Greetings, friends!
According to Psalm 107:2 “we ought to give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; His loves endures forever!” Take 30 seconds and think about how good the Lord has been to you. Among the many things that come to mind, for me, serving at the CAC is one of them.
God continues to demonstrate His faithfulness to the children and families in our neighborhood. Your prayers and generous donations ensured that our students had a memorable summer and wonderful start to a new school year. Did we have fun? Yes! Did we learn and grow physically, emotionally, and spiritually? Yes! I intentionally say “we” because my staff and I learn so much from our kids on a daily basis.
Your donations for the 2023 Back to School event were a tremendous blessing. Over 250 bookbags, along with a plethora of supplies and uniforms, ensured youth in the community were ready to start the school year off on the right foot.
The transition from summer programming to after-school programming saw an increase in student enrollment and participation. For the first six weeks of Fall 2023, we served 108 students (which represents a 26% increase in enrollment).
The significance of children participating in our programming on a regular basis cannot be overstated. According to our most recent Survey of Academic and Youth Outcomes,
● 86% reported having positive relationships with adults at the Center
● 93% reported having confidence in making new friends at the Center
● 92% reported having improved personal skills
● 88% reported having improved social skills
● 82% reported an increased desire to improve academically
In addition to the well-known social – emotional and academic impact of outside-of-school-time programming, we stress the importance of children staying physically active. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, it is recommended that youth do 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily.
Our physical fitness program is designed to combat the post adolescent health effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACES) which include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. The chart below reflects the physical conditioning scores of our students. We are focused on their continued progress and development!
We also offered 3 hours per week of spiritual development that allowed our youth the opportunity to engage in bible study, weekly devotions, and prayer.
As part of our back to school celebrations, we hosted “CAC Got Talent” where students were able to demonstrate their unique gifts and talents (such as singing, dancing, acting, and acrobatics - just to name a few). It was a proud moment for parents, staff, and students!
If the first six weeks of the school year have been this exciting, I can only imagine how we will continue marching forward to the end of 2023. Fall is upon us and Christmas is just around the corner. I hope you will prayerfully consider how you can support our children and families this Christmas. If you prefer to contribute online, please visit www.cacesl.org and look for the link at the top of the page.
It is God who enables us to give - your giving is the epitome of generosity for which I am grateful!
Dr. Jeffrey Williams
Executive Director
Christian Activity Center