THE SHIELD PROJECT
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Antioch MinistriesLet's create a SHIELD of strength and support for youth in North Minneapolis today!
$700
raised by 4 people
$13,000 goal
Exponential Growth!
In the first month of the SHIELD Project, we had 20 new youth connect to Antioch. Now, in just over 2 months, that number has already increased to 40 new youth!
Not only has the attendance been higher than anticipated, youth are sharing how important it has been for them to be at a place where they can talk about what's going on in their day to day lives. The SHIELD Project has created that space!
They need your support today!
Antioch Ministries is starting a pilot project to increase outreach to youth in North Minneapolis. The aim is to expand our impact on youth to close the many gaps that youth in North Minneapolis are trying to overcome: the achievement gap (Educational), wealth gap (Economic), incarceration gap (Social), life expectancy gap (Physical). We believe the heart of this transformation and the strength to overcome is found in a life with Jesus. Since we know that a life of faith is not meant to walk alone, our next phase of expansion is through partnerships with local churches in North Minneapolis, where the foundation of God's love and the presence of His Spirit are evident. As a result, here’s what we believe will take place:
• Churches within the SHIELD (North, south, east, and west) will build an invisible shield around youth with the backdrop of God’s love to provide support for their physical/emotional/spiritual and biblical needs.
• Every child in the Shield project are able to connect to a church
• Lives of North Minneapolis youth will be transformed like never before
All it takes to start is $13,000 to fund 1 church for 6 months of this life-impacting program. This includes providing high quality training, program supplies and resources, as well as on-going support and coaching from Antioch staff.
Be a part of shaping the SHIELD!
Here's a snapshot of where we are today:
PILOT Project
We have partnered with Shiloh Temple International Ministries and Zion Baptist Church, both prominent North Minneapolis churches, to implement a 6 month pilot program from September 24th, 2019 to March 31st, 2020.
Each church will be utilizing Antioch’s SHIELD Curriculum that focuses on developing youth holistically. The four core components of the program are:
Faith in Jesus is at the core as we believe that all of the other areas will only grow if they are sustained and rooted in a life of faith in Jesus. Social development is next as Jesus calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves. This area will focus on our love of neighbors and our love and care of ourselves, which are often expressed through social interactions with others. This also includes the ability to act with self-control, identifying emotions, and learning to listen well. Living a life of service is to display not just our care for our neighbors, but learning how to do that well and for and with people who are different from our youth. Lastly, it is crucial that we make space for kids to bring all of themselves to the table, sharing present challenges they are facing, meeting their needs as a person.
In just 1 month, over 20 new youth have experienced a taste of how their lives can be transformed from possible brokenness to place of wholeness.
We project that each church that participates in the SHIELD Project will engage 20-30 youth in their first year of participation. That's 20-30 youth who are experiencing the support to overcome some of the largest barriers anyone has to overcome.
When our youth change and transform, we believe the neighborhood will change and transform to a point where the gaps will close, and where brokenness becomes wholeness!