ago they hosted a Farmers Market with 40 volunteers and 2000 pounds of quality produce provided by several generous farmers. The produce was sold to families at significantly reduced prices, providing healthier foods for the families. The proceeds benefited the Boys and Girls Club as well as “Off the Front” who repaired 50 bicycles that day. HUGE IMPACT!

Who knows what they will think of next, but there is no doubt that they will continue to reach out with their hands and hearts with a vision to see Pinedale become a healthy and thriving community.

Heart + Vision + The Gift of Time = HUGE IMPACT!

The Church in Action

August 26, 2013 andrewfeil Community Outreach

Magnolia McClain is an 82 year old resident that lives in southeast Fresno. A few months ago she noticed that the floor of her bathroom was creaking a lot when she would walk in there. Over time the sound became louder and louder and the floor became softer and softer. She suspected that there may be a water leak somewhere in the bathroom. So she told one of her kids.

When some folks from Saint Rest’s Baptist heard of her plight, they wanted to step in and help. They called ENP to see if we could assist in doing an initial assessment of the work that needed to be done. We found a contractor that was willing to help Saint Rest’s with guidance and with the help of some retired gentlemen from the church they were able to re-floor the bathroom and put in a new toilet.

What a joy it is to see the Church in action – being a blessing to our residents, young and . . . not so young!!

Lawless Neighborhood Outreach

July 31, 2013 andrewfeil Community Outreach

Northpointe, The River, Mt. ZIon and Life Bridge churches, along with over 20 service organizations joined forces for another amazing Neighborhood Block Party at Toby Lawless School this past weekend. Activities included games for the kids, food, live music, and drawings throughout the day with a couple kids going home with new bikes! Everyone seemed to enjoy the activities AGAIN this year and the weather was beautiful! To top off the day, community Food Bank handed out bags of produce to the families as they left for home.

Thanks to everyone who made this day memorable and fun for the whole neighborhood!

This video tells the whole story even better than words! ENJOY!