See It: The Community being helped

The youth group at my church, Crab Orchard Missionary Baptist, seeks to "Know the One True God and make Him known" through our actions in the community. Over 15 years ago, the church took the initiative to take part in the Adopt-A-Highway program in West Virginia. In doing so, we agree to mow, decorate, or otherwise maintain a grassy median along a major roadway in our community. We aim to bring the Spirit of Jesus into the daily lives of our small community through providing religious surroundings. It is amazing how even a patch of grass can become a ministry! We have discovered that you reap that which you sow through efforts and dedication. Every year, our group of young people, brings the joy of Jesus Christ to all who pass by the median on a daily basis. Messages of hope are displayed on signs, patriotic flags are placed for Veteran's Day, vibrant flowers are planted and tended to during spring and summer, and a manger scene is proudly placed during the Christmas season. It is our hope that our simple "island" amidst the bustle of the highway might symbolize hope and salvation to those who have yet to discover such comforts in their lives. In order to keep this program going, we seek donations of flowers, flags, and other decorations from local businesses. With the help of this grant and local businesses, lives can be saved and we can continue to bring a simple moment of joy to Crab Orchard. It is my sincere hope that at some point someone will approach me and inform me that a simple sign and a patch of flowers brought them to our church and ultimately led to them accepting the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your consideration!

See It: The Community being helped

I am Nate Sweeny from Coleman, Michigan. I am the 15 and I am the Administrative Technician at our Youth Ministry. I am in charge of all of the technical equipment for or youth ministry. This includes Sound consoles, lighting effects, speakers, controllers, ect. I would like to get a grant to build on the sound ministry and get as many people being able to be a part of the sound team, thus giving the teens a reason to be at youth, instead of being somewhere doing drugs. This opportunity for the teens will also teach them leadership skills, and teach them how to run electonic equipment, as this skill is always going to be needed in life.

See It: The Community being helped

Christmas of 2006, it came to my awareness that not every family has a wonderful, present-filled Christmas. Some children go with out, some parents tell their kids Santa is sick this Christmas and won't be coming to their house. I have always had an amazing heart warming Christmas holiday and to know that there are millions of families out there, even in my neighborhood not experiencing the wonderful holidays broke my heart. I wanted to somehow bring Christmas to them so I formed a charity event called "The Giving Tree" through my church. We arranged to have a big breakfast with Santa one Saturday morning in December with a children's play of the nativity.
To prepare for the event I searched for families in need and made different tags with necessities and toys written on them for each family. I advertised with posters, announcements, and flyers that everyone who wanted to help would need to take as many "wish" tags (items needed for the families) off our tree, write on our log sheet which they took and buy the present, then bring it to the big Church breakfast. The Next week i noticed that all of the ornaments were taken I realized what a big success this was becoming I immediately made more; that meant, more for the families! My family took initiative to buy all remaining presents. When the day came, I couldn’t believe what a success it was. I was overwhelmed with joy that we had SO many presents. We loaded them in our cars and took them to my house. Through the next week I sorted the presents in their families, wrote gift tags and put them in bags. The day came that me and the young men and women of our church delivered our gifts. It was unfortunate that I couldn't be in 7 places at once and see every family, but I was able to bring presents to 2 of our families in need. One of which was a grandmother raising her granddaughter who earlier that year had a house fire, making it absolutely impossible to give her granddaughter everything she needed. To hear how grateful she was for what we had done touched my heart tremendously. We sang a couple of Christmas carols and were on our way back home, I knew this was something I wanted to do every year. This year i am starting a fundraiser called "20/20 for the New Year". Helping blind people in third world countries get caterac surgery to cure their eyesight. Seventy-five percent of people who are blind can be cured, ninety percent of those people live in third world countries. Through this organization called SEVA it will only cost fifty dollars for the surgery. I can't imagine changing somebody's life in such an incredible way.

See It: The Community being helped

For my community service project I volunteered for the Uppward Soccer progam at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, I met every Thurdays from 6pm-7pm with 8 first grade girls and taught them the basics of soccer, kickin, dribbling, shooting, rules..etc. Games where every Saturday, each girl would have an equal opprotunity to play and they will also rewared at the end for the best effort, best sportmanship, best deffense and best offense.

See It: The Community being helped

Jordan's Room was formed almost 11 years ago, with the loss of our daughter Jordan Ashley Dalton. Her age 11 years 5 months and 11 days here on earth. Jordan, at 10 1/2 had a chance to go to Guatemala, with Pat Robertson and his tours and she came home with a story that she couldn't get out of her young mind. She had met 150 little girls who were living in the mountains in tin shacks with no running water, electricity, no bathroom facilities or plumbing and all had lice in there hair. The Good news, was that these little girls life expectancy is 7 years longer in the mountains, than the children who live and die in the Guatemala dumps.After developing and sharing her pictures she said "Dad you make a lot of money why can't we help out all my new friends. I said, "we don't make that kind of money to help that many in need", but that we could maybe buy a few presents to send them. She looked at me and said "someday Dad" I'm going to help out all of my new friends. I told her I thought that was a great goal and didn't think to much more about the conversation. Within about 8 months, I found my precious daughter passed out dead on my bedroom floor from a brain aneurysm, and tried to save her for 45 minutes to no avail. During the funeral viewings, the Funeral Director came up to me and said that they had never seen so many flowers and had no place to put them and that the local flower companies had run out of flowers due to everybody's kindness. We asked in lieu of flowers, that they could make a donation to Perimeter Church Duluth Ga. and Dr. Alb, who traveled to the orphanage once a month to check on the little girls. We raised over $ 5,000 dollars and I thanked God for that my little babies prayers were finally answered. She could now help out all her new friends. I now really believed in the power of Prayer. Was I ever WRONG! The power of prayer hadn't stopped in Georgia, it was just starting although, I wasn't aware of the Miracle that was happening. I was working late about 6 months after our loss and the phone rang, it was my Father, he said, are you sitting down I said yes, he said there is a Church in Alabama, who had heard of Jordan's passing and a deacon there who was in the building business said he had many building materials and that he had other friends who also were willing to donate materials and within 2 months they had 7 container loads of building materials on there way to Guatemala and even the First Lady got involved and passed the containers right through customs. With out our knowledge they built a 150 room dormitory with running water, beds for all 150 girls and electricity and christened the dorm Jordan's Room. It has been 11 years and I haven't been able to see it yet, but I know there is much more help needed. If you don't believe in the Power Of Prayer, I hope this touches you to help continue Jordan's Dream.

See It: The Community being helped

While on a trip to Argentina last year, Blake had a vision to put shoes on children's feet around the world. To date, TOMS Shoes has given away 10,000 pairs to children in Argentina and is preparing to give 50,000 pairs in South Africa.

Style Your Sole is a great time for you and your friends to get together, express yourself through your own designs and support a good cause. Whether it is the theme of your party or a community building activity (youth group, sorority, birthday party), you and your friends are putting shoes on children’s feet somewhere around the world. Wear your originally designed TOMS and tell the story!

Parties may be held anywhere (not just California)!

See It: The Community being helped

My church sponsored a Hurricane Katrina Relief Site fund that was to get people to deliver clothing, food, toys etc.. to our church and we would deliver it to the people.

See It: The Community being helped

The PRAISE RECORDS is a registered non-profit business that allows music production available to those who cannot afford it, mainly in the Christian community, and all others welcomed too.
Using my equipment, I record artists from various places, including but not limited to, California, Kansas, Arizona, and accept donations. I will travel if necessary, or they may wish to record in my 'under construction' studio. I do not charge, but am willing to accept donations. I have put money out of my own pocket only for this project. I believe that everyone has the opportunity to expose their talent, and with my God-given abilities, I will help them. I strongly believe that if an individual is talented, he or she should be able to carry on the talent without seeking any stipend. That is why I enjoy music, and music production, and am willing to make the dreams of many artists come true.

See It: The Community being helped

Here is a description of my project taken directly from the Eagle Scout Project Workbook that has been approved:

For my Eagle Scout Service Project, I plan to do work at the Church of the Nazarene which is located in Lower Nazareth. Near the front entrance, I plan to make a large memorial garden. The church is relatively new and although there is minimal landscaping currently in this area the pastor thinks it will be a good area for a garden and gathering area. Some of the existing trees and shrubs will be utilized. Other low maintenance trees and/or bushes will be added. The entire area will be covered with decorative stone with a defined walking path and benches for relaxation and prayer. Finally a large cross will be erected as a focal point.

See It: The Community being helped

This will be a program to encourage young teens during high school years to know that all things are possible if they apply themselves and if they encourage themselves. Some kids have no self- confidence and that is why I plan to start a scholarship fund through my church for the next four years money will be raised for a high school graduate in the church so that they can become all that they want to be. We will make it happen...