CHRISTMAS SHOPPING SPREE!!

Every year some generous corporations give about 50 kids from our afterschool programs the chance to go shopping for their families!! The kids are given $13 each at a dollar store and are given a chance to pick out gifts for their family members. 50 kids, one dollar store...sorry to anyone who showed up to shop when we were there!! But the kids had a blast picking out everything from a pair a gloves fod dad to christmas plates and mugs for mom and grandmom.




After the kids shopped, we took them over to Rutgers where we wrapped all the presents and got some snacks, including pizza and soda! The Camden Riversharks mascot also joined us for the party!!



And then of course to wrap up the Christmas festivities, what better way to end it than a visit with santa!!





It was a great time to have the kids focus on someone else and to be able to give to others.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope you visit us again for more updates in the New Year!!

Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord!
Luke 2:11

WHERE ARE THEY NOW??

We'd like to know too!! There have been quite a few people that have come through the doors of Urban Promise. And we'd really like to know what you're up to now. Are you married? Any kids? Still in your hometown or have you moved completely to another part of the world?? Where exactly are you now??

If you could just spare a couple of minutes of your time to update us, we would be very appreciative. You can either respond on the comment section of this blog or Email me!

You could just leave us with your name, address, e-mail, what you're up to, are you married, have kids, ...maybe include your most embarrassing secret (like the fact that you do STILL listen to The New Kids on the Block!)--just kidding!!

Summer Interns 2005


This is a picture of our amazing group of interns from this past summer. Where will they be in a couple of years?? We look forward to finding out!!

TURKEY, TURKEY, TURKEY

Right before everyone took off to be with their loved ones for the Thanksgiving holidays, a few of our afterschool programs shared Thanksgiving meals with the kids and families involved in their programs. It was such a great opportunity to just hang out with the families, catch up with them, and to share a meal together! There's no better way to fellowship than over food!!

First up was the combined North and Downtown afterschool program dinner. Their dinner took place at the North site, which has an amazing cafeteria space for this kind of thing. The dinner was dedicated to Jevon Chestnut, a young person from Philadelphia who attended the Urban Promise summer camps while staying with family in Camden. Sadly, he was killed a few weeks before the dinner. As a way to honor him, there was a tribute given in his memory. Some family members and kids from the program stood up to share writings or poems in honor of Jevon. It was a great way to celebrate Jevon and his life with the kids that knew him.





The South afterschool program dinner was next. There were some technical obstacles with that one, as they could not use the kitchen at the South site! But the staff pulled together well to make the night a great success!




The last dinner for the Thanksgiving holiday was the Eastside afterschool program. Like the other dinners, it was filled with lots of kids, families, and good times!





Three amazing nights of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and all the trimming and the actual Thanksgiving day hadn't even hit yet!!!