4 Areas of Community Impact
Neighbors at Work
Neighborhood Family Services
Neighborhood Spiritual Development
Education for Life
All of our programs at Neighborhood Ministries seek to help transform our community through at least one of our four Areas of Impact. There is a place for everyone to belong, grow, and thrive at Neighborhood Ministries. Read about each of our programs below to discover what resonates with you, and how you may want to be a part of our mission to be the presence of Jesus Christ, sharing his life-transforming hope, love, and power among our neighbors in urban Phoenix.
El Mercado Thrift Store
AREA OF IMPACT: neighbors-at-work
The El Mercado Thrift Store is a great place to shop for one-of-a-kind treasures. Our on-site store sells new and used clothes, shoes, electronics, kitchen utensils, furniture, and other home goods.
Not only does the thrift store provide job training for Neighborhood Ministries, but it also provides much needed items for families in the community. Parents of youth in our programs volunteer each week, earning credit to purchase items at the thrift store.
HOURS:
Monday, Thursday, Friday
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Director(s): Juan Cordero
Food Bank
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-family-services
Another Neighborhood Ministries program fulfilling our mission is our Food Bank. The food provided is available to anyone in the community who is experiencing the need. The cycle of poverty is a powerful negative spiral that is difficult to break. Removing a small amount of stress from families inability to provide healthy, good quality food items helps break that cycle. The food bank continues to be a resource for our community when families or individuals are unable to purchase sufficient food, whether they return monthly or periodically throughout the year.
FOOD BANK HOURS
Fridays 8:00am – 11:00am, DRIVE THRU DISTRIBUTION
Director: Phillip Williams
- Director(s): Phillip Williams (Food Bank)
Healing Journeys
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-spiritual-development
The Healing Journeys for Women program assists women in dealing with emotional and social development. This is part of our “Neighbors at Work” program, which walks alongside all job seekers and guides them through the steps of employment.
- Director(s): Manuela Sheehan, Maria Moreno “Candy”
Katy’s Kids Preschool
AREA OF IMPACT: education-for-life
Katy’s Kids Preschool serves 3 – 5 year olds. Their primary goal is preparing these students to be kindergarten ready. This includes the areas of social, emotional and physical growth in these young children. Our preschool focuses on cognitive progress, literacy and writing proficiency. Our preschool is made up of two classrooms serving a total of 30 children. Monday through Friday, these children are exposed to activities and learning that develop their brains, including science, mathematics, reading, creative play, art, and other initiatives. Our warm, flexible environment fosters wonder, curiosity and life long learning.
Impacting our community means developing a foundation for a lifetime of learning. This is a profound impact within our community where there is the greatest need. We want to make sure that children are kindergarten ready for free or for a very affordable cost. We develop a relationship with each child and family that lasts beyond preschool.
- Director(s): Lenny Reel
Kids Camp
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-spiritual-development
For one special week each year, we conduct Kids Camp in Payson, Arizona. It is a one-week camp for our 5th-7th graders. It takes place in late July each year, from Sunday through Friday.
- Director(s): Sandra Valdez
Kids Club
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-spiritual-development
Kids Club is a two-week, summer day camp held on the Neighborhood Ministries campus. We host hundreds of kids from the community to participate in this life changing experience. It takes place in late June each year, Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m each day.
- Director(s): Sandra Valdez
Kids Life
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-spiritual-development
Kids Life has been instrumental in giving countless children their first opportunity of living a life of hope and significance. In fact, it is the primary way children and families become involved with Neighborhood Ministries. Kid’s Life runs from September through April every year. All activities take place at 1929 W. Fillmore from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
- Director(s): Sandra Valdez
Mercy Minds
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-family-services
People caught in the cycle of poverty and abuse are affected and often damaged by the effects of these situations. This can lead to mental health issues that impair their ability to function in daily life. We hope to provide opportunities for healing and growth in people’s lives.
Mercy Minds is an alliance of mental health professionals committed to offering Christ-centered behavioral health services to individuals and families. We provide resources and compassionate care in order to facilitate wholeness and emotional health to the underserved in our community.
Download our brochure for additional info HERE.
- Director(s): Jan Hamilton, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Nueva Esperanza
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-family-services
Want to help? We need compassionate and loving temporary homes to foster children who are unaccompanied
Contact us today to learn about the financial resources available to our foster families as they care for those in need.
Call with Questions (602) 899-9579
Email orr.fostering@nmphx.com
Nueva Esperanza is a new program of Neighborhood Ministries driven by the passage in Matthew 25 where Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
In partnership with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, children coming over the border unaccompanied are received with arms outstretched with love, meeting the basic needs of food and clothing, safety, education, housing, mental health, and medical services through a day center at NM, Home Care Service Providers and community partners. This program utilizes AZ licensed foster homes for short term care for the children.
View the Application
Parenting Por Vida
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-family-services
The primary emphasis of Parenting por Vida is to serve pregnant and parenting moms and dads from pregnancy through when their child reaches six months. In addition, part of the ministry program includes “Parent College” which focuses on parents with children older than 6 months. We’re specifically passionate about helping teen moms through pregnancy and parenting.
We provide education and support to encourage breastfeeding for baby’s first six months of life, increased bonding and attachment by both parents, and healthier birth outcomes with the provision of a doula and/or midwife.
Parenting por Vida has resulted in increased understanding of specific age children regarding brain development, developmental milestones, bonding and attachment, play as learning, communication, increase of positive interaction between parent and child. We also encourage increased positive communication between parents regarding how they parent and guide their children together. Additionally we provide access to necessary resources, education, and training.
We emphasize a significant relationship with God and growing in spiritual maturity. The result is healthier life choices and ultimately healthier families and communities.
- Director(s): Aida Jimenez–Uselton
Sueños Youth Center
AREA OF IMPACT: education-for-life
Embraced as you are, empowered to grow.
The Sueños Youth Center is designed for low-income, under-served 8th grade thru college aged students. We foster and shepherd developmental assets in our youth by showing the love of Jesus in a holistic and relational manner. In turn, we transform urban Phoenix by offering empowered youth who are confident in their identity and ability to make a positive change in not only Phoenix but the world.
This outreach is designed to provide academic support, positive peer activities, learning opportunities and spiritual development in a safe after-school environment.
A special emphasis is placed on developing “Emerging Leaders.” These youth seek not only to serve their community, but also to obtain financial stability and self-sufficiency. Focus is placed on community service (namely our K-7th grade children’s’ programs), education, civic engagement, social skills and job training.
Summer Internship: “Emerging Leaders” are able to apply for NM’s highly coveted summer internship positions in which they gain workforce experience and serve their community.
Our Jr Leader Program consists of our 8th grade students. We focus on developing social confidence and positive identity to help them thrive in the transition from middle school to high school spaces.
We want to see an increase in the developmental assets of the youth. These developmental assets, as defined by The Search Institute, include assets like support, empowerment, positive values, social competencies, positive identity and more.
- Director(s): Tania Lopez
Workforce Development
AREA OF IMPACT: neighbors-at-work
Through our Workforce Development program, we walk alongside job seekers and guide them through the steps of employment. We help them become aware of the skills and abilities necessary for their desired place of work. We help them establish realistic educational, employment, and personal goals that are fundamental to their success.
In addition, we help participants develop basic computer skills, such as using email, social media, and LinkedIn. We also assist in improving their professional, interpersonal and social skills, as well as helping them create a functional resume and setting a functional job search plan.
The end result is learning a strong work ethic that gives them the competitive edge to maintain meaningful employment.
- Director(s): Amelia Schofield