Poverty is a difficult and complex problem that is devastating communities all over our country.
One important piece that young people need in order to step out of the poverty cycle is to have choices and options that lead to healthy and productive lives. As a concrete way of responding to the crisis we have among our youth today, we at Friends of Jesus are planning to expand our tutoring program called Hope Street. Hope Street is an educational and personal development program for youth in our African-American neighborhood. It is designed to prepare them to make positive educational and career choices. The program involves academic instruction with an emphasis on African-American history and culture, as well as spiritual growth and leadership development.