Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach
Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach is a 501(c)3 public charity founded as the outreach and development arm of The Church of St. Clement in El Paso, Texas. Ciudad Nueva (“New City” in Spanish) seeks to embody the gospel of Jesus Christ by advancing the renewal and development of inner city El Paso through the transformation and empowerment of its residents. We work to accomplish this mission by identifying unmet needs in the community and providing unduplicated services to meet those needs.
Currently, Ciudad Nueva is primarily engaged in running after-school programs for elementary and middle school students, facilitating summer youth activities, connecting residents with available resources, helping organize neighborhood events, working closely with local organizations to advocate for the needs of the community, and coordinating local church efforts in the neighborhood.
Future initiatives could include projects as diverse as creating a youth entrepreneurship program, starting a sports program, or founding a homeownership center. One long-term vision is to acquire space for a multi-service community center, which could include numerous programs, non-profit businesses (such as a neighborhood café), and a community garden.
Our Neighborhood
Ciudad Nueva, based out of The Church of St. Clement, is located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in central El Paso. The boundaries of this neighborhood encompass the area between Mesa and Cotton, I-10 and Schuster in the 79902 zip code. In 2006, Ciudad Nueva partnered with the University of Texas at El Paso Department of Social Work to complete a comprehensive community assessment for the neighborhood that we serve. According to the latest U.S. census, the median annual household income in the neighborhood is $17,145 compared to a median household income of $41,990 for the United States. These households can consist of 8-10 family members spanning three generations who live in 1 or 2 bedroom apartments. Over half of the adults ages 25 and older have not received a high school diploma, and more than one-third have completed less than 9 years of education. More than 89% of the neighborhood residents are Hispanic and 82% speak Spanish at home.
Some of the most startling statistics found in the community assessment concern the local elementary school, Lamar Elementary. In August 2006, Lamar was rated “Academically Unacceptable” by the State of Texas and is under immense pressure to improve performance. According to the latest El Paso Independent School District annual report the students from Lamar are:
· 99% minority
· 96% economically disadvantaged (eligible for free or reduced-price meals)
· 74% limited English proficiency
· 83% at-risk (of dropping out of school before receiving a high school diploma)
Our community certainly faces some daunting challenges. Some of these challenges include, among other things, gang presence and recruitment, drug abuse and distribution, prostitution, tenement housing, domestic violence, child abuse and abandonment, unemployment, illiteracy, and overall poverty.
The Launch Pad Center for Youth Development
Elementary School Tutoring & Mentoring Program
Presently, through the Launch Pad Center for Youth Development, we are able to offer some of the most vulnerable children from our community the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to move forward in life, grow in their walk with Christ, and become fully-functioning, contributing adults in their communities. Students who attend Launch Pad are nominated by their teachers based on behavior problems, reclusive tendencies, undeveloped talent, and their overall family situation. Ten new students enter Launch Pad each year at the beginning of their 3rd grade, and they remain in the program through the completion of elementary school. These children come to Launch Pad two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday) after school for healthy snacks, help with homework, tutoring, Bible lessons, character development, life skills training, crafts, and recreational activities.
Each child is matched with a Christian adult volunteer mentor who walks with them through their young, formative years. These long-term, consistent, Christ-centered mentoring relationships establish the platform from which Launch Pad kids are empowered for life. Children attending Launch Pad grow in confidence, improve their social skills, become better students, and are instilled with a sense of hope for the future. Most importantly, they are given the opportunity to grow in their walk with Christ. Launch Pad has received consistent positive reviews from students, parents, teachers and school counselors. Consequently, the Center receives routine requests for students to be admitted into the Launch Pad Program. Launch Pad recently received an award from the El Paso Independent School District for its “outstanding support” of elementary school students.
Presently, over 35 volunteers (almost entirely from the St. Clement Church body) help mentor, tutor, lead lessons, prepare snacks, play soccer, drive vans, paint murals, decorate the center, and assist in a variety of other capacities with the Launch Pad program.
Please contact Sami DiPasquale at (915) 521-2951 or sami@stclements.com if you are interested in volunteering or learning more about the program.
Kids Create! - Middle School Creative Arts Program
Building on the foundation laid by Launch Pad, Kids Create! seeks to foster spiritual development, character growth, self confidence and excellence among middle school students through tutoring and a focus on the creative arts. Kids Create! meets after school Monday through Thursday providing students with the opportunity to gain experience in the arts through involvement in at least two hours of visual arts, dance, music, or drama per week.
Students are given the opportunity to grow in and exhibit their newly learned or refined skills through projects, exhibitions and community performances (plays, t-shirt design contests, art exhibits, dance performances, a CD of their own music, and much more). Kids Create! exists to provide students with tangible exposure to the arts, and give the opportunity to discover and develop the gifts God has given them.
Kids Create! is, in large part, made possible through a grant from the Paso Del Norte Health Foundation. Kids Create! is organized in partnership with the after school program of Central El Paso Community Organization (CEPCO) based out of Cristo Rey Lutheran Church, located just five blocks east of St. Clement. Middle school students who have graduated from either CEPCO or Ciudad Nueva’s elementary school programs comprise the base of students for Kids Create!
Please contact Ashley Holter at (915) 241-4691 or ashleyholter@yahoo.com if you are interested in volunteering or learning more about the program.