Freedom For Youth Ministries

EMPOWERS YOUTH ACROSS IOWA, THROUGH THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST, TO BREAK OUT OF THEIR CURRENT CONDAGE, DISCOVER THEIR GOD-GIVEN TALENTS, AND LEAD TRANSFORMED LIVES.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS - OUR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS HAVE ATTRACTED OVER 300 AT-RISK YOUTH, INCLUDING OUR FLAGSHIP CAMPUS IN DES MOINES AND 4 ADDITIONAL METRO LOCATIONS. ELEMENTARY CHILDREN, MANY REFUGEES, ARE TUTORED ON-SITE BY VOLUNTEERS. OUR FOCUS IS ON READING WHERE WE TRACK READING LEVELS OF EACH STUDENT. OVER 90% OF OUR STUDENTS ENTER OUR PROGRAMS AT LEAST ONE YEAR BEHIND IN READING LEVELS. WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN INCREASING THE READING LEVEL OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. OUR TEENS ARE ACTIVE IN OUR PROGRAMS WHICH INCLUDE ART, POTTERY, COOKING, COMPUTERS, MUSIC, WELDING, WOODWORKING AND MECHANICS. YOUTH HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL ITEMS THEY HAVE MADE IN CLASSES AT OUR TEEN ARTS FEST. CRIME AND DROP-OUT RATES HAVE DECREASED AMONG OUR POPULATION SERVED. PROGRAMMING OCCURS 5 DAYS A WEEK ALL YEAR LONG AND OVER 23,000 MEALS ARE SERVED TO THE HUNGRY CHILDREN DURING PROGRAM.

EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS - FREEDOM FOR YOUTH MINISTRIES LAUNCHED A EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAM THROUGH A COMPANY CALLED FREEDOM BLEND COFFEE. YOUNG PEOPLE FROM OUR INNER-CITY WHO HAVE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL OR GRADUATED AND HAVE HAD TROUBLE HOLDING A JOB, ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN AND DEVELOP SOFT SKILLS, SUCH AS PUNCTUALITY, RESPECTING AUTHORITY, COMMUNICATING WITH CO-WORKERS AND CUSTOMERS, IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT OFFERS GRACE AND ENCOURAGEMENT. OVER A ONE TO TWO YEAR TRAINING PERIOD, PARTICIPANTS WILL EARN A COMPETITIVE WAGE AND GAIN THE CONFIDENCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN A FULL-TIME POSITION. OUR ORGANIZATION WILL WORK WITH OUTSIDE EMPLOYERS TO MATCH THEM WITH GRADUATES OF OUR PROGRAM. OUR LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO BREAK THE GENERATIONAL POVERTY CYCLE IN MANY FAMILIES BY PREPARING YOUNG PEOPLE FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT. IN 2020, THE ORGANIZATION OPENED ANOTHER EMPLOYMENT TRAINING CENTER, CALLED FREEDOM CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, LLC. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS SIMILAR TO FREEDOM BLEND COFFEE CONCERNING LEARNING SOFT-SKILLS. IN ADDITION, PARTICIPANTS ARE LEARNING ABOUT VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION TRADES THROUGH CLASS ROOM PRESENTATIONS, HANDS-ON TRAINING AND WORKING ON JOBS IN THE FIELD.BETWEEN THE TWO EMPLOYMENT TRAINING OPPORUNITIES, 8 STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAMS AND 5 MORE ARE SCHEDULED TO GRADUATE IN 2022, ALL WITH NEW JOBS PAYING COMPETITIVE WAGES WITH BENEFITS. THE POVERTY CYCLE IS BEING BROKEN IN MANY FAMILIES.

RURAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS - IN AN EFFORT TO REACH DISADVANTAGED YOUTH IN RURAL IOWA COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE LAUNCHED THE IOWA CHRISTIAN YOUTH NETWORK. LOCAL CHURCHES AND NON-PROFITS FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES CAN JOIN THE NETWORK WHERE THEY CAN GET SUPPORT FOR CURRICULUM, APPLICATIONS, VOLUNTEER TRAINING, ETC. ORGANIZATIONS UNDER THE NETWORK HAVE NO AFFILIATION TO FREEDOM FOR YOUTH MINISTRIES. THE MINISTRY DOES, HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO OPERATE PROGRAMS IN 4 RURAL COMMUNITIES AND 2 OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE DES MOINES METRO AREA.