SAN ANTONIO – Harpers Chapel Ministries Pastor Vincent Robinson has created a safe space for youth in the Lincoln Heights Courts to visit every Tuesday, where he walks the complex to personally greet families and invite their kids into the church on Lombrano Street.
Volunteers at the church greet the kids with snacks and a smile.
Hannah Zertuche says she has a calling in her heart to help inner-city youth.
“I love them so much,” she said.
She’s been volunteering for about eight months and understands the hardships the youth are facing. She wants to offer them encouragement.
“We want to be able to offer them something that they can hold onto and hold on to hope that there’s something bigger than their current space in their current environment,” Zertuche said.
The afterschool program started with just a few kids about a year ago and has grown to over 20. They show up for the snacks, food, tutoring, bible lessons and even to help their community out through community service.
“In this ZIP code is the lowest income, highest crime rate, highest high school dropout rate, and then the highest single-mother rate in all of San Antonio. And so this community has a lot of opportunity to go down a path that’s not the best,” Zertuche explains.
She hopes a little encouragement will help youths imagine something better for themselves.
The church needs community volunteers who have a passion for transforming youth lives. Click here to reach out to the church for information.