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(s): Samuel Solis (Food Bank Coordinator)
General Workforce Program
AREA OF IMPACT: neighbors-at-work
General Workforce serves individuals with a focus on increasing household income and skills development. Services span from in-depth, wrap around support and guidance to those who need light preparation to obtain employment.
For more information, contact Amelia at amelia.schofield@nmphx.com
- Director(s): Amelia Schofield
Healing Journeys
AREA OF IMPACT: neighbors-at-work
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.
For more information, contact Maria at maria.moreno@nmphx.com
- Director(s): Maria Moreno
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
Level Up Workforce Program
AREA OF IMPACT: neighbors-at-work
Funded by the Department of Labor – WIOA Title I-B program and Arizona@Work City of Phoenix youth provider, a partner of the American Job Center Network, Level Up workforce programs serves youth ages 16-24. Level Up workforce program supports individuals in overcoming barriers as they achieve education and career goals. Youth enrolled in the program work with a case manager to determine an individual with unique goals within target sector career pathways.
Many opportunities are offered through the Level Up Workforce Program including motivating coaching, occupational training, paid work experiences and assistance with tuition, books, supplies and other supportive services.
- Director(s): Amelia Schofield
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
Neighborhood Ministries Church
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-spiritual-development
This past year, we celebrated 40 years of God’s faithfulness in our community. We are witness to his Hope, Love, and Power transforming people’s lives from all walks of life.
2022 was a year that brought many challenges but with those challenges comes learning and growth. Being part of the body of Christ means we are connected to one another. Being connected means that we are present with each other and are part of each other’s lives.
These connections and relationships happen when we gather for worship, when we get together to celebrate weddings, quinceañeras, birthdays, baby dedications, when we are present at funerals mourning together, when we advocate for our community, in other words when we show up.
For more information, contact Pastor Jimy at jimy.martinez@nmphx.com
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
For more information visit foster.nmphx.com
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
SNAP CAN Workforce Program
AREA OF IMPACT: neighbors-at-work
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Career Advancement Network (also known as SNAP CAN) is a voluntary program for participants 16 years and older at no cost when receiving Nutrition Assistance benefits that helps participants gain skills and enter or move up in the workforce. SNAP CAN may help remove barriers to participating in the program or gaining employment through services including job readiness, job search, job placement and supportive services.
For more information, contact Maria at maria.moreno@nmphx.com
- Director(s): Maria Moreno
SNAP/AHCCCS Assistance
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-family-services
This program provides assistance with SNAP/AHCCCS applications.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nutrition Assistance provides eligible households with monthly benefits they can use to purchase nutritious food. By helping families fight food insecurity and meet one of their fundamental needs, they can focus on overcoming barriers to self-sufficiency.
Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is Arizona’s Medicaid agency that offers health care programs to serve Arizona residents. Individuals and families must meet certain income and other requirements to obtain services.
Sueños Youth Center
AREA OF IMPACT: education-for-life
Embraced as you are, empowered to grow.
Sueños Youth Center offers a variety of opportunities for junior high and high school youth to grow and develop as leaders for tomorrow.
For personal growth, Sueños allows students access to computers to explore coding, do research for homework assignments, practice gaming for competition, tutoring and more.
To challenge and support our junior high and high school youth to engage with the community, our youth registered people to vote with the Get Out to Vote campaigns, and knocked on doors to bring awareness of the light rail extension and its potential impact on the community.
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.
This is just a small sample of the many ways Neighborhood Ministries impacts young lives through Sueños Youth Center.
- Director(s): Tania Lopez
The Training HUB
AREA OF IMPACT: neighborhood-spiritual-development
In 2022, the Training HUB at NM was a driver for staff training and organizational culture development.
The HUB is tasked with helping Neighborhood Ministries stay “on mission” by training staff in the 10 Missional Core Values that have shaped the organization for the last 40 years. The HUB also trains and equips staff to provide excellent service delivery to the many people in our care.
For more information, contact Chris at chris.williams@nmphx.com
- Director(s): Chris Williams
Wayne & Kit Scholarship
AREA OF IMPACT: education-for-life
The Wayne & Kit Danley Scholarship was established in 2007. The intent of this scholarship is to “Break the Cycle of Poverty and Building a Cycle of Love & Hope” by being the first in their family to earn a college degree!
The Wayne & Kit Danley Scholarship fund provides college scholarships to first-generation youth who have grown up participating in Neighborhood Ministries programs. Scholarship recipients receive support and accountability to achieve their collegiate goals, ensuring their post-secondary success.
The Wayne & Kit Danley Scholarship fund provides college scholarships to first-generation youth who have grown up participating in Neighborhood Ministries programs. Scholarship recipients receive support and accountability to achieve their collegiate goals, ensuring their post-secondary success.
This past year, we launched the Wayne & Kit Danley Scholarship $500,000 Endowment Match. Our goal is to raise $500,000 — to be matched dollar-for-dollar — building the endowment’s inauguration to $1 million.
For more information contact Alfonso Vasquez at alfonso.vazquez@nmphx.com