ENP Blog

Saturday Sports

August 20, 2015 andrewfeil ,

 “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 Programs

Last 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!

Donations Welcome

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

andrewfeilSaturday Sports
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SPARK TANK – Pitch Fest

August 15, 2015 andrewfeil

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.

andrewfeilSPARK TANK – Pitch Fest
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Parents Advocating for a Better Blackstone

July 16, 2015 andrewfeil ,

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.

. . .

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.

. . . . . . . . .

Brenda Bravo
Every Neighborhood Partnership
Parent Engagement Coordinator

andrewfeilParents Advocating for a Better Blackstone
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Great Fun Hoopin’ it Up!

June 5, 2015 andrewfeil ,

The gates opened at 9am on Saturday morning and kids began to arrive to “Hoop It Up”! They had fun hanging out with friends and practicing until it was their time to compete.

The boys were ready to compete!

There was one little girl however, who was looking a little sad.  We asked her what was wrong.  She quietly replied, “The boys said that girls can’t play basketball.”  We reminded her that was NOT the case and ushered her over to the check-in table.  She signed in, put her blue t-shirt on and began practicing.

Kids in our partnership neighborhoods don’t have many opportunities to participate in competitions like Hoop It Up. This was a morning of fun for them and a new experience for many.

patiently waiting their turn

89 kids participated from nine different schools. Each child received a very cool Hoop It Up t-shirt (thanks to our awesome sponsors) and then waited for their turn at the free throw line. Everyone had fun!

. . . some kids needed a little extra help 1st, 2nd & 3rd place medals were awarded at the end of the morning in all age categories

WHAT A GREAT MORNING!

Fun morning for everyone!

THANKS VOLUNTEERS!

GREAT group of volunteers!

Thanks to our great group of volunteers who had fun interacting with the kids & helped make Hoop It Up a huge success!

–  Kids had the chance to compete (a new experience for many of them).
–  It was another opportunity to promote health and fitness.
–  Hoop it up brought more awareness of the value of Saturday Sports and the need for mentoring kids in our Fresno Neighborhoods
–  and we raised enough money to purchase sports equipment for 30+ Saturday Sports Programs that will start up again in the fall!

THANK YOU SPONSORS & FRIENDS!
Thank to Kaiser Permanente, J&D Foods, Fresno Housing Authority, Cargill, Torosian & Walter, NY Life, Spirit Radio, Fresno Breast Surgery, Spike & Rail, Holiday Inn Swan Court, FS Lawn, Bobby Salazar’s, and a lot other friends of ENP who helped sponsor kids to compete in the event!

We also want to thank Principal Tharpe for allowing us to Hoop It Up at Olmos Elementary!

Special thanks to Walgreens who not only provided unlimited water for everyone, but came in person to hand it out throughout the morning AND even helped with the competition.

Thanks also to the Fresno State Nonprofit Management Class and Professor Zhanna Bagdasarov who assisted ENP in planning and seeking sponsorships for Hoop It Up!

This day was a beautiful picture of MANY in our community coming together for the kids!  We at ENP value the partnerships we have with churches, businesses, universities, and our schools and know that Fresno is a better place because there are SO MANY who want to be part of the transformation!

. . . . . . . . .

ALSO WORTH NOTING: The first medal was awarded to A GIRL!  Who said “girls can’t play basketball” anyway!

* The first medal was awarded to A GIRL!!!

andrewfeilGreat Fun Hoopin’ it Up!
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Let’s “Hoop It Up” for our Kids!

May 18, 2015 andrewfeil , ,

On the morning of Saturday, May 30th, Olmos Elementary will be filled with kids trying to reach a goal as they compete with other kids their age in ENP’s Hoop it Up Basketball Competition.

THEIR GOAL: To make baskets from various spots on the key and get points for each basket!

 

ENP has several goals for the day as well!
The purpose of this event is to promote the importance of physical activity, bring awareness of the value and need for mentoring kids in our Fresno neighborhoods, and raise funds for Saturday Sports.

ANYONE CAN COMPETE!
YOU CAN REGISTER HERE

. . . . . . . . .

REGISTRATION FEE is $20
– Participants will receive an event t-shirt
– 1st, 2nd, 3rd place Medals will be given
in each of the following categories:

1st grade and under
2nd-4th grade
5th-6th grade}
7th-8th grade
High School
Adult

. . . . . . . .

We are also looking for folks who would like to sponsor a child from one of our partnership neighborhoods to participate in the event.

SPONSOR A CHILD

. . . . . . . . .

andrewfeilLet’s “Hoop It Up” for our Kids!
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. . . not to BE served, BUT TO SERVE

March 31, 2015 andrewfeil ,

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.
. . . . . . . . .
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.

. . . . . . . . .

“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.

andrewfeil. . . not to BE served, BUT TO SERVE
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GIVING TUESDAY? or GIVING 365?

December 2, 2014 andrewfeil

It’s “GIVING TUESDAY” What is the purpose?

GIVING TUESDAY:  “A global day dedicated to giving back.”   “A movement to create a national day of giving to kick off the “giving” season.”  

Giving Tuesday is a great idea, no doubt. But for all of us at ENP, we see people GIVING every day!  On our school campuses during the week folks are volunteering in classrooms, helping students who might be struggling with reading or math. Others are hosting a Homework Club, Bible Club, or Leadership Club after school.  On Saturdays, an average of 1500 kids are having fun with volunteers who GIVE a couple hours of time at Saturday Sports to simply spend time with kids and make a small investment in their lives. And that’s PART of it!

 We witness servant hearted people EVERY DAY from our churches, businesses, universities, as well as families in our partnership neighborhoods GIVING of their time to make an impact in the lives of children and families and ultimately in the health of our city.

What would our world look like if we all considered EVERY DAY a GIVING day?

ENP’s role is to connect volunteers with opportunities in our city to serve and GIVE and in the process build relationships. That’s the key: relationships! We make it easy for the church to connect with a school and help them find ways they can make an impact in that school and neighborhood. (FYI – 98,944 volunteer hours so far this year!)

It is also very clear that we could not do what we do without those who are GIVING to ENP financially.  Individuals, churches, and businesses GIVE so ENP can equip and connect folks to serve.

So, THANK YOU!  Thank you for caring. (If you are reading this, you obviously care.)

You may already be GIVING your TIME and/or  TREASURE.  If so, we also want to say THANK YOU!  We would also like you to invite others to do the same.

There are more schools who would love a partnership church to come along side them.  There are so many kids who could use a little extra help in with reading or math.  The kids at Saturday Sports LOVE having positive, caring people to hang out with (and you don’t even have to love sports!)  Opportunities to GIVE, and LOVE our city are abundant!  And it’s so easy!  You don’t even have to travel far.

If you would like more information about how you can GET INVOLVED or DONATE to ENP, you can get more information on our website.  We would also love to talk to you!

SO, HAPPY GIVING TUESDAY!

Maybe we should start a new movement:  “GIVING: 365” . . .  because that’s what we are calling it!  We have the blessing of seeing people in our city GIVING 365 days of the year!  We would love to have you join us . . . or invite someone else along, and share the blessing!

. . . . . . .

We pray that your Thanksgiving was a time of truly being thankful for friends, family and life’s many blessings, and you enjoy this Christmas season and the BEST GIFT OF ALL!

 

andrewfeilGIVING TUESDAY? or GIVING 365?
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Thankful!

November 25, 2014 andrewfeil , ,

Throughout the year we have the privilege AND JOY to work alongside so many people who have a heart for our city! We are thankful for each one of them and blessed as we watch the many ways folks are engaging our city, and so generously giving their time, gifts, talents and treasures to invest in the lives of children, families and schools in our Fresno neighborhoods.

. . . . .

 

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERSHIPS!

 

Saturday Sports leaders & volunteers
who give up a few hours on their Saturday mornings to spend time with kids.

30 Saturday Sports Programs
average of 1500 kids each week

. . . . .

Volunteers who help out during the week in classrooms and on school campuses.

. . . . .

Thanks to churches who are more than just a building in the neighborhood, but seeking ways to bless children and families while serving with a giving heart to show Christ’s love to our city.

. . . . .

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO
SUPPORT OUR PARTNERSHIPS

Drivers who deliver lunches to Saturday Sports

Photographers who help us capture the JOY

. . . . .

Community Partners
who share the same vision for a thriving city!

. . . . .

Fresno State and Fresno Pacific students who add energy & enthusiasm to Saturday Sports & as tutors in classrooms

. . . . .

THANK YOU TO THE FAMILIES
IN OUR PARTNERSHIP NEIGHBORHOODS!

Parents who are volunteering (investing) in their neighborhoods and schools; a simple way for them to grow and exercise their residential leadership.

. . . . .

Young people who are volunteering while becoming leaders and role models in their communities

AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU
 to  those who support ENP financially!
Individuals, churches, Businesses and foundations make it possible for ENP to continue equipping and connecting people who have a heart to serve, with opportunities to invest in a city that we all love.

As we serve, we learn about each other, and we learn more about ourselves. We understand and appreciate the unique diversity of our city and grow to love the people who become a rich part of our lives!

So much of giving comes from a thankful heart. It TRULY is “in giving that we receive”. Ask anyone who spends time with kids and families in our partnership neighborhoods! The blessings are huge!

WE ARE THANKFUL!

May YOU be truly blessed
as you give thanks this week!

From all of us at ENP!

andrewfeilThankful!
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Students Visit from San Diego

October 29, 2014 andrewfeil

Recently a group of students from San Diego Christian College visited Fresno for a missions exposure trip.  Rather than sitting in San Diego LEARNING about missions, they came to Fresno to DO missions!

Groups had the opportunity to visit Saturday Sports as well as Sunday morning church services our partnership  neighborhoods.  Here are a few of the comments they shared about their experiences from SATURDAY SPORTS at Olmos, Kirk & Columbia:

  • “Absolutely loved it. The kids were so awesome and I was so grateful to just have the chance to love on them.”
  • “I had so much fun playing with the kids and would really like to come back and participate again”
  • “Working with the kids was awesome.”
  • “Very eye opening.”
  • “Great kids.”
  • “It was fun and the kids were all great, wish we could have spent more time with them.”
  • “I loved being able to play with the kids and show them God’s love through my actions.”
  • “The kids and leaders were amazing, just wish there was more we could do.”
  • “Sweet kids, I pray they will love Jesus!”
  • “It was really fun to be able to play with the kids and provide them with a meal.”
  • “One of my favorite parts of the exposure trip . . . so much fun playing with the kids.”

Comments after CHURCH VISITS
(City of Refuge & Faith Worship Christian Center):

  • “Awesome, I have never felt so welcome and given so many hugs at church.”
  • “The people were amazing. Great service and great biscuits.”
  • “The environment was so great and it was cool to see people from Saturday Sports there.”
  • “The church welcomed us in! We felt encouraged and loved.”
  • “Amazing worship, anointed service.” 
  • “I’ve never experienced worship or a message like that before. I liked being able to worship in a new way.”
  • “I really enjoyed the service.”
  • “The joy of the people was so evident as was their love for Christ and their community.”
  • “The congregation was so energetic and welcoming.
  • “The congregation was such an amazing and loving group of people.”

. . . a “lesson” they won’t soon forget!
Thanks SDCC! We loved having you!

 

andrewfeilStudents Visit from San Diego
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