Lynhurst Baptist Helps the Community

I am very blessed to be a part of Lynhurst Baptist Church. Lynhurst gives many people the opportunity to get back on their feet during tough times. Our church has a community center that offers a variety of programs to help people in the community when they are in need.

Restoring Lives West is a program that helps young teens who are homeless receive help in getting a job, finding a place to stay, and receiving food and clothing until they can provide for themselves. Another program that is also at the community center is the after school program that allows parents to send their children to low cost childcare after regular school hours, while they attend they receive help on their homework and have the opportunity to grow as a human being and a student. In the community center there is a resale shop that many people donate clothing, housewares, furniture, and electronics to. Every second Saturday of the month there is a sale and everything is .25, this sale helps out the community by allowing them to get gently used items for a low cost and raises money for our church.

Grocery stores around the community will give the community center food when they no longer can sell it and the community center gives it all away for free to those in need. There is also a shower at the center that they will allow homeless people to use to clean up, when they have no one else to turn to they come here.

This community center does a lot of great things for the community and for the people who volunteer there. I volunteered there a number of times and donated many items to the resale shop and it is very rewarding to know you are making someone's life better and the community a better place. This church is open to serving anyone who needs help and feels very blessed to be able to help people when they are in need.

I am attaching the link to the church and community center, if you know anyone who can utilize this please pass it along :)

http://www.lynhurstbaptist.org/

Mentors Can Help Children Bridge the Learning Gap

Once again, the Indianapolis Star's Our Children, Our City series is shedding light on challenges facing our young people. Below is an excerpt from Robert King's most recent article for the series. Read the full article: Challenges clear for School 61 kindergartners.

"This vast gulf of readiness for kindergarten was evident in children seated right next to each other in the same class.

SeNyah Bolden, a 5-year-old who showed up with an entourage -- her mom, grandma, grandpa, aunt and assorted siblings and cousins -- smiles readily and responds to her teacher's questions. In a congested room, she offers a pleasant "excuse me" to an adult in her path. She is glad to be here. She is a teacher's dream.

Next to her is a boy who showed up on the first day without anyone. He gave his name to the librarian and the principal, but his teacher could glean only a first initial and his last name. For the first three days, that's how he was known. He started making a name for himself in other ways.

On his first trip to the library, he wandered to the back of the room and started spinning in a chair. Unresponsive to the librarian, he earned a trip to the principal's office -- two hours into his school career.

It wouldn't be his last. By the end of his first week, the boy called a lunchroom worker a name that included the F-word and was reported by a bus driver for dangerously waving sticks around other kids at the bus stop.

Two children, as different as night and day, taking their first steps across life's tender little starting line. Though, clearly, not starting from the same place."


Photo credit: Alan Petersime / The Star