Serving Our Schools

Our Children’s Ability to Read Now Will Have a Lifelong and City-wide Impact

May 8, 2023 Ashley Goldsmith Campus Presence, Literacy, Parent Engagement, Serving Our Schools

In third grade, Sam reads stories about farm animals, giant peaches, and magical dragons. About 75% of his peers struggle to read at third grade level.

In sixth grade, Sam is a little taller and strong enough to lug around a backpack full of books he will pour over for his history project on Ancient Civilizations. This year, several of his former classmates don’t pass the history class because they’re unable to comprehend the assigned reading making up 85% of their curriculum.

In twelfth grade, Sam tours colleges, sifts through complex financial aid documents, and writes application essays. About 1 in 6 of his friends who weren’t reading at grade level in third grade have dropped out of high school.

Children’s ability to read has profound implications for their lives and their engagement with their community.

The Power of Tutoring: ENP’s Impact on FUSD

May 3, 2023 Grace Berg ENP News, Literacy, Serving Our Schools

GO Public Schools Fresno has released their 3rd and final report, titled Are The Kids Alright? In this report, they document academic achievement, equity and inequity, behavioral health, and how we move forward as a city for our kids.

Every Neighborhood Partnership is proud of to be highlighted in the report as a crucial and vital part of student’s academic and behavioral health recovery from COVID-19.

“Every Neighborhood Partnership has seen consistent growth with students who participate in their literacy tutoring [programs]….There is a clear benefit to enrolling students in this type of program.”

GO Public Schools Fresno

Read the rest of the report to hear a comprehensive understanding of the current state of Fresno schools in 2023.

Are the Kids Alright?

Why Every School in Fresno Needs a Garden

April 24, 2023 Ashley Goldsmith Campus Presence, ENP News, Parent Engagement, Serving Our Schools

Fresno community members were ranked the 3rd most food insecure in the United States according to a 2018 report from the Food Research & Action Center. Many families in Southwest Fresno live in “food deserts,” meaning there is no ready access to affordable, healthy food. A lack of access to and education about healthy, readily-available food contributes to significant and detrimental health effects such as obesity, diabetes, asthma, and autoimmune disorders.

Children are among the most vulnerable community members, and limited access to nutritious foods and education about healthy living make them more susceptible to poor health conditions.

A more hopeful reality is playing out on a sunny afternoon at Kepler Neighborhood School, where nine first-graders sit on the edge of their very own school garden boxes, giggling as they chomp on home-grown celery.

To address food disparity and support children in our city’s areas of highest need, Every Neighborhood Partnership is partnering with King Elementary and Kepler Neighborhood School to design and implement a pilot Edible School Garden project. ENP is working to expand the program to include a garden at every one of our after-school program sites by next school year!

Youth Digital Access and Literacy Survey Results

March 10, 2023 Gabrielle Piceno Neighborhood Presence, Partnership Spotlight, Serving Our Schools

The memo below was released by the Fresno Coalition for Digital Inclusion, of which Every Neighborhood Partnership is a member.

Data for Your Neighborhood

January 13, 2023 Gabrielle Piceno Equipping, Serving Our Neighborhoods, Serving Our Schools

At ENP, we get excited about maps and data. We believe that in order to love your neighbors and your neighborhood, you have to know them. This includes data that tells a bigger story of the trends of each neighborhood, as well as individual, personal stories that data cannot capture.

ENP has created data sheets of Fresno neighborhoods as a resource for churches and community partners who want to learn more about their neighborhoods so they can make informed decisions and take relevant action steps. We focus on neighborhoods as they are defined by elementary school zones, for a total of 92 neighborhoods in the City of Fresno.

How to Serve Your Community (No Matter Your Life Stage)

January 9, 2023 Ashley Goldsmith Literacy, Neighborhood Presence, Parent Engagement, Perspectives, Saturday Sports, Serving Our Neighborhoods, Serving Our Schools

Developing a Heart of Service at a Young Age

Mary Avigliano knew when she grew up, she wanted to help others. As a child, Mary developed relationships with volunteers of local urban ministry organizations who left a life-long impact on her and her family.

“If it weren’t for a group of people who were passionate about urban ministry knocking on my family’s door when I was a kid, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”
~Mary Avigliano

In 2008, when Mary was a recent college graduate with a little extra free time, she became one of Every Neighborhood Partnership’s first volunteers.

Our Vision is Growing! Learn more and Fall in Love with Fresno on September 22.

September 6, 2022 Ashley Goldsmith ENP News, Equipping, Serving Our Neighborhoods, Serving Our Schools

Learn more about Every Neighborhood Partnership’s growing vision and important things taking place in our city at our Fall in Love with Fresno event on September 22.

Over the last 14 years, Every Neighborhood Partnership (ENP) has been on a growth trajectory. Yes, our staff and programs are growing, but so is our vision.

ENP began as an organization focused on helping churches connect relationally with schools in central Fresno. Over time, with God’s guidance and the support of incredible partners, we have expanded our vision to equipping and mobilizing residents to be leaders who have the tools they need to make sustainable, long-lasting change in their neighborhoods.

Communities are being changed from the inside out.

Through literacy mentoring at elementary schools, Saturday Sports camps, Latin Dance Fitness classes, women’s support groups, workshops and coaching for other nonprofit leaders, and neighborhood associations, our vision is growing… and it involves YOU too.

Join us on September 22nd to learn more and celebrate the GROWING taking place in our city at ENP’s annual Fall in Love with Fresno event! You won’t want to miss this.

How One Woman’s Love for Reading Initiated a Lasting School-Church Partnership

July 12, 2022 Ashley Goldsmith Campus Presence, Literacy, Serving Our Schools

Ayer Elementary School & Butler Church: How the Partnership Began

Since she was a little girl, Debra Brensinger has loved reading. Under the protection of her covers, she would squint her eyes as she read late into the night.

Several decades later, Debra was looking for ways to be more involved in her local community. When Debra heard about Every Neighborhood Partnership’s Literacy Mentoring program, she knew she wanted to serve as a mentor. Sharing her passion for reading by teaching elementary students literacy skills seemed like the perfect way to invest in her neighborhood.

But Debra didn’t stop there.

Virtual Literacy Mentoring Program: It’s Hard to Say Goodbye

July 1, 2022 Andrea Ricci Literacy

As we come to the end of another school year, and after making the tough decision to transition solely back to in-classroom mentoring, we’ve been reflecting on all that was accomplished these past couple years through the Virtual Literacy Mentoring Program.

60 NEW Positions Available for Students to Make a Difference while Paying for College

May 18, 2022 Ashley Goldsmith ENP News, Jobs, Literacy, Saturday Sports, Serving Our Schools

Fresno State and Every Neighborhood Partnership Collaborate to Launch #CaliforniansForAll College Corps Program

Through a new State initiative, Every Neighborhood Partnership will host 60 Fresno State students (in addition to 40 Read Fresno students) who will serve as literacy mentors in classrooms, run after-school reading intervention programs, and support Saturday Sports at eight local K-12 schools.

The #CaliforniansforAll College Corps initiative is the first of its kind, designed to create opportunities for low-income, first-generation college students to graduate college debt-free while empowering them to serve in their communities. College Corps Fellows will receive up to $10,000 for a total of 450 hours of community service hours during the academic year.

Fresno State was chosen as one of the 48 partner colleges for the College Corps program and has selected Every Neighborhood Partnership as one of the organizations their students will work with.

Students who complete the College Corps program will receive:

$10,000 ($7,000 living stipend broken into monthly distributions during the academic year, plus a $3,000 Education Award)
Academic credit
Real-world job experience to add to a resume
Training, networking and professional development opportunities

The first cohort of College Corps Fellows will begin in August 2022. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Learn more and apply to be a College Corps Fellow by visiting the Central Valley College Corps website here or contacting Mellissa Jessen-Hiser at mjessen@csufresno.edu.