Fresno is an interesting city to study. We have segments of our city that want to be upscale and edgy. We have our old school parts of town that want to make time slow to a crawl so it doesn’t become part of the hustle and bustle of a growing city. There are the techie folks and the immigrant farm workers, all wanting an opportunity to not only survive, but to grow and thrive.
“This is so much fun!” I cherish those words I heard from students on my first day as a volunteer at Ericson Saturday Sports!
ENP’s mission is to “to connect churches and community partners to elementary schools and to equip them to serve through their active presence in every neighborhood.” What it boils down to is being a better neighbor.
So much ink has been spilled recently around the racial tension that has been swamping our nation. This is politically and theologically charged stuff. I do not write this thinking I will convince you of anything, but to just share how I came to a paradigm-shifting idea of my own privilege and what it means to live and love like Jesus.
On Saturday, October 31st, Central Community Church & Highway City Community Development hosted a Fall Festival with carnival games and a resource fair for the entire neighborhood. Nearly 1000 people attending throughout the day, but it was so much more than a carnival!
. . . “equipping them to serve”
Recently we gathered with folks from about a dozen of our partnerships for an afternoon of networking, equipping and fellowship, starting with an amazing Mexican lunch prepared by parents from Susan B Anthony.
The following story of was shared by Dave Standley. He and his wife Tish are Partnership Leaders in the Ericson neighborhood with Valley Dream Center.
It’s the beginning of a new school year! Remember what it was like? New teacher, old friends and lots of new faces.
Jose, Bethani and Andrew have joined the ENP teamWe have some new faces at ENP, too, and would love for you to meet them.
Jose Chavez will be assisting Brenda with Parent Engagement, currently at 4 school sites. The heart of Parent Engagement is to build up the capacity of our parents and connect them to each other, the school system and the larger neighborhood opportunities. We believe our parents are leaders and want to help give them the tools and opportunities to shape their schools and neighborhood.
“I am beyond excited and blessed to be a part of ENP. I am doing what I love and look forward to learning and exploring new experiences with our parent engagement groups, and very excited about our bimonthly meetings where I will be meeting new parents to build a unique relationship. I know that parents will grow greatly this year and that is my number one goal.”
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Bethani Montgomery has joined the ENP team as part time Admin (and SO MUCH MORE!) Her gifts and talents are vast and she has a contagious smile and love for kiddos and our schools. She will spend most of her time behind a computer and connecting with partnership volunteers, but don’t be surprised if you see her behind a camera at Saturday Sports and other ENP events.
“I’m looking forward to learning more about Fresno and the needs in our city, along with meeting new faces in our community.”
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Andrew Feil has joined ENP as Assistant Director. He will work alongside Artie to support our existing partnerships, financial development, and help build the ENP infrastructure in order to expand upon on work.
“I am looking forward to getting connected to the ENP Family! Meeting all the partnership leaders, supporters, school staff, etc. “I am excited to hear from them about their school and community. Overall just really pumped to be with ENP and continue the good work!“
As a team. we look forward to providing a deeper level of equipping this coming ye!r for our leaders, our churches, and structure that will give many people an even greater opportunity to love and serve our city.
You will be hearing from us!
“Just go outside and play.”
Do those words bring back memories from your childhood? Playing outside was what most kids did for fun, but it isn’t quite as simple today as it was back then.
SATURDAY SPORTS will be up and running, full force by mid September at 32 sites all over Fresno. The majority of the programs are in SE & SW Fresno, where sitting in the house, watching TV, or playing video games are more common activities for kids in many of our neighborhoods.
SATURDAY SPORTS gives kids the opportunity to go outside and play, not only in a safe “green space”, but with folks who deeply care about them and want to make an impact in their lives. That’s why so many churches see Saturday Sports as a simple outreach and great way to connect with kids and families and ultimately find many ways other ways to love and serve our city.
Map showing partnerships that offer Saturday Sports ProgramsLast year more than 2,200 kids had the opportunity to “go outside and play” at Saturday Sports, and it’s so much more than SPORTS! Crafts, games, fun . . . and of course, sports, if you want. But more like it was “back in the day” when kids went outside to jump rope, play four-square, shoot hoops with dad, or play a game of baseball in the street with friends.
More Saturday Sports programs are needed in Fresno! There are lots of kids who would love to play outside, and need people in their lives to love them, and encourage them, and help them see their value and potential.
Northpointe Church has been hosting a Saturday Sports Program at Toby Lawless Elementary for the past 4 years. A real impact is being made in the lives of these kids! Check out the video and see for yourself.
After you watch it, ask yourself if can think of a church that might be interested in coming alongside and supporting an existing Saturday Sports Program, or if you know folks who might like to volunteer to take attendance each week at one of the Saturday Sports sites. We also need several volunteers each week to pick up lunches at Poverello House and deliver them to Saturday Sports. Financial donations are also welcome.
There are lots of ways to love and serve our city, and most importantly, give these kids a chance to be kids!
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like more information about ENP. We love helping folks get connected to serve!
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There are two weeks left before submissions are due for SPARK TANK – An annual Faith-Rooted Social Business Plan Contest sponsored by The Center for Community Transformation.
The purpose of the Spark Tank is to stimulate the start-up of social enterprises strategically connected to churches or Community Benefit Organizations.
A total of $25,000 will be awarded on Friday, September 25 as individual entrepreneurs, churches and non-profits pitch their business plan to a panel of experts. The event will take place at 2:00pm at the BC Lounge on the Seminary Campus. Guests are welcome to attend the event to learn about social enterprise and see entrepreneurship in action.
MAYBE YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO SHOULD SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
If you know either individual entrepreneurs or institutions who might like to pitch an idea, please download the business plan contest template and share it. They could win up to $3000 in start-up money, and perhaps even more if they “wow” the judges. Submissions that make the first cut on Sept 1 will be invited to pitch their idea on September 25th.
If you would like to be a part of the audience, register to attend through the link below.
Space is limited.
SPARK TANK PITCH FEST REGISTRATION
Check out the awards from last year’s event:
$3000 Awards: Evangel Home Cleaning Service, FACE Inc/Rock Pile Yard Services, and Light-House Recovery Program “Bling-Wear”.
$2000 awards: Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministry(FIRM) Translation Services, and Young Men’s Initiative (YMI) YMI Coffee and Pastry Bar
$1000 awards: Bethany Inner City Church: Nano-and Microloans for Enterprising Downtown Families and Inspire Destiny Training Services.
Even through the Summer our partnership parents from Susan B. Anthony Elementary and Yokomi Elementary are learning and working together and be advocates for their communities through their involvement in the Better Blackstone project. As they take a closer look at their neighborhood they envision walkable sidewalks, revitalized businesses, bike lanes, cross walks and a shady bus stop with benches. All of which are elements of a healthy and flourishing corridor.
Parents gathered in early July and walked from Divisadero to Olive on both Abby and Blackstone, taking pictures and observing the assets and needs in their neighborhood. The ultimate goal: to identify broken sidewalks, missing cross walks, missing waste baskets and any other areas that could be improved to make a healthy, safe, walkable community.
They are excited and empowered by this role they are playing. It’s just one more step in helping parents see the important role they can play as volunteers and leaders in their school and neighborhood.
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On August 7th neighbors will come together to Imagine the Possibilities for Blackstone.
Blackstone neighbors will be sharing their findings through a photography display. This “Photovoice/Fotovoz” project will highlight the healthy and unhealthy aspects of daily life in this neighborhood. Through this project they are learning to be positive and proactive as they work together for a better neighborhood.
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Brenda Bravo
Every Neighborhood Partnership
Parent Engagement Coordinator
