Every so often, we at The Sublime Soiree love to introduce you to ministries and organizations that are adding value to others. Today, we are very pleased to re-introduce you to a ministry located in Akron, Ohio – specifically, the Middlebury neighborhood of Akron. The ministry is The Vincent House, and our hope is that you not only will learn more about it, but that you also will be moved to support it through your gifts of volunteer and financial support.
The Middlebury neighborhood of Akron, Ohio is a small but mighty neighborhood. Though its borders extend just over 1.5 square miles, the community boasts some impressive statistics:
The neighborhood includes two of the top five employers in Akron: Goodyear World Headquarters (#1) and Summa Health System (#5).- The University of Akron also borders the neighborhood.
- Middlebury predates the City of Akron and actually was its own community until it merged with Akron in 1872.
- From about 1847 until the early 20th century, Middlebury was home to a major industry for Akron – clay and pottery.
Sadly, as some industries have left this area, Middlebury has felt the full weight of those losses, and the neighborhood has endured some hardships. Here are just a few of the struggles the community endures:
- Nearly 20 percent of all violent youth crimes in Akron are committed within Middlebury. In order to provide for their families, Middlebury parents often are working more than one job (often up to three!), and they can’t be home to supervise and guide their children.
- Youth violence during out of school hours leads to a high rate of child removals from homes by Summit County Children’s Services (SCCS). Middlebury leads all of Akron with nearly 300 child removals annually.
- The growing educational gap is evident at the local elementary school (Mason CLC) where only eight percent of students in reading and only 11 percent of students in math are performing on level according to state standards.
For these reasons, The Vincent House exists. “The Vincent House aspires to be a safe and enriching environment for students,” says Dan Kamwesa, executive director. “In order to uphold our values, we rely on incredible volunteers who function as consistent, fun, and safe adults for students.”
The Vincent House needs invested volunteers who love the children and families of Middlebury well. Kamwesa says that without volunteers, the organization would not be able to provide the engaging enrichments, homework help, field trips, and loving friendship and presence for the students they serve. Each of us, however, have the exact same number of hours in our week: 168. And your 168 may be full. If an investment of time is simply not possible for you right now, perhaps you could consider a financial investment.
Kamwesa shares that as a non-profit, all monetary donations go directly to the vision and mission of The Vincent House. These funds help the organization provide quality programming, maintain highly trained and passionate staff, and provide a welcoming and clean environment for its students. Either way, your investment counts powerfully. Just take a look at this parent’s testimony:
When I think about The Vincent House, it gives me so much hope for our community. They have helped me and my son so much and I couldn’t be more thankful to have them be a part of our lives. From the beginning, The Vincent House has always treated us like family and made such a big difference in my son’s life. I pray that God will continue to provide for them so that they can continue to help our community. The Vincent House is more than an after-school program, we are a family!!
Friends, whether you live in Greater Akron or abroad, The Vincent House is a ministry worth supporting financially. You can do that by clicking HERE. If you are a local reader, however, and you have time and the heart available to personally invest in the children and families of Middlebury, then please consider completing the application HERE. We believe you will be so blessed as you seek to bless these families!
— The Sublime Soiree © August 2024