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FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY
Making a Humanitarian Impact in Coney Island
H
BY JANET HOWARD
ealthy Living Ministry, a nonprofit, non-denominational, volunteerbased organization, under the leadership of its executive director, Rev. Shirley Jordan, is making a difference in the lives of people living in Brooklyn, especially in Coney Island. While the Ministry caters to the needs of seniors and the homeless, it particularly focuses on the youths of the area who are targeted because of the recent spate of handgun violence that was wrecking havoc across the community, leaving a number of young people dead and causing residents of the area to live in fear. As a result of those criminal activities, the Ministry partners with the 60th Police Precinct in the area, forging an amicable relationship between the police and the community. The Ministry organizes block parties, plays and other social activities that are geared at educating youths on the dangers of guns, teenage pregnancy and other social ills that are negatively impacting young people. She says, “While we have made significant strides with those we spoke with and aid in halting the problem within some neighborhoods, there is so much more work to be done with not only the youths but their parents and other responsible seniors in the community to create a consciousness for life itself, and essentially the values of healthful living.” Other aspects of work undertaken by her Ministry is engaging residents of the area in a Healthy Living seminar, a WEE Angels
toys drive and a Coats of Love project. The Ministry engages the services of students from Abraham Lincoln High School in Coney Island and from Erasmus High School in Flatbush to assist with the distribution of food and other basic essentials to the needy people within the community. The Ministry received a grant from the New York City Department of Health which substantially funds the work of the organization. Corporate businesses such as Pathmark, Pepsi Cola, National Grid and the Red Cross also partner with the Ministry to meet the needs of the community. The Ministry promotes education by pro-
viding school supplies for students from Coney Island, Flatbush, Canarsie and the Bed-Stuy communities and runs a book club so as to encourage knowledge through reading. Rev. Jordon says her Ministry worked tremendously hard during the aftermath of Super storm Sandy to meet the needs of the residents of Coney Island, and is still engaged in the recovery process by providing food and other necessities for the residents. She praised the teenagers “for their efforts in climbing the stairs of those huge buildings to take food and other supplies to
the seniors and disabled people who could not come down to get their supplies. Thank you my young friends; thank you for your dedication and the sacrifice of your time to be of help…. We were just in the signing stage of bringing our Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Unit to Surfside Gardens Community Center in CI when the hurricane happened. How ironic for this to happen as it did; the community center is now destroyed; the water was up to the ceiling. Being ready and prepared is so important; we have the Emergency Response program ready to go but no place to go now; we are hoping that people will read this story and reach out to us as we need a building to run the great programs that has brought about great changes in the communities.” Her Ministry has a lot of work to do in the communities; therefore she is calling on civic-minded citizens to reach out to her organization by making donations in whatever way God inspires them to do so. The Ministry is open to all who wants to make a difference in the lives of people. Rev. Jordon is an ordained minister with a Masters Degree in Theology, a certified chaplain and a certified EMT emergency responder. She is a graduate of the Loving Church Seminary in Colorado and the New York Regional Police Chaplaincy Program. The Ministry was founded in 2005 and has two locations: 407 Monroe Street and 2940 Ocean Parkway. For more information the Ministry can be contacted at 718-7144367l.
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