DETROIT COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The Bezalel Project - a free after-school and summer program providing positive relationships, literacy support and dynamic arts programming to holistically empower Detroit youth between the ages of 8 and 13. To ensure social distancing precautions could be taken, the program was altered to run 5 days a week for a 2 hour session, with each session only serving 2 households at a time. During the summer, Bezalel becomes a day-camp, running 3 days a week for 5 hours each day. During our time with our youth, we provide academic tutoring and use arts, games, music, and drama as a means to encourage our youth to express themselves in healthy ways. This schoolyear, we are currently working with 18 kids in our neighborhood, and have in years past worked with around 25 students during the summer months.

The Plug - a community through which High School students in Detroit are accompanied through the complexities of their lives, receiving connections to both vital community resources and the eternal hope of the Gospel. Staff members meet with High Schoolers in small-group settings, providing them with the chance to share openly about the struggles they may face, and to receive the encouragement and help they need. Once per week, all participants meet together to play games, and listen to talks and engage in relevant group discussion. A key piece of our work is assisting our youth in navigating and gaining access to the many resources that may be available to them. Examples include connecting our youth to food banks, shelters, financial health seminars/workshops, mental health professionals, primary care physicians, tutoring services, and literacy support. Approximate number of youth served: 25.