IMPACT OKC
STEVE TRICE Building a city through faith
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MARY MYRICK
Changing lives of at-risk youth
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Thriving YFC programs Impact souls for Christ throughout the Metro
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MARY MYRICK
Building Relationships
to Build Communities
M
ary Myrick, visionary leader of Public Strategies (PSI), took the company from being a public relations and event planning firm to a leader in business development, strategic planning, and much more. Today, one area of PSI’s work is building successful public-private partnerships meant to improve lives of others. “What that means in the simplest terms is that we partner with public entities, like federal, state, and local governments, to develop products and deliver services,” Mary explained. “We do that in ways that are both innovative and cooperative with those entities. Most often, we are engaged through a com-
petitive bid process to manage projects or provide services. At PSI we intentionally seek out opportunities that will help us improve the lives of others, which is in line with PSI’s mission—to positively impact the public good.” Among the many successful projects Mary has been involved in is the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, an undertaking to help marriages and families of all shapes, sizes, and circumstances. “In that project, we work cooperatively with both the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) to embed family strengthening services in all kinds of programs and circumstances,”
and others, to create career pathways for unemployed and underemployed, even those reentering the workforce following incarceration,” Mary said. In some cases, Mary and PSI target specific areas to implement innovative strategies, including Northeast Oklahoma City.
Mary said. “One example might include our workshop series for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) moms that helps them learn how to make healthy relationship choices because history shows that, like is true for all of us, their relationships often contribute to their circumstances. We also show them what an unhealthy relationship looks like, thanks to our partnerships with the OK Coalition Against Domestic Violence.” Keeping with the theme of helping families, PSI has also built the Family Expectations program, an invaluable resource for families in tough financial situations. “Another example is our Family Expectations program, which is designed to help financially vulnerable families—primarily those funding the birth of their child with Medicaid—to improve their start as new parents. We do this by providing support for their transition to parenthood through a wide range of services, including workshops to teach parenting and communication skills. And one other local example is the work we do in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, the Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board, area non-profits
“During the past several years we’ve been developing and implementing a place-based strategy in NEOKC,” Mary said, “which simply means that we’ve designated a specific neighborhood where we are doing all we can to provide an integrated set of resources to improve the community and the lives of the people who live there. We do that by providing services and resources ourselves, but the most important work we do is engaging others to join in the effort. As the problem of intergenerational poverty is complex and requires the best that we can all do collectively, a group of organizations is implementing what we call ‘Whatever It Takes,’ modeled in part after the Harlem Children’s Zone project in New York City. It’s a loose organizational structure that encourages collaboration and connectivity to build a safety net to help the children in the community succeed. Our promise neighborhood partner-
innovative program in a statewide competition, being one of eight educational innovations selected for recognition. “At Douglass, we have a staff member who is helping the principal coordinate volunteers and organizations. Many people want to help Douglass students be successful, but the staff there is stretched thin, so there is little time to support active community engagement. That’s where we stepped in to fill in the gap. There are many other components to the work we are doing in NEOKC but these are just a few examples. It’s been a great experience for PSI to be a partner with both Douglass and Edwards, and we are better for it.” The results, Mary has proudly said, includes genuine relationships among school staff, children, and parents. People are confident that the project and those working with it are there for the long-haul. “One of my favorite nights of 2011 happened at the end of the Reading Explorers camp last summer. Hundreds of parents and others were packed into the cafeteria to see their children perform. I couldn’t help thinking to myself, ‘Who says these parents won’t get engaged? That was certainly a huge group of committed parents sitting through a two hour program!’ A lot of trust was formed last summer because parents saw first-hand that we share a passion for helping their children succeed.” In fact, one of Mary’s favorite memories of how children have been impacted comes from Reading Explorers. ship includes Douglass High/Middle School, and its four feeder elementary schools, with the majority of our first phase work being done at Douglass and Edwards Elementary. “One specific example of an innovative idea being implemented at Edwards is the Reading Explorers program. A significant body of research shows that children who can’t read by the end of the third grade struggle academically through high school and often for the rest of their lives. In partnership with SandRidge Energy and the Inasmuch Foundation, we are working to create a year-round solution to this problem, providing the foundational skill of reading through a partnership with both school and parents. During the year, Reading Coaches (volunteers from PSI and SandRidge) read weekly with all of the children, in grades K-3, and in the summer these same students are invited to participate in a reading camp with intensive classroom time and experiential learning. The goal of the summer program is to reinforce reading skills in a fun, handson way, providing instruction by certified teachers that is both engaging and rooted in real-world contexts. There has been great success: in its pilot year, the students were tested before and after the program, showing an average of 3.4 months gain in reading ability! Reading Explorers was also named as an
“One of my favorite stories is that of Gaylon. He came to the Reading Explorers summer camp early one morning with his mom, and after the opening session, I saw them leaving. I asked his mom where they were going and she said, ‘He doesn’t want to stay.’ As we talked she shared with me that she understood that she was part of the problem because she couldn’t leave him, and it was clear he felt that in her,” Mary remembered. “We connected her to a counselor we had at the camp, and we took Gaylon, screaming and yelling off to class. I later learned from the principal that this sort of scene was a regular occurrence, happening every morning when he came to school. Now, fast forward to a few weeks later….I was walking through the school one morning and I saw Gaylon dropped off. He ran into the school all on his own, taking off down the hall to his classroom. I looked over at his mom and said, ‘Wow, that’s a changed boy.’ She smiled back at me and said, ‘We did this together.’ This is what a true partnership with parents looks like!” I’ll never forget that moment—where, not just a student, but the whole family was positively impacted by our work. That’s what it’s all about.” Perhaps one of the happiest moments since beginning work in NE OKC was when employees from Sandridge Energy took several busloads of children to Toys R Us.
“I’ll never forget that moment— where, not just a student, but the whole family was positively impacted by our work. That’s what it’s all about.” “Another situation happened over the holiday. The Reading Explorers volunteers, thanks in large part to the generosity of the employees of SandRidge Energy, took the Edwards children to Toys R Us to pick out some toys for Christmas. Imagine this scene: four busses full of children arrive at Toys R Us, each child to be paired with a volunteer to spend a holiday allowance. In most cases we connected one volunteer to two children, and one lucky volunteer ended up with Marcus and Jose. I say ‘lucky’ with a smile on my face because Marcus can be a handful, but in this circumstance he was all little boy. He was walking through the store telling Jose about everything they
saw. And then, as if out of a movie, when the children didn’t know she was listening, the volunteer observed the following: at one point, Marcus put his arm around Jose and said, ‘Jose, this is the best day of our lives, isn’t it?’ Jose looked up and said, ‘Yeah, it is.’ Children were impacted that day for sure, but not more than the volunteers who donate their time each week to read with them. We are on this journey together.” Essentially, that is what PSI is all about: creating days and journeys like this for children and families.
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A BRIGHT FUTURE Youth for Christ | Southside by John Hower y
How many 17 year old young students do you know that been invited to Muhammad Ali’s 70th birthday party, signed a contract with the most prestigious boxing firm in the world (Top Rank Boxing), and has had the opportunity to hang out with Lennox Lewis, Manny Pacquiao, Sugar Shane Mosley, and even an NBA star by the name of Kobe Bryant? Juan turned professional on November 17, 2011. He has fought in two professional bouts, winning both by knock out shortly after crossing the 1 minute mark of the 1st round in each fight. I am proud to say that I know this kid, his name is Juan “Alex” Saucedo, a Youth for Christ Impact Club student from Capitol Hill High School. When I first met Juan he was just a freshman. Juan was being mentored by a volunteer YFC Impact club leader named Eddie, at Azteca Boxing Gym. I remember Eddie telling me all about this kid and I couldn’t wait to meet him. Soon after, I ran into Juan after Impact club one day and he told me that he was going to Mexico to try out for the Mexico Olympic Boxing Team. He was 14 years old at the time. Since that day I have had the pleasure of watching Juan mature into a wonderful young man. He has handled himself with integrity and a
humble spirit and he is very grateful for all that God has allowed him to experience at such a young age. I spoke with Juan the day I wrote this article. We were talking about his career and what his future holds. His plan is to fight for the 140lb World Championship and then the 150lb World Championship giving him a multi-weight and class champion in the WBA and WBC. When he spoke of his future it was with confidence, not arrogance, and a very humble spirit that only Christ can give. When the world gets to know this young man as Alex Saucedo, the world champion boxer, we’ll be able to look back and remember when he was in our YFC Impact program. This story is one that goes to show that we are daily speaking into the lives of future leaders of the next generation. Some will be teachers, some doctors, business owners, lawyers, construction workers, stay at home moms, or world champion boxers. Whatever the Lord has in store for the lives of these students that we mentor in the OKC area schools, we are making an Impact,
STEVE TRICE
BUILDING OKLAHOMA BUSINESSES AND LEADERSHIP Sreve Trice is President and CEO of Jasco and an active member of the Oklahoma City Area Leadership Team of the Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC). To Trice, being a good Christian and a good businessman are not mutually exclusive. Trice believes that it is the duty of a Christian businessman to encourage his employees in their own walks with Christ by supporting their emotional, physical, and spiritual growth and well-being. Named after Trice’s son Jason, Jasco was founded in 1975 as a wholly owned subsidiary of his father’s company, Trice Wholesale Electronics, Trice said. Two years later, Trice was able to purchase Jasco from his father’s company thus establishing Jasco as it’s own brand.
Success was not immediate, but “the business grew dramatically from 1998 to 2004,” Trice said. “At [that] time, General Electric sold [Jasco] their Home Electrical Products business unit, a company that was almost twice as large as Jasco was at the time. ” Since then, Jasco has quickly become one of the industry’s largest marketers of consumer electronic accessories and home electrical products and currently “provide[s] several hundred good paying jobs” in the Oklahoma City area, Trice said. “More recently we have . . . licensed the rights to the T-Tech by Tumi brand and the Disney and Nickelodeon characters for use on certain . . . product categories,” Trice said. “In 2011, we sold over 85 million products through approximately 87,000 retail locations . . . Today, we are blessed with a world class organization of highly talented and dedicated people at every level.” Just few years before Jasco’s acquisition of GE’s Home Electrical Products business unit, “[Trice] came into a relationship with Jesus Christ . . . at the CBMC sponsored Metro Prayer Breakfast in Oklahoma City,” Trice said. Since then, Trice has continued his involvement with the CBMC, serving on the CBMC/ USA Board of Directors for eight years and chairing the Board for four of those years. “The CBMC is a worldwide ministry to businesses and professional men (and through men to their wives and children)”, Trice explained. “The CBMC’s mission is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to facilitate teaching people how to live the abundant life God intends for them.” (Mark 16:15, Matt 28:18-20, John 10:10) Trice takes the message of the CBMC to heart; currently meeting with five men for one-on-one discipleship on a weekly basis in addition to extending his ministry to his many employees at Jasco. “Once I came to realize that God owns my very life, the relationships with which I am blessed and the business enterprise He has given me to steward for Him . . . His plan for and calling on my life came into a
whole new and vivid perspective,” Trice said. “Today Jasco is first and foremost a ministry to our team members, customers and vendors.” Trice says that his company not only cares about their employees’ individual eternal destiny and that of their families’, but that they also take an interest in the successes of their employees’ work and family relationships; their collegiate and financial education; and their health and wellness. Trice strives to give this level of support to his employees by “offer[ing] biblically based individual, group training and programs that address all of these areas of our team members’ lives,” he said. “Through this eternal impact focus on team member welfare, we have seen individuals and whole families come into a relationship with God that has transformed their lives both temporally and eternally.” Trice encourages other businesses to follow the example set forth by Jasco. “I believe God wants us to share with other Christian business owners and CEO’s what He is doing at Jasco
for the purpose of encouraging them to come to know and understand why He has given us all the marketplace pulpit and responsibility [that] He has.”
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IGNITION
TO IMPACT!
- D E JA’ S STO RY Although Deja is only in the seventh grade, she weekly helps o u r Y F C Yo u t h S p e c i a l i s t , G l e n n I r w i n , b y f a c i l i t a t i n g t h e c a m p u s I M PAC T C l u b a l o n g w i t h t h e o t h e r s t u d e n t l e a d e r s .
A
lthough Deja is only in the seventh grade, she weekly helps our YFC Yo u t h S p e c i a l i s t , G l e n n I r w i n , b y facilitating the campus IMPACT Club along with the other student leaders. Through t h i s r e c e n t s c h o o l y e a r, w e h a v e w a t c h e d Deja as she has grown in her faith and relationship in Jesus, in her boldness as a leader to her fellow classmates, and in her service to her Cooper Middle School C a m p u s . R e c e n t l y, D e j a r e q u e s t e d p e r m i s s i o n o f school administrators to put up signs around the school campus advertising the Wednesday morning IMPACT Club so more of her classmates could be a part of this g r e a t m i n i s t r y. T h e n D e j a w a s a s k e d t o speak at our weekly club! She not only did an amazing job, but she has since continued to be used as she speaks about tough subjects with the other female students from club. Outside of the weekly campus club, Deja even started a Bible study with fellow classmates as they continue to learn and develop during the week at lunch. As a result of the talks during IMPACT C l u b a n d t h e s t u d e n t - l e d B i b l e s t u d y, D e j a and her friends decided they could do more. They decided to start a Food Pantry t o h e l p f e e d s t u d e n t ’s w h o d o n o t h a v e
enough to eat at h o m e ! To s t a r t t h e f o o d p a n t r y, D e j a and her some friends asked their parents f o r a “ l o a n ” t o p u r c h a s e c a n d y, w h i c h they started selling at school to raise the m o n e y t o b u y c a n n e d f o o d f o r t h e p a n t r y. Our YFC Staff continues to be amazed by the great leadership and servanthood which these 7th graders have shown. It is amazing to see the fire of change that just one student can ignite when God is involved and when they are encouraged to reach their campus and their world! Please continue to pray for Deja, her friends, the other IMPACT Student Leaders as they continue to reach the Cooper Campus with the Love of Jesus through practical means and consistent relational ministry! If you would like more information concerning becoming involved by volunteering on campus or by supporting this g r e a t w o r k a t C o o p e r, a n o t h e r N W o r C e n t r a l a r e a s c h o o l , p l e a s e c o n t a c t u s . Yo u r Partnership makes all of this possible! By: Brian Hill (YFC NW/Central Area Coordinator), sbhill76@hotmail.com, 405/600/4139
G l e n n I r w i n ( Y F C Yo u t h S p e c i a l i s t , arrowheadenergy.com Campus), gdirwin2@gmail.com
Cooper
IMPACT PARENTING BEING INTENTIONAL A S W E PA R E N T
As
a parent of three children I am constantly looking for ways to teach my kids “spiritual” life lessons without sounding too preachy B y To d d L o v e l a c e o r h o l i e r t h a n t h o u . The truth is, you and I as parents are the primary spiritual leaders of our homes. Meaning, God intended us as parents to be very intentional in passing our faith to the next generation. I’ve heard it said that parents should just let their kids decide if they want to follow a certain religion or become a Christian, that i t ’s n o n e o f o u r b u s i n e s s . S o , i n o t h e r w o r d s , i t ’s g o o d t o t e a c h o u r k i d s h o w t o p l a y s p o r t s or learn how to sing or dance, or be a good student in school, but we shouldn’t meddle in their spiritual lives? Seriously? The Bible is clear all the way through the O l d Te s t a m e n t t h a t t h e f a m i l y w a s h o w G o d would pass on his truths from generation to generation. Most notably in Deuteronomy where Moses is relinquishing his leadership after leading the Israelites through the desert for forty years and just prior to making it to the promised land. In his farewell speech he offers this advice in his closing remarks:
“ H e a r, O I s r e a l : T h e L o r d o u r G o d , t h e L o r d is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and will all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress t h e m o n y o u r c h i l d r e n . Ta l k a b o u t t h e m w h e n you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get u p . Ti e t h e m a s s y m b o l s o n y o u r h a n d s a n d bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.” I think sometimes we as parents convince ourselves that we are inadequate in the area of the spiritual development of our kids and we tend to take a more passive approach, even as much as relying on others to raise our children spiritually for us. We take them to church and hope they teach them w h a t t h e y n e e d t o k n o w. We s e n d t h e m t o Christian schools thinking surely that will be enough. Both of these options are great, but it doesn’t replace the job of the primary spiritual leader…mom and dad. If you’re like many parents this can be very overwhelming, and I understand. But, let me encourage you by giving you a few practical ideas. First, let me say that I think parents would be very surprised at how far a little spiritual
leading will go. In other words, instead of trying to teach a sermon or lead a nightly B i b l e s t u d y, l o o k f o r s m a l l o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o say something that may trigger a longer conversation. For example, last week while taking 10 and 7 years old boys to school we passed by an accident that looked to be pretty serious. As we drove by I simply said to the boys that we needed to pray for the people involved in that accident. I paused to see what they would say and sure enough my seven year old said, “Well, are you going to pray?” That started a long conversation on w h o w e s h o u l d p r a y f o r, a n d w h a t s h o u l d w e pray about. Was it a dad? We should pray for his wife and kids. Maybe pray for his peers at work that would have to take up some slack for him missing work. Was it a mom? We should pray for the dad who will have to rearrange his schedule while mom is recovering. Yo u c a n s e e h o w f a r t h a t o n e c o m m e n t c o u l d go. But, the point is, a simple statement from m e c a u s e d a g r e a t c o n v e r s a t i o n o n p r a y e r. I hope that my kids are beginning to unders t a n d p r a y e r a n d w h y i t ’s i m p o r t a n t a n d h o w we should do it. This conversation was one
of many over the years that we’ve had to r e i n f o r c e t h e v a l u e o f p r a y e r. I have worked with teenagers for a very long t i m e n o w, b e l i e v e m e w h e n I s a y t h a t t h e y aren’t so concerned about how much you k n o w, t h e o l o g i c a l l y s p e a k i n g . W h a t i s m o r e important is that they see you and I notice everyday circumstances from the perspective of someone who is following Jesus. A wise person once said, “More is caught than taught.” I would suggest that the way parents live is some of the best teaching there is, but we still must use words to correct, c h a l l e n g e , a n d g i v e c l a r i t y. As for feeling inadequate, we as parents must continue to pursue biblical knowledge and a more intimate relationship with our h e a v e n l y F a t h e r. B u t , w e c a n ’ t w a i t u n t i l w e feel “spiritual” enough to lead our children. Making an impact in OKC begins with parents like you and like me. Will you look for daily opportunities to teach spiritual lessons by starting simple conversations around everyday situations? This generation is desperate for it!
MAN UP
Youth for Christ | Northeast Oklahoma City by M a r k u s Ja ck s o n Imagine a gathering of twenty young men from NE OKC, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and a local youth pastor. What a combination, right? That is exactly what was organized when one local community decided to challenge at-risk high school age young men to...Man Up! The F.A.C.T program, run by the OCPD, Youth For Christ (YFC), which includes youth pastor Marcus Jackson who is also affiliated with Amped East Side Youth Group are three different organizations of Oklahoma City’s North East community. These three organizations joined in an initiative, which had a single purpose. The goal of the “Man Up” initiative was to challenge all participants to analyze or redefine their current perspective on what it means to be a man in today’s society. This event sought to promote each member to become future leaders of there own community. The Man Up event took place on a Friday night and carried over until the Saturday of New Year’s Eve afternoon. Twenty young men, deemed at-risk, were selected to stay overnight in a facility with a team of all-male volunteer mentors. In this closed
environment the mentors had the young men’s full attention as they shared what it means to Man Up. The Lock-In was comprised of fun activities as well as character lessons from a newly released Christian rap CD and Short movie called “MAN UP.” This short film addresses the current condition of male role models in the inner city community. This film highlighted Christian values that support true manhood such as: integrity, confidence, self-control, courage, humility, authority, commitment, responsibility, and compassion. These twenty young men were encouraged and motivated to live a life that exemplifies the characteristics of Jesus Christ, and were presented with a clear message of the fact that they were made by a God who loves them and that has a purpose and a plan for each of their lives.
I M PAC T O K C by Chelsie Bowman
WHILE PRAYING
for the 2011-2012 school year at Hefner Middle School, I wanted nothing more than to connect with students and help empower them to become influencers on their campus and in their world. My prayer has always been to invest in students and help them see that they are loved, cared for and have the ability to make a difference in the name of Jesus. I have a solid group of students that I meet with on an almost daily basis. I asked these students at one point to write down something they want to gain from campus life (our weekly group meeting) this year. After reading their responses, most of them said they wanted to learn how to make a difference, how to see lives change, and how they can be an example to their peers. To give you some background, some of these students grew up going to church, while others did not. Some of them come from families who have Kingdom-minded values, while others come from broken families. I have a very diverse set of students within my group and each student is unique in their own way. However, each student that I interact with has one common goal: learn how to make a difference for the kingdom of God. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with a few of my students and just talk to them about what they’re learning. Here is what they had to say:
How has Campus Life impacted your life? Campus life has made a difference in our lives by allowing us to see the good in others. It has allowed us to see that God loves all people, not just Christians. Campus Life has also allowed us to see that God is always there for us. Instead of turning to things that are not from God, we turn to him. We find love, satisfaction, grace and joy through him. These are some of the things Campus Life has taught us.
How has Campus Life helped you to have the courage to reach your friends for Christ? It is good to know that there are other friends on our campus that have the same mission, to make a difference in the name of Jesus. We are encouraged and supported not just by our Campus Life leaders, but from the students as well. We are a team, and we act as a team. It’s a good feeling to know that we are not alone.
Why do you think it is important to be students of influence? It is important to be a student of influence because as Christians, we are called to be Christ-like. Students of influence show others God’s love through our actions and how we should live our lives for God. We want to break the cycle of our friends believing that how people think of them isn’t who they need to be. They are more than what the world tells them they are. They are God’s Masterpiece. As students of influence, we want to shine our light and help our friends find a life in Jesus. Listening to these students each week, I have realized how critical it is to invest in this generation of students. We, as followers of Jesus, are called to make a difference in the lives of others for the Kingdom of God. Today, students are longing to be a part of something BIG and something that is life-changing. When students learn to invest in their world and trust God, they will make a difference for the Kingdom.
OKC IN TOP FIVE
For Gangs
In
2011, The Wallstreet Journal l i s t e d O K C a s o n e o f t h e To p 1 0 Best Places to Live in the US, due to “job growth, a renovation of convention, cultural and educational s i t e s . ” H o w e v e r, t h e u r b a n a r e a s o f o u r c i t y t e l l a m u c h d a r k e r s t o r y. A recent study by The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionlists the five cities with the highest gang mortality rate to be: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Newark, and a surprising candidate for the list–Oklahoma In 2011, The Wallstreet Journal listed OKC a s o n e o f t h e To p 1 0 B e s t P l a c e s t o L i v e i n the US, due to “job growth, a renovation of convention, cultural and educational sites.” H o w e v e r, t h e u r b a n a r e a s o f o u r c i t y t e l l a m u c h d a r k e r s t o r y. A recent study by The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionlists the five cities with the highest gang mortality rate to be: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Newark, and a surprising candidate for the list–Oklah o m a C i t y. Although the results of this study have shocked many residents of the growing city of OKC, it comes as no surprise to us at all. In our campus programs in over 30 schools in the greater OKC area, we see the results
o f g a n g v i o l e n c e e v e r y d a y. W h a t m a k e s i t important to us is that every life lost in our p r o g r a m s h a s a n a m e . A f a m i l y. A f u t u r e . That was cut short by something that we could have prevented. One of those names is Derrick. In a recent interview at one of our summer camps, Derrick cited YFC as being the only reason he didn’t end up in a gang despite all of his friends doing exactly that. However he didn’t refer to our organization, our curricul u m , o r o u r. systems. He referred to us by name: Marcus. Marcus is the Campus Pastor at his school that made all the difference in his life. He was there when his mother died, when his family couldn’t pay the bills, and g o t t h e f u n e r a l p a i d f o r. H e w a s t h e o n e t h a t introduced him to Jesus, taught him to be an entrepreneur and start his own business, rewarded him for his grades and has him on t r a c k t o g o t o c o l l e g e n e x t y e a r. O u r d o z e n s of Campus Pastors build relationships like t h i s e v e r y d a y. We also know that a change like that of Derr i c k ’s a n d t h o u s a n d s o f o t h e r s p e c i f i c s t u dents in our city could not happen if we did not go to them. Due to lack of transportation and parental involvement, the only way that most students are able to participate in our programs is if they take place at their own
th
school campuses during lunch. The majority of our students are part of a free lunch program in their schools, and for many of them, meals at school are the best they will eat t h a t d a y. F o r t h i s r e a s o n , w e h a v e f o u n d i t necessary to provide the pizza at no cost to the students. Although we delight in the overwhelming participation of students in our programs (to the point that we often have to turn overflow students away), the cost of providing pizza to thousands of students every week can be absorbent. For each school, we provide a Campus Pastor and enough pizza to begin a YFC Impact Leadership Program. These costs total approximately $700/month. Every dollar that you give to YFC/OKC has a name attached to it. We will connect your donation directly to a specific Campus Pastor and/or pizza at a specific school in OKC that will provide you with the incredible stories of rapid life-change on a weekly basis. Donations of any amount make a major difference in OKC.
For more stories, videos, and photos of students being changed by YFC Impact Prog r a m s , y o u c a n v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e a t w w w. yfcokc.org. Click on “Impact Programs” on our website for up-to-the-minute updates of changes being made in our city in our four areas: North/East, West, South, and Suburban OKC. To m a k e a n o n l i n e d o n a t i o n , p l e a s e v i s i t w w w. y f c o k c . o r g / d o n a t e . To f i n d o u t m o r e a b o u t t h e Y F C I m p a c t P r o g r a m s i n y o u r a r e a , v i s i t w w w. y f c o k c . o r g . o r get up-to-the minute updates below: W e s t O K C : [ b l o g ] w w w. y f c o k c w e s t . t u m b l r. com [twitter] @yfcokcwest S o u t h O K C : [ b l o g ] w w w. y f c o k c s o u t h . t u m b l r. com [twitter] @yfcokcsouth N o r t h / E a s t O K C : [ b l o g ] w w w. y f c o k c n e . t u m b l r. c o m [ t w i t t e r ] @ y f c o k c n e
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