Open Hand of Fredericksburg

Deuteronomy 15:11*

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VISION
Open Hand of Fredericksburg envisions a community woven together in which sustainable employment exists in tandem with a well-trained workforce living in economically revitalized neighborhoods with adequate transportation and affordable housing.

MISSION
Our mission is to partner with the under-resourced in the greater Fredericksburg area to meet their needs for more sustainable employment, adequate transportation, and affordable housing by providing educational growth, long-term committed relationships, economic development, leadership building, and revitalization to the community.

GOALS
Renewal, Empowerment, Dignity
Ecclesiastes 4:9,12*

Renewal

Provide opportunities for the under-resourced to
• transition from dependency to self-sufficiency
• transition from entitlement programs to developmental programs in a shared vision that breaks the cycle of poverty and its resulting consequences
• transition from disenfranchisement and hopelessness to hope and inclusiveness.

Empowerment

• Provide job-related education and work ethics training that provide the skills necessary to obtain more sustainable employment.
• Training in life skills to enhance success in dealing with life issues inherent in everyday living and foster a high degree of accountability and responsibility to self and others.
• Provide mentoring relationships to encourage and nurture that are designed to change lives and last a lifetime.
• Partner with other agencies, the Church, individuals, and the greater community to initiate programs which lead to independence, self-sufficiency, and economically revitalized neighborhoods with greater economic viability.
• Partner with other agencies, the Church, individuals, and the greater community to provide adequate transportation and affordable housing.

Dignity

• Instill ownership rather than dependency on the vision and mission of this ministry by partnering with the under-resourced every step of the way.
• Identify and utilize the unique talents and gifts of everyone involved in this mission, recognizing that all persons have intrinsic worth and value that add to and are essential to the success of this ministry.
• Instill self-respect, self-esteem, poise and pride to all participants in this ministry, through working together as a team.
• Live out the vision together in an atmosphere of mutuality and caring relationships.

Benefits To The Community

• Better Prepared, More Adaptable And Viable Workforce.
• Citizens Filled With Dignity And Restored Hope.
• Significantly Enhanced Position For Attracting New Economic Development.
• Transformation Of Blighted Pockets Of Urban Landscape To More Attractive, More Economically Viable Neighborhoods.
• Larger Tax Base.
• Lower Crime And Unemployment Rates.
• Significant Reduction Of Entitlement Line-Items In Local Government Budgets.
• Increased Funding Available For Infrastructure Such As Roads, Sewers, And Public Transportation.
• Increased Community Pride.
• Promotion Of Well-Being And Care Among Residents To New Levels.
• Provides The Framework For A Community Where Cultural, Social, Economic, Religious, And Ethnic
• Diversity Are Being Woven Together In An Atmosphere Of Mutuality And Caring Relationships.

Deuteronomy 15:11* “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.”
**Ecclesiastes 4:9,12 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work…A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  
SUMMER YOUTH WORKER PROGRAM
photographs

Renewal, Empowerment, Dignity
Ecclesiastes 4:9,12
VISION The Summer Youth Worker Program envisions under-resourced youth in the greater Fredericksburg area transitioning toward self-sufficiency and independence so that they are able to meet the needs of themselves and their families for a lifetime.

MISSION Our mission is to prepare under-resourced young adults in the greater Fredericksburg area for the world of work and a life of self-sufficiency through education, mentoring, and meaningful paid internships.

GOALS FOR 2008 Eligibility: Currently enrolled in high school, between 14 and 18 years of age, where the combined family income for a family of up to four persons is less is $30,000 per year, and combined family income for a family of five or more is less than $40,000 per year.Applicants must live in the 22401 zip code.

Schedule: Youth Workers will work four days a week, Tuesday thru Friday, 7.5 hours per day; they will receive a full day of continuing education in life skills, career development, and character training on Mondays from 9:00AM until 5:00PM. A Christian devotional service is offered to those who wish to attend at 8:30AM each Monday morning. Attendance is voluntary; ministers and Youth Directors from various local congregations will officiate.

Compensation: $7.50 per hour for regular working hours between June 24th and August 15, 2008.

Student Support:

• Employers at each jobsite will provide on-job training as job coaches and mentors in work skills and ethics.
• Students will meet with their job coach/mentor for one hour each week to review goals and expectations particular to their employment. This meeting will occur during regular working hours. (outside of lunch and specified break times.)
• Executive director of Open Hand Fredericksburg will make bi-weekly on-site visits to review progress with students and employers. Youth Worker time sheets will be picked up by Open Hand, and paychecks will be delivered on-site by Open Hand on the 15th and last day of each month, according to the posted schedule.
• Youth Workers will be assigned a mature Christian mentor outside the workplace, who will meet with them weekly during their employment to provide nurture, encouragement and support to the efforts of the Youth Worker that promote accountability and responsibility.

TEACHING
Students in the Summer Youth Worker Program will attend continuing education classes each Monday during their employment, as well as two days of orientation in preparation for placement in the workplace. They will receive instruction in the following areas from skilled instructors who have agreed to volunteer their time to this valuable process.
A. LIFE SKILLS

• Budgeting
• Banking
• Owning A Car
• The Cost Of Smoking And Drugs
• Entertainment Alternatives
• Dressing For Success
• Social Skills
• Resume´ Writing, Finding A Job, Interviewing
• Exploring Career Opportunities

B. CHARACTER FORMATION

• 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, Sean Covey
  David White, Instructor

SUSTAINING CONTACTS

• Monthly educational and social gatherings, outings. (Planned by Youth Workers in concert with mentors and/or Executive Director )
• Encouraging youths to volunteer to assist in sustaining the program by utilizing their unique talents and gifts.
• Instill ownership in the program through involvement in the planning and implementation of their program.
• Developing long-term plans to keep youth connected to the program through college and/or adult employment in the community.

BENEFITS TO YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES

• Paid Internships.
• On-Job-Training That Prepares The Students For The Transition To The World Of Work.
• Caring Mentors Vested In The Student’s Success, Both Now And In The Future.
• Increased Confidence, Self-Esteem, Self-Respect, Poise And Pride.
• Increased Job Marketability.
• Enhanced Accountable And Responsible Participation In The Community Throughout Life.
• Team-Building Skills And New Friendships.

BENEFITS TO VOLUNTEERS, MENTORS, FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS, AND EMPLOYERS

• Investing In Our Future Together.
• Contributing To The Development Of A Sustainable Workforce In Our Community.
• New And Expanding Friendships.
• Sharing Our Gifts, Time, And/Or Talents With Others As Agents of Change.

Jobs for Life

1. Develop and promote the JFL program throughout the community.
2. Partner with businesses, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, local governments and other community service organizations.

Vehicle Donor Program

1. Provide vehicles to the under-resourced with donated vehicles.
2. Develop programs to provide individuals transportation to and from work.

Community Housing Development Organization

1. Develop programs to provide low income housing for ownership or rent.
2. Develop programs to provide home care training for first time home owners.

Statement of Faith We believe in one God, existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe God has fully expressed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man. Christ, having accomplished a perfect, substitutional, sacrificial, and atoning work, now acts as intercessor and mediator before God on behalf of believers.

We believe the Bible is the authoritative, inspired and infallible Word of God. It is the only God-ordained standard of faith and life for all mankind, and is, in and of itself, the basis for teaching, reproof, correction and training in godly living.

We believe mankind is spiritually dead and in need of the saving grace of God in redemption and salvation through regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Man’s sinful nature has so separated him from God and has so distorted his being that it is only by and through the Lord Jesus Christ that reconciliation is accomplished.

We believe Christ has committed His power, which is wholly spiritual, to His Church. The Church is the agency ordained for the edification and government of His people, for the propagation of the faith, and for the evangelization of the world. The sole functions of the Church, as a kingdom and government, distinct from the civil government, are to proclaim, administer and enforce the law of Christ revealed in the scriptures. Scripture instructs the Church to do good works, among which are: to act justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8); to share with others (Heb. 13:16); to seek good for others so that they may be saved (I Cor. 10:24, 33); to practice justice, mercy and faithfulness (Matt.23:23); and to believe in Jesus, whom God has sent into the world (John 6:29).

We believe that Jesus Christ shall return personally, visibly, and bodily to judge all mankind and to receive His people unto Himself.
Volunteer There are many opportunities to volunteer with Open Hand of Fredericksburg You might want to volunteer for various fundraisers, or maybe you would rather mentor a teen, lead a work project, assist with the Jobs for Life program, (or just work with a team), assist in the office, You may email us to ask about volunteering at psherwood@newcityfellowship.org Donate Open Hand is also in need of funds to permit the ministry to function. Please consider these various ways in which you can help

• Planned giving
• Gifts of Cash- Most of our individual gifts come from cash, usually in the form of a check.
• Gifts in Kind- These are gifts of property, homes, cars etc. that have value and are given to Open hand of Fredericksburg. The donors are given a receipt for tax deduction purposes.
• Gifts of Stock- There are certain tax advantages related to giving of appreciated stock, including both a tax deduction at current market value and avoiding the capital gains tax.
• Gifts of Life Insurance
• Gifts of Retirement Accounts
• Charitable Lead Trusts
• Charitable Remainder Trusts
• Wills and Bequests