If you have kids like we do, you're probably asking yourself, "Where did the summer go?" And if you had to buy backpacks and school supplies, you may be asking yourself, "Where did the dollars go?"

We all know the economy is struggling which makes it hard on all of us, especially low-income families and the charities that serve them. Gas prices are up and donations are down. An August 18th the USA Today front-page article highlighted this dilemma and featured one of our ministry partners Shepherd Community in Indianapolis. My wife and I founded Shepherd after we got married in 1984 and led it for 10 years. Here's part of that article.

Shepherd Community Center, an inner-city Indianapolis ministry, dispensed 2,500 backpacks stuffed with supplies last year. This year it's giving away 3,200. "There's more of a demand than we can fill," says executive director Jay Height. "The economy is hitting us hard."

However, in spite of a national trend that is seeing charitable giving slide along with the economy, your consistent faithful giving and your gift this month has helped us tremendously. I can report that fortunately YouthPartnersNET has not seen this decline in individual giving and for that we thank you and God.

Maybe the reason you are so faithful is that like us you live by Jesus’ stewardship principle - "To whom much is given, much is required". Luke 12:48

Back to school means YPN is busy helping our partners get their after-school programs up and running. Through a contact I have with a suburban church, one of their laymen works for a sporting company and they donated 300 backpacks for our partners. Last month I visited two of our partners on the East Coast who are reaching urban children and youth in some unique ways.
 
It’s been my privilege to work closely with Michael Marion, the founder of Boys To Men and their mentoring ministry. Mike attended one of our Executive Director Leadership Trainings in DC. That training helped him design and receive a federal faith-based three-year Abstinence grant which has been a huge success. I’ve also been helping Michael design and promote his dream to walk 1000 miles in 100 days to raise over $100,000 for this unique mentoring program in rural Tennessee. He’s on Day 40 and doing well, blisters and all. In May I spoke at their volunteer banquet and saw first hand what a difference they are making. (See the grant on the next page).

I also serve as the Chairman of the Board for Crossroads of the Rockies, an urban ministry my wife and I restarted back in 1996. On September 1 we moved down the street into a new building that is four times the size of our old one, complete with a gym, full kitchen and more rooms than we need for our Whiz Kids tutoring program, the largest one in Denver. It’s a great covenant partnership with three other congregations that share the facility which saves utilities and operational costs for everyone. There is no rent since this building is debt free. This is the wave of the future for urban ministry – covenant collaborations. We had our back to school party and gave away 275 backpacks and school supplies. It was wonderful to see Hispanic and Vietnamese children and families come from the neighborhood.

Well, as you can see there is a lot going on and a lot to praise God for. Your love and support means the world to us so please keep us and our partners in your prayers.

For Him and Them,

Dean Cowles
YouthPartnersNET President

LIVE COMPASSION!

Your Donations at Work:

Boys to Men is a youth development and mentoring program that serves students from the low income rural communities near Johnson City, TN.  They provide a variety of services from one-on-one mentoring, after school mentoring groups, sports teams, passion opportunities, enrichment trips and summer camp experiences as well as part-time employment at their facility.  Their mentoring program reaches many students including boys and girls enrolled in their youth development program and kids in their Children of Promise program who have incarcerated parents.  These students are at high-risk for early pregnancy, dropping out of school, and drug and alcohol abuse.  Boys to Men’s executive director Mike Marion is walking 1000 miles in 100 days for the new “Impacting Kids for Life” campaign to raise funds for this mentoring program, inspire people to become mentors and bring attention to the core issues facing today’s youth.  YPN is excited to provide a grant for their mentoring program during this campaign.  Visit www.mentoringman.org for more details.

Prayer Request:

Randle is now a senior in high school and has been in Boys to Men since 3rd grade.  He has lived in the same low income apartment since they have known him.  He has no father in the home, yet he is thriving.  He is now one of their student leaders and is anticipating his future. His prayer request is concerning his choices for continuing his education and all that requires.  He needs prayer, guidance and supervision through this process. (photo - Randle in Mexico on youth trip).