Hello ENP Family & Friends,

You are going to notice something on display in this newsletter. This is a story-driven newsletter. Stories about the ways our volunteers and staff are intersecting with people in the schools and neighborhoods that make up our wonderful city.

I am encouraged because it is the simple act of being present and willing to enter into space with one another to pursue transformation. You will also notice we have changed the name of one of our departments. With our expansion to working with 100 paid Fresno State Students through College Corp (Blog Here!) we felt like merging Literacy and Recreation all under School Support made the most sense! 

Please read these stories and recognize that because of your gifts in finances, volunteer hours, and community support of ENP this work is possible. 

Dominick, Isabella, Mariah, Sylvia, Jason, Ana, MJ, and Emily are all impacted because you believe and invest in us. Thank you and please don’t stop!

Give here to continue this work.

Executive Director, Every Neighborhood Partnership

Literacy Mentoring

Dominick and Isabella – Read Fresno @ Parks at Fig Garden Apartment

One of our Read Fresno after-school sites is at the Parks at Fig Garden Apartment Complex. Our amazing site lead there, Dominick Cardenas, shared about the growth he’s seen in one of his students, Isabella:

Working one on one with Isabella, I have had the opportunity to learn many details regarding her schooling, and how the status of her mental health largely impacted her educational pursuits before, during, and now after the pandemic. As mentioned in an article from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “COVID-19 has an impact on youth mental health and is particularly associated with depression and anxiety in adolescent cohorts (2020)”.

Now reaching the turning point of life post-pandemic, Isabella has learned to find healthy coping mechanisms to abstain from negative mental habits and has used our after school program as a resource to not only continue supporting her academic needs, but also to begin to understand how she can be a role model for those younger than her. Now, when finding down time during portions of program, Isabella serves as a “Junior Assistant” to our Read Fresno mentors.

We are thrilled to see how Isabella is taking what she’s learned through being mentored by the Read Fresno team to invest in younger students.

Recreational Resilience

Mariah (Saturday Sports) – Volunteer from The Well Community Church

Mariah was attending service at The Well Community Church, as she’d done many Sundays before, yet little did she know that one announcement would bring her to ENP. That fateful Sunday, an announcement was made that ENP was in need of volunteers for our Saturday Sports Program. Mariah, being a teacher herself and having a love for sports, thought, “What a perfect opportunity to serve doing two things I love!”

She filled out the volunteer application form and has been serving since March 2022. As she began her service, not really knowing what to expect, she was surprised by how much fun she was having and the amount of exercise she was getting. Being a Saturday Sports volunteer not only helped the kids feel comfortable with being physically active but it’s also helped her stay active, too! Mariah’s favorite moment so far has been seeing a very shy student open up throughout their time attending Saturday Sports and growing comfortable sharing about themselves and their family. It has been rewarding for her to build that relationship with students. 

For anyone who may not know how to get involved, Mariah shares, “My best advice is that if you are considering it or thinking about maybe soon or maybe someday, just sign up; there is no time like right now to start getting connected and giving back to your community! The students need us now more than ever!”

ENP thanks Mariah and all of our volunteers that get up early every Saturday to spend time with these students! 

Sylvia and Jason (SW Fresno Neighborhood Highlight)

Update from Daniel Dominquez (Neighborhood Development Coordinator):

I have yet to run a marathon, but I have cycled sixty miles straight. By no means is this an easy task and it is a must to know that this too will pass. The theory behind the mantra of this too will pass is rooted in the idea that the mental message to quit will arise, and an antidote will be needed. In the same way, life can be just as fatiguing and the temptation to quit can become prevalent. Nevertheless, and even though they may have not used the mantra, this too shall pass, I believe Pastor Jason Spencer of Image Church and CEO of Generation Changers (501c3) and Sylvia Trujillo, resident leader of Our Voice Project in SW Fresno, have lived out this mantra and have found each other at the end of their journey.

On April 26th of 2022, Sylvia accepted the job as the Neighborhood Engagement Coordinator for Generation Changers. For Pastor Jason, who has been tirelessly working towards putting together a staff for Generation Changers, nothing was going as planned. Sylvia, a single mother of 3 has been an active resident in her community for over four years and patiently awaiting the right opportunity. It has been a long journey for both and leaning into and trusting that this too shall pass, has proved promising for each. In the end, individual success is oftentimes found in one another’s success. 

Neighborhood Health and Wellness

Ana (Neighborhood Health and Wellness Participant)

Ana* has participated in various programs offered by Neighborhood Health and Wellness in person and virtually. She has been involved in Neighborhood Fitness Classes, Parent Café, Digital Literacy, and Cultivating Mental Health.

When Ana began attending Parent Café, which explored Resilience, Relationships, and Rebuilding, she realized she was experiencing depression. She continued coming to all the classes and building relationships with others involved in Neighborhood Health and Wellness activities and expressed that the classes and relationships were giving her tools to support her mental health. As she learned about trauma and relationships, she recognized that she and her husband both have previous childhood and young adult trauma that is influencing their current relationship. After attending additional Parent Cafe sessions, she and her husband chose to seek help for their individual trauma and healing process. She began to feel energized again and she has learned to be more compassionate towards herself and others.

She shared that through all these channels, she is learning to destigmatize mental health concerns for herself and others. She now strives to do what’s best for her health spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Ana is now living a healthier life for herself, her children, and her community. 

Our team is honored to be able to share tools and walk alongside residents as they pursue holistic health and wellness!

*Name has been changed 

LivingUndivided

MJ and Emily (Participants in LivingUNDIVIDED 6 week class)

LivingUNDIVIDED brought together people from different churches and ethnic backgrounds to explore a curriculum on racial healing, solidarity, and justice.

“I enjoyed our journey together, even though there were some very difficult discussions and moments of vulnerability that I wasn’t prepared to unravel. LivingUndivided was an eye-opening experience that I will take with me and build upon that knowledge and understanding for the rest of my days. It gave me a softer, more forgiving lens to see and interact with people who don’t look like me. It helped me to see people the way God sees people, with love and compassion.” – MJ Williams, Handle It Helping Hands Inc

“Most of our churches don’t reflect the beauty and the diverse communities of the Central Valley. Even more concerning, churches have often turned a blind eye or been culpable in racial inequality and injustices. LivingUndivided provides a safe space to have authentic conversations, be curious, and examine our own stories and innate biases so that we can begin to heal and repair the hurts among our larger faith community and our city.” – Emily Bahne, Member of Midtown Vineyard

ENP is grateful for the opportunity to bring people together for much-needed discussions in our community.

Awards

Grants

In these first few months of 2022, ENP is excited to share that we have received the following grants.  We are thankful for these organizations’ partnership in our work.

• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Grant
• Californians for All
• Latino Community Foundation
• Beneficial State Bank
• Vaccinate All 58 Neighborhood Partnership Program