Transforming Indiana... recruiting mentors.

[Subsequent note... Learn about the new '1,000 Mentors' recruiting initiative growing out of all this.]

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"American children are more likely to be murdered, poor, pregnant, drug-dependent or incarcerated than the children of any other industrialized country."



[The following are notes taken during Tuesday's meeting of the Transform Indiana ministry networking meeting.]

Today's special speaker, is Dr. Virgil Gulker, Founder of Kids Hope, USA. He comes to us via our Transform Indiana connection in Grant County (Marion)... Jack Brady, a CBMC leader in the city, who also serves on the Advisory Commission for the Governor's Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives.

Some background on how/why we're here today...

Pastor James Carter... outreach director for our host church today, Oasis of Hope Baptist Church... updated everyone regarding our vision to help recruit 1,000 mentors among the various mentoring programs for the inner-city here in Indianapolis.

"Invest now, rather than pay later." The costs of losing these at-risk kids can be as high as $60,000 per year for kids dropping out of school, and almost certainly finding their way into jail."

Chip Neihdigh... also spoke of the early efforts to try to develop a pilot project... develop sustainability... learn lessons... and then scale up. This project is getting a favorable hearing in the IPS school system, which greatly encourages people who care, to get involved in these young lives.

There are lots of existing mentoring programs -- and too few mentors; so we're not out to reinvent the mentoring wheel... but rather, come alongside them and leverage our growing Christian network to FIND people who are willing to invest themselves in the lives of young people.

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Jack 'warmed us up' by sharing about Grant County's successful experience with Kids Hope, USA. They are now the first county in the country to tie a church to every single school in the area for the purpose of mentoring young students.

Dr. Gulker provided handouts and a power-point presentation, reviewing many of the key statistics reflecting the need, their solution, and how any church can get involved in this productive ministry.

Here's a well-written Christianity Today article about Kids Hope USA.


Ministries & Other Programs represented today:
Oasis of Hope Baptist Church (host)
Kids Hope, USA
Indiana Christian News
IndyChristian.com
Christian Businessmen of Indiana
Crossroads Bible College
TheHopeTeam
Church Federation
Child Evangelism Fellowship
Indiana Family Institute
Kids Games
Trusted Partners
Prison Fellowship
Indiana Wesleyan University
Choices
Common Ground
New Song Mission
Ken Johnson Ministries
Student Venture
Ministry Support Concepts

"Churches pray, pay and give stuff away -- but too seldom get personally involved to change lives."

We're talking one hour in-school, per week.

Fredrick Douglas quote: "It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

"Bad news is... we have ___ schools waiting on churches. The opportunity for the Church of Jesus Christ right now is at hand."

As you prayerfully consider how your church can get involved... go to the KidsHopeUSA.org site and fill out the contact form, requesting a DVD.

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." [Matt 9:36--37)

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Subsequent Note: We're now compiling great Tutor/Mentor Links at WhenYouNeedSomeone.com.