APRIL 2021 NEWSLETTER

We have some wonderful news to share this month as the Miami Valley Leadership Foundation (MVLF) was celebrated by a couple of our community partners for steadfast dedication to area youth.  We have also recapped below a gathering of our Hope4Community leaders as they encouraged one another to stay focused and on mission!

Miami Valley Leadership Foundation was recognized twice this past month for its numerous efforts to serve the youth in our community.

MVLF recently received the “2021 Outstanding Partner Award” at the Mentoring Collaborative of Montgomery County’s Annual Mentoring Summit.  The Mentoring Collaborative offers mentoring resource development, training and certification of partner agencies such as MVLF as well as for mentors within Montgomery County.

On March 22, Mad Rivers Local Schools honored MVLF at its 2021 Friends of Education awards ceremony for continuing to provide mentoring support for students even in the midst of the pandemic.  MVLF has had the privilege to help serve young people in the school district for the past five years by providing them with access to a caring adult who will commit to meeting with them for one hour each week.

MVLF’s president, Jay Schindler said, “Our staff and volunteer mentors have worked very hard and sacrificially to serve the youth of our community. We’re very grateful for the empowering and dedicated work that they do to help make our youth stronger and more confident. They have earned this special recognition, which we are honored to receive on their behalf.”

Hope4Community leaders gathered on February 23 to reflect upon the previous year and all of the unplanned opportunities to serve students and families in 2020 because of Covid.  All Hope4Community leaders were in attendance and they mutually shared upcoming priorities in their respective communities. 

Each leader came ready to listen and encourage one another as they continued to lead the important work of city transformation through partner churches and other city domain leaders. Hope4Community leaders were encouraged with the message that they serve as part of one ‘Big C’ Church with several local mission stations throughout the city, and are called to shine brightly in their communities, with the ultimate goal to point people back to Jesus.

The gathering also focused on the Wheel of Change and the importance of implementing it in all we do in our communities with a humble spirit of leadership that is demonstrated primarily through engaged service.  The Wheel of Change has three functions; to engage leaders of good faith and good will, to build the capacity of others, and to develop joint initiatives.

The discussion also focused upon our community’s greatest needs such as food insecurity, housing and mental health. Please pray for our Hope4Community leaders and our communities as we collaborate to spread this living hope in the communities we love and serve.  Though hopelessness can be found throughout our community and the world, there is always hope to be found in Christ!