Twenty-one years ago, while Pastoring at 1st Christian Church of Lynwood,
we took a serious look at a changing world. We discovered
a community suffering profound, agonizing needs; a
community ravaged by gangs, drugs and violence. We
asked how we could use the resources of our congregation
to impact the downward spiral of our community. The
answer was to create, in partnership with the City
of Lynwood, the first Project IMPACT
Center at 1st Christian.
All
of us at Project IMPACT
are inspired by faith to engage in practical action.
We believe that communities can and will reduce levels
of violence through self and community empowerment.
To that end, Project IMPACT
leaders and staff develop and put into practice processes
that enable individuals to take action to control
and improve their lives.
Through
programs such as Juvenile Diversion Counseling, School
Drop-out Prevention, Job Training and Placement, Parent
Education and Mentor programs designed to bridge "at-risk"
youth and their families into the local Church, we
have witnessed a remarkable transformation of lives
and families.
The
results have been truly convincing that "God
is Able!" "As a result of Project IMPACT's
Truancy Prevention Program," according to the
Dayton (OH) Metropolitan Housing Authority, "DMHA
residents have shown a 64% increase in the school
attendance of youth [and] an 86% increase in participation
and communication skills between parent and child".
DeKalb County (GA) Juvenile Courts report an 89% success
rate in keeping children referred by the Court to
Project IMPACT
from repeating offenses (the national average is 55%
success). The Lynwood (CA) Sheriff's Office credits
Project IMPACT's
"Tree of Life" Job Training and Placement
program with reducing juvenile crime in that city
by 21% in this, its first year. Reduction in crime,
the rebuilding of families and the reclaiming of lives
into the faith community created a demand for establishing
IMPACT
Centers throughout the United States.
Today,
Project IMPACT
has developed tremendously effective centers operating
from local churches across our nation. Many more centers
are under development and the demand for more IMPACT
Centers grows each month.
The
level of violence in our communities is increasing
daily. Our youth are looking for hope, for meaning,
for solutions. The time to act is now!
But
no one can do it alone. Project IMPACT
has created a successful model for bringing together
diverse people and resources to reduce hopelessness
and build reconciliation. Working together with others
we will reweave the social fabric of our neighborhoods.
