Vanderberg Youth Center
Vanderberg Youth Center Mission Statement:
The Vanderberg Youth Center exists to serve the youth of Kansas City and their families by building nurturing relationships rooted in the love of Jesus Christ in order that they may flourish academically, socially, and spiritually.
Children, ages 7 to 17, participate each week in Bible study, organized play, crafts, life skills and homework tutoring at the Vanderberg Youth Center (VYC). Opportunities for growth abound as boys and girls learn through Life Skills classes, cooking, sports, woodworking classes, field trips and other activities. The youth center staff and volunteers act as role models to the children who attend, helping them to develop responsible and godly attitudes toward themselves, their families and the community.
Children living at the Family Shelter receive ministry in the form of tutoring, chapels and special recreation times during the school year. During Christmas, Spring and Summer breaks, the VYC opens its doors for ministry each week day morning to those children and teens residing in the Family Shelter.
The Vanderberg Youth Center consists of 4 major areas of ministry:
1. Residential Ministry to those children and teens whose parents are homeless and residing in our Family Shelter and those whose families are in the New Life Program.
We currently offer tutoring Monday-Thursday from 5:30-6:30 pm. for school age kids. We offer assistance in homework completion, but also offer additional helps in the areas of math facts, reading and composition. We also offer a morning program on weekdays when the Kansas City, MO school district is not in session.
In addition, we offer Chapels for children and teens on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6:45-7:45 p.m. The Gospel is shared and relationships are built during these times.
We also offer Monday Family Night and Saturday Morning Recreation-a time where we open our gameroom and gymnasium for "parent-free" recreation to the children and teens residing in the Mission.
2. Youth of the New Life Program strives to work with those kids whose parents have committed to the Family Center's long-term, residential recovery program called the New Life Program. We have the opportunity with these families to work with their children for 6-9 months, if the Lord allows, in a tutoring, mentoring and discipling relationship.
3. Community Outreach currently has two facets of its own. These ministries work to reach into the communities around the Family Center and bring them to the VYC for ministry. Youth in the New Life Program also participate in community outreach programs.
Re:Creation is an after school ministry for students from elementary through high school Monday through Thursday. The program targets three local elemenatry schools: Cripus Attucks, Woodland and Whittier and one high school: Northeast. Students through 8th grade participate from 3:30-5:00 and high schooler students from 2:30-5:00. We go directly to the schools and pick children up and bring them to the Mission for worship and scripture memory, fun skills activities and 45 minutes of tutoring. Older students are also exposed to life skills, job skills, etc. This a relatively new ministry (begun Fall of 2008), but we have seen tremendous relationships with parents, teachers and schools developed in a short amount of time.
Bible Club is a ministry designed to maintain relationships with students who can not attend Re:Creation. Kids come one day each week for recreation, Bible study, and homework assistance.
4. Camp C.U.M.C.I.T.O. Each Summer we gather nearly 350 preschoolers, children and teens to head for Warsaw, MO, for a week of age appropriate camping at the Mission's own campgrounds. For more specifc information regarding Camp and what goes on there, please refer to the Camp CUMCITO web pages. http://cumission.org/Involved_Camp.htm
Getting Involved: We are in need of volunteers at every aspect of our ministries. the more volunteers we have the more ministry can be done and the more lives can be touched and transformed. Feel free to contact the Volunteer Department or any of the staff below for information regarding specific volunteer opportunities:
Highest Priorities: tutors for Re:Creation, tutors for Shelter tutoring, churches or groups for Saturday Recreation.
Travis Bradburn, Administrator
816-329-1432 or Travis@cumission.org
Lissha Cole, Education Specialist
816-329-1433 or Lissha@cumission.org
Kalie George, Youth Coordinator (High School)
816-329-1430 or Kalie.George@cumission.org
Mike Ferris, Youth Coordinator (Middle School Boys)
816-329-1441 or mferris@cumission.org
Hannah Kenyon, Youth Coordinator (Middle School Girls)
816-329-1442 or Hannah.Kenyon@cumission.org
Brian Horner, Youth Coordinator (Elementary)
816-329-1443 or Brian.Horner@cumssion.org
