LIFE TRANSFORMATION MINISTRY INCORPORATED
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Mission Statement
Life Transformation Ministry, Inc. is a Non-profit (501c) (3) organization providing outreach services for youth throughout Americus and Sumter County. We serve youth ages 10 to 15 and their families through a Summer Day Camp; Boys and Girls Mentoring Program, Tutoring and Teen Parenting Support Program. Our Summer Camp Program serves youth who are currently at risk of exposure to becoming delinquent or engaging in at risk behaviors during away from school times. Our 2018 program will run from Monday June 4th to Friday July 20th from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM each Monday through Friday. Our camp provides a safe and caring environment that will reduce the threat of delinquent behaviors, sexual promiscuity and academic failure; that will get our youth out of the current main stream of despair, deprivation and hopelessness by promoting and encouraging learning and raising awareness of the consequences of delinquent behaviors through positive influence. Our Summer Camp program has served area youth for 12 years.
About This Cause
Americus, Sumter County, Georgia is located in the southwest corner of Georgia. The communities represented are rural communities plagued by interrelated issues such as high unemployment, increasing incidents of violence and crime, limited transportation and limited resources to afford even the basic necessities of life. 23.4 percent (979) of families are living below the poverty level compared to 9.20 nationally. 27.7 percent of individuals (4, 405) are living below the poverty level compared to 12.40 percent nationally. The alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence and overall negligence that is prevalent among both adults and youth leaves the youth, aging and frail populations even more susceptible to accidents, harm and even death. Life Transformation Ministry "REACH" (Raising Expectations and Changing Habits) Summer Camp Program provides resources for emotional and social competency to include eight components relating to drugs, violence, and delinquency. We Provide awareness and instruction for improvement in the four foundations of achievement and emotional well-being (confidence, persistence, organization, and getting along with others. Objectives: Youth attending the REACH summer program completes classes in goal setting, decision making, managing emotions, bonding, communication, conflict resolution, drug awareness and community service and involvement. In addition youth supported in expanding and improving their learning through tutoring in Math, Science, Reading and Writing. Target Population: The project targets at-risk African American youth ages 10 – 15 in the 5th – 8th grade, attending elementary and middle school in Americus Sumter County schools. We serve 25 to 30 students through a seven-week summer program, including 12 referrals from the Sumter County Juvenile Justice System. Students participating in the program exhibit risk factors and are at risk of: academic failure, delinquent behaviors such as involvement with crime; violence, sexual misconduct, substance abuse, indications of parental abuse or neglect contributing to mental and physical health conditions prior to becoming committed Juvenile offenders. Project REACH is designed to address the specific risk factors that are resulting in youth entering the Juvenile system and achieving low academic success or failing in school. Additionally the project addresses the needs of the parents of youth participating in the program to promote involvement in the activities of these youth to encourage learning, prevent delinquency and ultimately improve overall family functioning. 1. It affords Youth & Teens ages 10 to 15 the opportunity to have a safe, risk free summer in a nurturing, caring atmosphere. 2. It teaches each participant how to avoid engaging in “At Risk Behaviors” by “Raising Expectations and Changing Habits (REACH); reaching for success. 3. It offers peace of mind to parents/guardians during away from school time. 4. It enhances and encourages learning to help participants succeed academically and develop the life skills necessary to succeed in life. 5. Each participant enjoys life changing experiences by engaging socially with others, daily and while travelling to unfamiliar places and events that are educational, challenging and stimulating, but at the same time fun and enjoyable. 6. It offers encouragement and assistance to those who would not, otherwise be able to have a positive summer experience. The central mission of Life Transformation Ministry, Inc. is to reduce the number of youth (both boys and girls) entering the Juvenile Justice system. This will also improve school drop out rates and the number of students in alternative school situations. The National Ranking for school districts ranks Sumter County schools as 83rd of 240 districts with a drop out rate of 12%. The means to this end also requires us to focus on the bigger issues of teens and young adults becoming mothers before and without preparation for parenthood. This population is adding to the number of birth defects, infant deaths and welfare cases that plagues our nation. Primary among the needs being addressed is the number of children living in poverty situations, entering school not school ready, due to the lack of exposure to early Child development. This adds to the number of students unable to compete academically and socially with their peers who have access to early education and technology. School success is by most measures predicated by the ability of healthy children who are prepared early to accept the challenges of learning. 38% of children under age 18 in Sumter County are living in poverty and is therefore a measure of both current and future risk to the well being of our youth. 75% of the children served by our programs suffer from a lack of basic health care and live in an environment that imposes immediate risk to their health and safety. Low Income families who cannot afford or are not eligible for tuition free programs like Head Start or Pre-K but cannot afford other licensed childcare centers or family daycare, often resort to affordable but undesirable means childcare while they work. These choices often include school age siblings caring for preschool children or inconsistent care by many different unqualified people. Many join the ranks of quitting their jobs and relying on public and federal welfare assistance. Our programs will significantly reduce the need to resort to these less desirable means by being accessible and affordable while providing a safe haven for children in an environment conducive to learning, positive growth and development. All of our services are a direct effort to reduce juvenile delinquency, dependence on Federal assistance and other subsidies, strengthen families and close the gap between those who are able to achieve and those who on their own and without intervention lack the ability to achieve. Life Transformation Ministry, Inc., believes that the family is the basic building block of our society. The key to the success of all of us hinges on the success of our youth. With that in mind we endeavor to work at the family level, with families that want to change and make a difference in the lives of our youth. The key to this is in the development of our infants and youth. The Developmental Assets Profile of youth in Sumter County which was developed form a survey conducted by the Search Institute Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors has been a driving force in addressing the health and well being of our youth. While the Institute reported that most young people in the U. S. experience too few of the 40 developmental assets measured, ideally all youth would experience 31 to 40. The challenge for this community is that of the 2240 students assessed only 9% (202) experience 31-40 assets. The research consistently shows that youth with higher levels of assets are involved in fewer risk taking behaviors. When looking at the power of assets tom protect against risk taking behaviors, the results show that an average of 679 youth (33%) of our youth would engage in an average of 6.0 risk taking behaviors. There are 24 risk behaviors, including: alcohol use, binge drinking, smoking, smokeless tobacco, inhalants, marijuana, other illicit drugs, driving and driving, riding with a drunk driver, sexual intercourse, shoplifting, vandalism, fighting, using a weapon, gang activity, truancy, eating disorders, attempted suicide, depression, trouble with police and school drop-out.