Spotlight of The Month | Helping Hands

Social Services are a very important part of what we do at ALCO along, with providing good quality, affordable, safe and sanitary apartments. This month we are highlighting the Neighborhood Christian Center.

The Neighborhood Christian Center started 50 years ago and has served ALCO-owned properties for many years. The services that they bring to the residents help them to find self-worth, hope and kindness. Many of the programs are geared toward everyday living and the basic needs. We are highlighting the Neighborhood Christian Center this month and congratulate them and their on-site employees that continue to fulfill the needs of the neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Christian Center serves Chickasaw Place, Greenbriar, Pershing Park, Robinhood Park, and Ridgecrest residents. Highlighted below are three areas of service they provide each of the properties.

Compassionate Ministries provides the residents in need of emergency food, clothing, furniture, funeral assistance, transportation, and financial assistance. At each of the properties the NCC maintains a clothes closet, food pantry, emergency services (monetary funds), referral service, home-bound delivery, and furniture services.

Youth Empowered to Succeed provides children services to ages 5-18 living at the properties. This program addresses a variety of topics that directly affect under-resourced youths. This includes the lack of after school enrichment programs, high school dropout rates, low school attendance, financial literacy, and college/vocational preparation. Elementary students are served through site-based homework centers, literacy programs, bible study, and community service projects. The middle school program shifts to strategically focus on drop-out prevention, grade advancement, ACT workshops, college and career readiness, vocation training, mentoring, college tours, and financial literacy. Other areas of services for these ages are bible study, after-school programs, reading programs, summer camps and a job-training program. The third area that is served at the properties are for adults and families.

These empowerment programs are Christ-centered programs, as well as learning and developing skills needed for home and work life. This includes case management, bible study, marriage ministry, and health clinic services.

The on-site personnel are:

• Greenbriar Apartment Complex: Elisha Williams: Site Coordinator
• Ridgecrest Apartment Complex: Teresa Johnson: Site Coordinator, Bryan Mathis: Assistant Site Coordinator
• Pershing Park Apartment Complex: Tabitha Davis: Site Coordinator, Will Boroughs: Assistant Site Coordinator
• Chickasaw Apartment Complex: Amanda Chandler: Site Coordinator, MiSandra Hyman: Assistant Site Coordinator
• Robinhood Apartment Complex: Tawana Goolsby: Interim Site Coordinator, Carly Roberts-Allen: Assistant Site Coordinator

We would like to thank the NCC for their service and for their dedication to our residents and our communities.