“WHEN RIGHT-LIVING PEOPLE BLESS THE CITY, IT FLOURISHES!” -PROVERBS 11:11
OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS IN THE ROCKFORD REGION WE HAVE PROVIDED…
6.9%
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE NEARLY TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. A CRIME OCCURS
EVERY 1 HOUR 1 MINUTE (ON AVERAGE) IN ROCKFORD.
25%
OF ROCKFORD POPULATION IS 18 YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER
43%
OF WHOM LIVE IN A SINGLE PARENT HOME (ON AVERAGE) IN ROCKFORD
FOR THE PAST 94 YEARS, CITY FIRST CHURCH HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE AN IMPACT FOR THOSE IN NEED.
W H AT I F O U R REACH COULD BE
GREATER? “THE LATTER GLORY OF THIS HOUSE WILL BE GREATER THAN THE FORMER.” HAGGAI 2:9
ROCKFORD NEEDS HOPE
EVERY NUMBER HAS A NAME EVERY NAME HAS A STORY EVERY STORY MATTERS TO GOD.
FOOD INSECURITY
22% OF ROCKFORD RESIDENTS ARE CURRENTLY LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.
TOTAL FOOD INSECURITY RATE: ---
1.4% HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE
CHILD FOOD INSECURITY RATE: ---
13.2% (37,300 TOTAL)
21.2% (14,110 TOTAL)
5.1% HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE
THE OPPORTUNITY: EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION
- AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING - MENTORSHIP - BREAKING THE CYCLE OF POVERTY BY EQUIPPING STUDENTS WITH LIFE SKILLS AND PROVIDING YOUTH INITIATIVES OPPORTUNITY TO HELP A GENERATION OF INDIVIDUALS DISCOVER PURPOSE AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION.
OUR RESPONSE:
EXPAND OUR REACH TO SERVE THE WEST SIDE OF OUR CITY!
EMPOWERMENT Center
ROCKFORD... THERE IS HOPE FOR OUR CITY.
WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MAKING A CONTINUED EFFORT TO RESOURCE THE 13TH WARD THROUGH SECOND SATURDAY SERVE. MONTHLY BLOCK PARTIES: - NEARLY 50,000 POUNDS OF FOOD GIVEN AWAY - 150 BACKPACKS - 130 HATS AND GLOVES - 11 PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS MADE THROUGH OUR EFFORTS - CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT - DREAM TEAMS ARE GAINING A HEART FOR THEIR CITY!
TESTIMONIES
BARB CHIDLEY - CITY OF ROCKFORD NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIALIST
CITY FIRST CHURCH IS DEVELOPING AND NURTURING THE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO CREATING SUSTAINABLE, TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE. BECAUSE THEY ARE DEMONSTRATING AUTHENTIC LOVE AND SERVICE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH THEIR GROUND LEVEL EFFORTS, THEY ARE BUILDING THE KIND OF TRUST WITH NEIGHBORS THAT WILL MAKE A MEANINGFUL, LASTING DIFFERENCE AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
IMPACT STATS:
W H AT I M PA C T A R E W E H O P I N G T O M A K E ? HELP FIGHT FOOD INSECURITY C R E AT E A F T E R - S C H O O L M E N T O R I N G
THE EFFECTS OF FOOD INSECURITY:
8 0 % O F C H I L D R E N A R E O B S E R V E D H AV I N G D I F F I C U LT Y W I T H C O N C E N T R AT I O N D U E T O F O O D I N S E C U R I T Y 7 6 % O F S T U D E N T S S AW D E C R E A S E D AC A D E M I C P E R F O R M A N C E 6 2 % N O T I C E D I N C R E A S E D B E H AV I O R A L I S S U E S 4 7 % O F C H I L D R E N FAC E G E T T I N G S I C K M O R E O F T E N
THE IMPACT MENTORSHIP CAN MAKE:
S T U D E N T S W H O M E E T R E G U L A R LY W I T H T H E I R M E N T O R S A R E 5 2 % L E S S L I K E LY T H A N T H E I R P E E R S T O S K I P A D AY O F S C H O O L A N D 3 7 % L E S S L I K E LY T O S K I P A C L A S S . Y O U T H W H O M E E T R E G U L A R LY W I T H T H E I R M E N T O R S A R E 4 6 % L E S S L I K E LY T H A N T H E I R P E E R S T O S TA R T U S I N G I L L E G A L D R U G S A N D 2 7 % L E S S L I K E LY T O S TA R T D R I N K I N G . 7 6 % O F AT - R I S K Y O U N G A D U LT S W I T H A M E N T O R A S P I R E T O E N R O L L I N A N D G R A D U AT E F R O M C O L L E G E V E R S U S H A L F O F AT- R I S K Y O U N G A D U LT S W I T H N O M E N T O R . T H E Y A R E A L S O M O R E L I K E LY T O B E E N R O L L E D I N C O L L E G E .
TOGETHER WE WILL SEE THIS CITY FULL OF HOPE AND ITS PEOPLE FULL OF PURPOSE!