Recreation

With rising costs, cuts in government budgets, and nonprofits fiscally impacted by recessionary times, there is a growing lack of safe after-school sports programs, and other healthy recreational opportunities for young people who already experience insecurity in the face of drug and gang-related violence present in their schools. Congregations can, and do, provide safe places where youth can make friends with whom they can play without fear.

Game Day

Game Day brings children, youth and their young-at-heart parents all together to hang out, eat, and play every kind of board game imaginable. With lots of pot-lucked food food available, families from both church and neighborhood can share life together in a casual environment. In partnership with local game companies, the kids and adults compete with each other for custom-made trophies in friendly, organized tournaments.See the Photos

Grace Basketball Clinic

Grace Basketball Clinic, a week-long summer program run by experienced athletes from a local congregation, provides boys and girls with training in the fundamentals as well as the opportunity to develop specific skills. Open to all middle and high school kids, regardless of skill level, the clinic emphasizes the combination of hard work and good sportsmanship through group-based exercises, a week-ending tournament and, of course, the pizza celebration! See the Photos

City Kids After Care

The City Kids After Care program works in partnership with a congregation’s existing half-day summer camp program, so that those participants that have parents that work all day can continue playing, learning and building friendships with other kids and staff until they are picked up at day’s end. Kids have lunch, free play, trips to the nearby park, and special electives such as art or photography. See the Photos