Kids Hope USA

Princeton CRC continues to partner with Brookwood Elementary School through the KIDS HOPE USA program to mentor at-risk students. We are finishing our 11th year and are mentoring 10 students. KIDS HOPE USA takes one church, one child, and one hour a week to transform the lives of three people: a child, a mentor, and a prayer partner. KHUSA gives churches the framework to recruit, screen, train, match, and supervise their own members to develop one-to-one relationship with at-risk children at a local public elementary school.  KHUSA mentors commit to a weekly one-hour meeting where they build a life-changing relationship, which addresses the child’s social, emotional, and academic needs. Churches also provide one prayer partner for each mentor-child relationship. Nothing this important should be attempted without prayer.

The impact of KHUSA has already been proven to be an awesome vehicle for Christ to show His love to His children through servants of the church. We are ending our year with 10 mentors and 10 prayer partners. We held social events such as a Fall Festival, a Christmas Party, a Valentine Pizza Party, and an Eggstravaganza Easter Party. One teacher wrote, “My student loved the KHUSA program and his mentor. They went above and beyond our expectations. I can’t thank you enough for pouring into his life this year. It has really made a significant difference in his life to have such consistent loving attention and relationship with his mentor. He would have gladly stayed after school every night! He would beg to stay after school!”

This past November, Princeton CRC started another ministry called the Hand2Hand Backpack Club.  This program provides healthy weekend food to students who are in need so that they have a greater opportunity to succeed academically, emotionally, and physically.   On Fridays, or the last day of each school week, a child receives a bag of 6-8 non-perishable food items in a backpack.  We have had the privilege of serving, on average, 25 students at Brookwood School with these backpacks.  It has been a well received program and Princeton CRC is able to have a positive impact on more students and families within our community.    For example, one second-grade student remarked when he opened his locker to find his bag of food, “Look!  It’s a miracle!.”  Another student was seen dancing in the hallway showing off his bag of food to students and teachers. 
 
Princeton church looks forward to continuing the relationships we have built over the last 11 years.  KHUSA and Hand2Hand have had a wonderful impact on Princeton church, Brookwood School, and the families we work with through the programs. We hope and pray that these programs continue to grow and prosper with God’s guidance.