Featured Grant Story: Guadalupe-Parkway Neighborhood Centers

What is Guadalupe-Parkway Neighborhood Centers?

Founded in 1962, the mission of the Guadalupe-Parkway Sommerville Centers is to meet the needs of the community by providing programs that give individuals and families opportunities to learn, develop self-esteem and realize their full potential. The neighborhood service area includes approximately 33% of the total minority population of the City of Lubbock. Their programs strive to keep at-risk youth (ages 3-19) engaged in positive activities and away from the destructive influences such as alcohol and drug abuse, gangs, violence, and crime.

Scoutreach provides kids in poverty the opportunity to participate in a quality Scouting program. It does this through eliminating financial barriers and providing staff/volunteers to support the youth whose parents are unable to participate with them. The Center provides staff, curriculum and Scout membership as an after-school program with the requested funds. Through this program, children learn about first aid, leadership, financial responsibility, and the many other fun and nurturing lessons that Scouting teaches.

Guadalupe-Parkway Neighborhood Centers in Action

Braden* is an eight-year-old boy who attends Alderson Elementary. Braden started the Boy Scout program struggling with anger issues and had poor listening skills. Through Scoutreach Braden participated in many activities, which taught him leadership, responsibility, and teamwork. Boy Scout meetings became an incentive for good behavior.

Throughout the course of the semester, Braden’s attitude began to change he began to ask if he could help pick up trash in front of the Center and throw away trash after snack time. Braden soon discovered he could positively impact the community around him. Braden was instrumental in helping plant small trees and plants in the Parkway Learning Garden. Additionally, Braden and his sister, who also wanted to join the scouting program, are being raised by grandparents in poor health.

Scoutreach has been an instrumental tool that mentors Braden weekly. Without Scoutreach, boys like Braden, would not have a much-needed model to look up to. These boys in single parent or in grandparent homes are hungry for the presence of a positive male model. Scoutreach provides the missing link for many of these boys.

*Names have been changed for privacy and confidentiality.

To learn more about the Guadalupe-Parkway Neighborhood Centers, please visit them online at www.guadalupe-parkway.org, or on Facebook.