Neighborhood Outreach Works™

Compassion Advocacy Network’s Neighborhood Outreach Works™ N.O.W. initiative currently serves at-risk and high risk children living in the
inner-city neighborhoods of Norfolk.  These children range in age from 5 to 18.  They live in poverty and extreme poverty. Some of these children suffer from homelessness. Most of them suffer some degree of hunger (One eight year old was so excited because Mommy went grocery shopping
and now there was food in the house.)  Many of their families do not own a vehicle making going anywhere a great difficulty.  These children are bright, intelligent, hungry to learn and longing to experience the greater community, but unfortunately, because of budget cutbacks schools have all but eliminated field trips into the community and their families lack a vehicle. This has effectively isolated these children in very poor, high crime neighborhoods leaving them with a very narrow world view composed of their “hood”, their local gang and their school. 

Neighborhood Outreach Works™ takes these children on excursions into the community.  Each excursion is designed to build friendship relationships, broaden horizons and increase each child’s awareness of their own potential. We provide the transportation, admission fees and a meal.  These outings are essential to break the cycle of inner city neighborhood (‘hood’) isolationism, broaden the children’s experiences to include the greater community, and increase their awareness of their own potential. There is a big wide world out there full of opportunities.  We want these children to see and experience it!  We want these young people to know they can break the poverty cycle and do whatever they set their hearts to achieve.  It is a wonderful thing to watch the awe of the children when they go through one of our area tunnels for the first time (even though the tunnel is only two miles from their house), to see their excitement over the beauty of nature in the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, and to watch them attempt to bowl for the very first time.  These are all experiences so many of us take for granted, but without support from partners like you these children may never have the joy of experiencing them. 

$3,700 would supply these children’s admission fees, food, and fuel expenses for the upcoming school year.  Additional students join our program each month and our need for funds grows accordingly.  An additional $6,500 (includes registration fees and clothing needs) would help us meet our goal of sending as many under-privileged, at-risk and high risk youth to 2012 summer camps.  These camps need to be registered for within the next few months in order to guarantee each student a place in a camp.

One of the more difficult challenges faced by N.O.W. is getting the social behavior of the children up to a level conducive to outings.  Thanks to our partnership with a local church, the children have a patient and loving, multicultural environment in which to practice good social skills and qualify for field trips.

N.O.W. does more than field trips!  Thanks to supporters like you, N.O.W. gave out sixty-four backpacks full of school supplies to needy students for school year 2011/2012.  N.O.W. staff have acted as advocates for a student in court.  We have given out a few winter coats, shoes, food, and person hygiene items.  On one field trip each student received a beach towel.  Coming up soon, N.O.W. will begin an in-neighborhood Friday night kids program called “Double Dare” with an estimated cost of $200.00 each night.  Double Dare seeks to increase student’s awareness of their self-worth, their civic and community responsibilities, and to build mentoring relationships all while giving them a safe place to go on a Friday night.  We desire to have several of these in-neighborhood programs operating throughout the local area.

Neighborhood outreach works!  Your support makes it happen!  Give a little or a lot; every dollar counts!

Mrs. JanMarie Holzberger, Director Neighborhood Outreach Works™