September 2010

The C.R.I.B. family prepares its first meal together!

On Monday, August 30th youth moved into the C.R.I.B.!  This day was the culmination of the Hopeworks Staff, trainees, and our greater community coming together– it has required everything from moving furniture in, to donating paintings, kitchen utensils, finances, time, and more to make the dream of the C.R.I.B. become a reality.  The C.R.I.B. is a home where youth will study, hang out, encourage, cook, eat, and live for D.R.E.A.M.S.  Two youth made the brave decision to move into unknown territory in order to keep working toward their D.R.E.A.M.S. when they moved their belongings into their new bedrooms.  Already the C.R.I.B. residents have starting planning meals, grocery shopping, and making their chore chart.  They are also getting ready to start classes this week!  Please stop by for a visit, join us as a volunteer during study hours, or come have a meal. View more C.R.I.B. photos.

Hopeworks youth working with Habitat for Humanity

Get on the Bus!!!!!

Trainees and staff take a bike ride at Santa Monica Beach

For five days in August, five Hopeworks trainees participated in a service trip to Los Angeles, California. The trip, two month in the planning was made possible through a generous donation from Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Miller. The youth dedicated their time to assisting two major organizations, Habitat for Humanity and Get on the Bus, an organization focused on connecting incarcerated parents children.

Each work site gave youth a different experience. Ruben, 16 blogged on the experience, “This SERVICE trip changed my Life I now see there are others who go through the same things us Camden kids go through. One thing I will hold on to will be all the good times and the the saying, “Service builds Character.”

Overall, the youth were honored to be chosen to participate in such a wonderful learning and giving opportunity. Being able to participate in activities in which they were helping others confirmed their significance and impact in the world. More importantly, the youth left the experience with an attitude of gratitude on many levels.

Symantec Employees Sue and Mary confer with Donnie

The halls of Hopeworks buzzed with joy and excitement once again as Symantec Week 2010 began to take shape. For four days in August, Executives from Symantec Corporation, Hopeworks staff and Hopeworks youth worked together to participate in activities to strengthen the organization and community. The weeks activities included a community training, community service activities, youth scavenger hunt, film festival, two field trips, and a luncheon at Hard Rock Cafe.

The GIS team was busy this this August working on an asset survey for United Water.  Members of the team used mobile GPS units to record the locations of hydrants, manhole covers, storm water drains, and water valves in areas of south and east Camden.  Once the data is collected, the locations are confirmed again out in the field by proofing printed maps to ensure the recorded locations are correct.  Once all the data has been checked, it will be presented to United Water for use in their systems.

Recently, Dr. Karen Harkaway, a dermatologist, hosted a group of Hopeworks youth interested in the medical profession at her office in Delran.  After dinner, she facilitated a discussion among her, her physician assistant, her certified medical assistant, and two pharmaceutical representatives.  Together, they shared with the trainees inspiring stories of their professional and personal journey, giving advice and feedback along the way.  We are grateful to Dr. Harkaway, who is also a Hopeworks e-mentor, for the time she shares encouraging our youth to achieve their dreams.

“Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present” – Albert Camus

Camus could be describing Hopeworks’ tireless, generous supporters who are delivering baskets of wonderful, beautiful and fun items to be auctioned off at Hopeworks’ 5th Annual Celebration of Accomplishments on Friday, October 8th at Venice Plaza, 281 Crosskeys Road, Berlin, NJ. Some of the baskets include a Backyard Bird Watcher Basket, containing a bird nesting ball, pecan “tweet” seed, “Know Your Birds” book, suet cage and bird feeder tube, among other great items and a Lennox China Christmas Basket, containing candlesticks, figurine and other festive pieces from the classic Lennox series “The Snowman Collection.”

Auction tickets are available for purchase on line and at the Dinner. Auction tickets are $2.00 each or six (6) tickets for $10.00 and please visit our website for more information about the Dinner -http://hopeworks.force.com/dinner.

The C.R.I.B. welcomes Lilliana Quintana, a Hopeworks Hope Through School Alumni who has come back as the C.R.I.B. Presence Position– living in the C.R.I.B. to provide overnight presence to the community and to be another supportive member of the house! Lilliana recently graduated from Rutgers where she studied painting and animation.

We also welcome Yesenia Nieves to the C.R.I.B. Weekend & Evening staff.  Yesenia graduated from Ramapo College where she majored in Environmental Studies.  She also is an alumni of our Hope Through School Program, where she earned a job in our GIS department.  She is thankful for the support she’s had from Hopeworks over the years, and is excited to be able to give back by working at the C.R.I.B.

Our new volunteer Mike Morgan started at Hopeworks this week. He was born and raised in Williamsburg, Virginia, and is a 2010 graduate from Virginia Tech with a degree in Public and Urban Affairs. He is excited to work with the youth, build relationships, and be a member of the great staff at Hopeworks. Mike will be focusing on recruiting, mentoring, and being a presence at the CRIB. He came to Camden to work in an urban area and make an impact. In addition to volunteering at Hopeworks, Mike is a Desales Service Works volunteer. His interests include playing guitar, wood carving, and training for the 2010 Philadelphia Marathon.

Little things matter and life is all about choices.  Many who have raised children find themselves using these phrases frequently.  This summer, our Hope through School youth read the stories of other teens as they talked about how these phrases impacted their life.  The stories, published in an innovative book called “Success for Teens: Real Teens talk about using the Slight Edge,” help youth think creatively about the choices they are making and how those little choices define their life.  With chapters on having a positive attitude, taking small steps, embracing failure, forming habits and continuous learning, the book offers all the supports necessary to help youth make better choices.  At the end of each chapter, youth reflected on what they read.  The book helped our youth examine their lives in ways in constructive and purposeful ways.  Published by the Success Foundation, the book is free to youth serving nonprofits.  Please visit their website for more information: http://www.successfoundation.org/

No individual may accomplish a dream without properly considering the costs.  Over ten years, Hopeworks has seen that youth hold widely different views about money and financial choices, and that these views have a long-term impact on the their ability to progress toward their dreams.  Last year, Hopeworks introduced individualized financial literacy and budgeting sessions into its offerings.  Working weekly with volunteers, the trainees looked at their income and expenses, set savings goals, and tracked a budget.  Through generous funding from The Bank, a Fulton Financial Corporation, based in South Jersey, Hopeworks is expanding the program through a partnership with the community education department of Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Delaware Valley.  This partnership will expand the knowledge base of its trainees through workshops and create additional resources that can be used by the program and its volunteers to enhance a trainee’s understandings of credit, savings, banking and monetary choices.  The first workshop occurred two weeks ago, and the managers of the community education department recently toured Hopeworks and the C.R.I.B. to explore other opportunities.  Look for more on this soon!