Neighborhoods of Hope: The Plan

Neighborhoods of hope are springing up all over our community. A Neighborhood of Hope is a specific geographic area where hope is cultivated. Hope is cultivated through four strands of community outreach and transformation .

Compassion

Becoming part of neighborhood requires a high level of trust that is obtained by building relationships—-showing that we care. Showing compassion shows that we do care and that we take our biblical mandate seriously (love God and love others). At KUO we show compassion through:

Project E. A. T. (Everyone Ate Today) that includes: Food Pantries, Sunday Night Meals, Let’s Do Lunch Club, and Buddy Bags

Opportunity

Hope is cultivated in neighborhoods by providing opportunities for personal growth. Some opportunities that KUO offers in many of the neighborhoods include:

ArtReach provides children who may not have the opportunity to experience the fine arts.

Urban Impact’s mission is to provide families with the tools to become self sufficient (education, job training, business partnerships) or provide life skills.

Baby College provides those expecting a child or raising children, between the ages of 0-5 with the information and support necessary to bring up happy and healthy children who enter school ready to learn.

Sidewalk Sunday School is a unique way to bring the message of Christ (love God and love others) to the streets of Kokomo. Through songs, stories, prayers and games the love of Christ is experienced by children all over the city. What makes this program unique is that children are visited in their homes. We also use Sidewalk Sunday School as a way to reinforce reading, vocabulary and math. Note: we do not tie any service to religious education. We serve all people with no strings attached.

Partner with other Non-Profits in doing so we do not duplicate services and are able to tap into already available community resources. We have partnered with Bridges Outreach, Kokomo Rescue Mission, United Way 211, Family Service Association, Early Childhood Development Program, CAM, Gilead House, the Community Foundation, Girls and Boy Scouts, Leadership Kokomo, and over 50 area churches. When all the non-profits work together we are able to wrap-around families and whole neighborhoods to make a difference.

A Voice

Provide neighbors in the neighborhood a voice in addressing their concerns. Provide a venue where hopes and dreams of a neighborhood could be shared by residents.

Action Groups

Action Groups do just what they say, they take action. Neighborhood action groups work together addressing the concerns that are being voiced. By joining with others concerns are addressed.

Neighborhoods of Hope

How will we know we have arrived? We may never fully arrive, however every neighborhood should always be in a process of transforming.

Transforming neighborhoods thrive in a culture of hope. A culture of hope is built on compassion, provides opportunities for personal growth as well as identifies and responds to specific neighborhood challenges. Through that families are strengthen. As families are strengthened, as education becomes a priority and as neighborhood concerns are addressed, community transformation is inevitable.