Attack Poverty

TO STRENGTHEN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES THROUGH SPIRITUAL GROWTH, EDUCATION, REVITALIZATION, AND BASIC NEEDS

DISASTER RECOVERY DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO SEVERAL WEATHER RELATED DISASTERS, INCLUDING HURRICANES AND A WINTER STORM AND WITH THE HELP OF 140 UNIQUE VOLUNTEERS SERVING 1,278 HOURS COMPLETED HOME REPAIRS FOR 111 HOMES, IMPACTING 306 INDIVIDUALS.

OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, MERCY GOODS, CONTINUES TO GROW AND HELP TEENS STAY IN SCHOOL WHILE LEARNING A TRADE. THE RETAIL SHOP SOLD 2,805 ITEMS AND SERVED 1,050 CUSTOMERS- 71% NEW CUSTOMERS, 29% RETURNING CUSTOMERS.

WE ARE A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES LOCALLY, ADOPTING POCKETS OF POVERTY AND LAUNCHING WHAT WE CALL 'FRIENDS LOCATIONS'. THESE COMMUNITIES ARE LONG TERM COMMITMENTS THAT REQUIRE MUTUAL RELATIONSHIPS AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES, RESIDENTS, AND STAKEHOLDERS COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION. OVERALL WE WORKED WITH 3,107 UNIQUE VOLUNTEERS SERVING 15,840 VOLUNTEER HOURS, IMPACTING 91,255 INDIVIDUALS. OVER 2,400 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS WHERE CHILDREN MAKE UP 58% OF PARTICIPANTS. WOMEN MAKE UP 86% OF PARTICIPANTS IN ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS (ESL, GED PREP, ADULT AND FINANCIAL LITERACY, TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOPS). 59% OF ADULTS IMPROVED ONE OR MORE LEVELS IN ESL CLASSES. BEFORE COVID, RUSHERE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL HAD 125 CHILDREN; DURING COVID THERE WAS A MUCH SMALLER FOOTPRINT; CREATIVELY, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO MEET IN SMALL GROUPS UNDER TREES TO CONTINUE THEIR LEARNING. WE MAINTAINED A 1:2 VOLUNTEER TO STUDENT RATIO IN OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. THIS YEAR, WE ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING: 80% OF STUDENTS IMPROVED OR MAINTAINED PASSING GRADES, 24% OF STUDENTS IMPROVED THEIR READING LEVEL BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AND 98% WERE PROMOTED TO THE NEXT GRADE. ADDITIONALLY, 240 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN SUMMER PROGRAMS (DOMESTIC) AND 180 PARTICIPATED IN SUMMER CAMP IN AN IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY IN EAST ASIA. WE ADDRESSED SPIRITUAL GROWTH THROUGH, COMMUNITY PRAYER WALKS, BIBLE STUDIES, THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS AND OTHER HOLIDAY FAMILY EVENTS, EVANGELIZING, PRAYING AND CARING FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, CHURCH SERVICES, BAPTISMS, PROVIDING TRAINING FOR PASTORS, LAUNCHING 2 NEW CHURCHES, AND THROUGH OUR ANNUAL MISSION WEEK. WE HAD 1,770 PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPATE IN KIDS CAMP, ADULT HANGOUT, SPORTS CAMP, AND PRAYING WITH THOSE RECEIVING FOOD DURING A DISTRIBUTION. COVID-19 RESPONSE MADE UP A LARGE PORTION OF PEOPLE SERVED. 64,944 INDIVIDUALS WERE PROVIDED WITH BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, WATER, PPE, AND COVID VACCINES (2,455). 58% OF THOSE SERVED WERE ADULTS, 42% WERE CHILDREN. TEXAS WINTER STORM URI WAS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES. OVER 13,500 INDIVIDUALS WERE PROVIDED WITH RESOURCES, INCLUDING FOOD, WATER, BLANKETS, COTS, AND SHELTER. OTHER INITIATIVES INCLUDED HELP FOR THE HOMELESS, FLU VACCINES, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.