By Luch Griffin
It’s easy to say that you want to answer the question of poverty in your city … much harder to actually do it.
Then there are those who are ready to get their hands dirty and attack it directly. This is not always the safest route … but definitely the most effective.
I am a part of the small percentage of the individuals who want to get their hands dirty.
After going to multiple Akron neighborhoods and talking with the youth and their families there, I have been able to gain a clear understanding of where in poverty they consider themselves. I never imagined that I would run across tons of kids who don’t have beds to sleep on, nor food to eat. We often take the little things for granted — a comfortable bed, a nice meal …
After seeing what many children’s home life is looking like in Akron, and realizing they don’t have the basic necessities to be successful in and/or out of school … I have decided to take action and make a change.
With support from community partners, I have created a program called Beds4Heads so we can purchase beds for those in need. This program has allowed me to work with tons of schools in the Akron community and assist the ones in the most need.
And I don’t give back for a return or for attention, the only expectation I have in this case is for the members in my community to smile.
Your support of South Street Ministries ensures new outreaches like Beds4Heads keeps caring for kids and their families — tangibly loving them the way Christ does!
By Joe Tucker
The book of Nehemiah holds a special place in the heart of every follower of Jesus who works to see neighborhoods restored … perhaps you know what I mean.
In that Old Testament text, Nehemiah visits his hometown, sees the city in shambles, prays, and beseeches the government of his time to intervene with supplies. What follows is an amazing community development account of the walls of a city being restored — with the people being restored along the way!
At South Street Ministries, we believe in the restoration of community, economy, and faith … and 2023 has already been full of renovation projects!
- We have seen advancement on Restoration House, across the street from The Front Porch, with new walls, fresh paint, and flooring to come soon.
- In addition, another project has been steadily moving along: renovations at The Front Porch Fellowship, located at 1095 Edison Avenue, the site of RICH Kids EnRICHment program. The South Street Youth team desired to make this site more of a warm place for the children engaged in RICH Kids, so new bathrooms, new carpet, and new doors have been in motion at this community church — where Pastor Crabbs and The Front Porch Fellowship still gather for open worship every Sunday at 11.
Like Nehemiah and the many others rebuilding the walls, the restoration of place begets the restoration of faith!
For the youth, for the community, and for the church fellowship, these projects bring a life and a light that points to God.
As the work progresses and as ministry manifests, I am excited to share updates as we go.
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for serving.
Thank you for praying.
Thank you for supporting.
God is good! In the daily surrender of a recovery meeting, in the gathering of youth to read, play, and grow, and in the many moments and ministries throughout South Street, that goodness is known …
And your partnership — past, present, and future — keeps the goodness going. Thank you for giving to invest in the work South Street is doing in South Akron and Summit Lake.
By Jocelyn Grant
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
―Charles Dickens
In the middle of the Fall 2022 semester, I looked at the seemingly war-torn backpack of one of my students, and a sweatshirt that doubled as a coat. I decided South Street needed to find a way to support families and teachers who were met with challenges as the seasons changed. Inflation is just one of the issues that have touched us all on any side of the poverty line.
I suggested in an administrative meeting that we should plan a mid-school year giveaway. With the direct support of my co-workers Shawn Bonner and Riley Alchier, we started planning and making phone calls. My aspiration was to bring new volunteers and donors in to partner with South Street for this inaugural giveaway, and to embrace our community neighbors in a fresh way.
With the help of old and new partners, we were able to do just that. As word spread, new volunteers and donors seemed to stream in from all directions — so did coats, hats, socks, backpacks, school supplies, clothes, blankets, and many other general necessities.
I was and still am completely floored at the outpouring of such generosity from our volunteers and supporters. No words can express my gratitude for your generosity. It means so much to me, but even more to those families whom we were able to help.
Not only were we able to provide a daily necessity — a coat (especially needed in northeast Ohio weather) — but we were able to give away school supplies. So many teachers use parts of their own salary to provide school supplies and learning materials for our students. My hope is that with this support, we were able to offset some of the costs community teachers usually incur.
A special thanks to Grace Church of Fairlawn, Just In Time Staffing, Sherri Bevan Walsh Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, Truly Reaching You, Akron NAACP, The REACH Center, Trish Rice of Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Goshen Interdenominational Church, Life Anew Behavioral Health, Corie Steinke of The University of Akron, Akron Parks Collaborative, and all our friends who donated to this cause.
We greatly appreciate your kindness! It will never be forgotten.
By Jocelyn Grant
The ripples of our lives don’t start with us, and they do not end with us. There is no question, at least in my mind, that I was sent to South Street to build, learn, and grow. Through prayer and hard work, this is what I have done.
However, before I was sent the job description for the positions of Education and Volunteer Director nearly five years ago, I had no idea that South Street existed. It was in my interviews that I came to believe that I should be here. And only after the Holy Spirit instructed me to stop applying to other places did I nervously accept that I should wait to hear back from the organization.
In less than two weeks, I was offered those titles at South Street, but it was my responsibility to create and curate those roles to best serve the organization and the community that surrounds it. I was the first to hold either of these two directorial positions. With the support of leadership, I created the organizational functions of both roles.
During my time here, I have created one and managed four programs, rebranded and fortified the structures of existing programs, led organization-wide strategic planning for succession plans, created organizational policies and procedures, structured and tailored internships for dozens of area college students, partnered with area schools, programs, centers, universities, companies, agencies, the national park … onboarded and trained volunteers, youth workers, employees, and contractors, and led daily programs for students from Kindergarten to 12th grade.
For the past several years, I have employed almost everything I have ever learned about community projects and programs, having been a professional product of both S.T.E.P., a college-prep fellowship at The University of Akron, and Y.E.P.A.W., a bulwark of faith and the arts for youth. I’ve lived, served, and created youth programs from the inside out and am eternally grateful for my time to continue my 19 years of that work at South Street.
At this time I choose to pass the baton to successors for whom I prayed when I started at South Street. My desire was to be able to train and equip whomever God sent to take these roles to even greater heights. I believe that they will do just that.
My Bishop and father in ministry, Dr. Kenneth W. Paramore, taught me to serve my way out of each position to make room for my next assignment. I started with that outcome in mind, and that is what I believe I have done.
As for what is next, we shall see what God has already done. “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God…” (Gen. 45:8a).
By LaMarr Atchison
As the new Director of Reentry at South Street, I’d like to tell you the story of how I got here.
I was released from Greene Correctional Facility in August 2017. I didn’t know what I was going to do. But I had one plan: to stay out of prison.
When I got home, I was given two names of places to go — UMADAOP and South Street Ministries. When I got to South Street, I knew I had found my direction.
I found what comes after not going to prison. I found my purpose to help others in redirection, and I applied all I understood to that purpose. I volunteered about 40 hours a week toward redirection, but I lived redirection 24/7/365, so that what others saw as volunteering was me living my life — a life of being used to help others like me.
Through group facilitation and being directly impacted myself, I started to realize that resources weren’t enough to help us … we also needed healing mentally to truly live in redirection. So I invited mental health facilities to observe and participate in the next understanding of redirection mental health.
Minority Health was the first, then Portage Path followed. It turned out to be this dedication, love, and purpose that took me from volunteering to now being the Director of Redirection/Reentry through your support, encouragement, and love. I now live my purpose.
With my direction and vision and the support and commitment of South Street, we hope to help more people change their lives and circumstances.
My friend Marcelle always says while leading Reentry meetings: “You need somebody who has been through the maze to help you find the way out.”
He also knows this truth firsthand: “I was in the maze for a long time before I found my way out of it. That’s how I know everyone in this room can leave the maze. If I did it, then you can too … I’m standing here because there is hope.”
Thanks to the faithfulness of partners like you, the South Street Reentry team and I can make sure returning citizens have the chance they all deserve … and the hope that comes with it!
Open Gym is back!
Every Thursday evening, the South Street team hoops with some of our teens and young adults. The format is simple — our time together includes a meal, a speaker, sharing time, and then some intense basketball!
One of the easiest ways you can support this program is by providing a meal for the 20-30 Open Gym participants we welcome each week. Would you or your small group consider preparing a meal for Open Gym this year?
To sign up and schedule a meal, please contact Joe Tucker at joe@southstreetministries.org. Thank you for supporting our young people in this way!
OUR STORY
We are Daniel and Bridget, owners and operators of Porchlight Coffee Co.!
Coffee has been our passion and profession for years. We met at a coffee shop that Daniel worked at, worked at a different coffee shop together, got engaged at that same coffee shop, had a full espresso bar at our wedding, and even honeymooned on a coffee farm! We’ve dreamt for years of owning a shop, and in November 2021 the opportunity presented itself.
Our friends and business partners had heard that South Street was looking for a new direction for the space that was the former Front Porch Cafe. After hearing them talk about South Street, The Front Porch, and everything that the ministry has done to impact the community, we knew this opportunity was from the Lord — and felt strongly that God was calling us to take this next step as business owners.
We spent the first part of 2022 redesigning the space and determining the vision for Porchlight. Our mission was to create an open and inviting space, allowing for people of all walks of life to feel welcome and loved.
We are so thankful for the relationships we’ve built with our customers, our employees, and with South Street.
OUR OFFERINGS
We source our coffee from One Line Coffee in Columbus. We chose this supplier not only for the high quality and amazing taste of their product, but because they have direct trade relationships with the farms they source their coffee from — meaning they actually visit the farms and have relationships with the farmers!
This ensures the coffee we serve is ethically sourced, and the farmers receive fair pay.
We think it’s some of the best coffee we’ve ever had, and our customers agree!
Since we’ve opened, we have added a curated breakfast and lunch menu, with our breakfast sandwich being our most popular item. We’ve continued to develop our drink menu as well, making our flavored syrups in house, and always striving to offer unique, well-crafted beverages.
Our signature drink is the Cafe Miel — a honey and cinnamon latte made with Akron Honey Co. Raw Wildflower Honey.
We have some awesome plans for Porchlight in 2023, and we hope you’ll come try us out! In fact, use the coupon here to receive a free drip coffee when you purchase a breakfast or lunch item!
Your prayerful support of South Street Ministries makes caring, compassionate Kingdom work possible.
It is your generous giving that keeps us walking alongside children, families, and neighbors who need hope. Together, we’re making an impact alongside you to renew our community for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Thank you, and God bless you!