Fall Programs & Festivals, Teen Leadership, and Family Needs . . .

What's Sprouting?

This Issue:
- Pictures from the start of our Fall Programs
- Teen Leadership Explosion!
- Harvest Carnival 10/29 - Volunteers Needed
- Prayer Requests for Specific Family Needs
- Sneak Peak for Kids at Heart 2017!

Coming Events:
- October 29 - Harvest Carnival at Ninos Park
- Dec 16 & 17 - Melvin's Hope Christmas Events
- May 26, 2017 - SAVE THE DATE - Kids at Heart
and The GreenHouse's 15 Year Celebration!

View this email in your browser

www.thegreenhousecenter.org

Top: Elementary students in our Evergreen after-school program eager to learn!
Left: Teens working on homework in our on-site library. Right: Weekly dinner and discussion with teens and their mentors in our Leaders in Training program

Our Fall programs launched in mid-September, after a month and a half break following our summer programs. Staff spent time resting, reflecting on the year, and preparing to serve kids for another academic year at The GreenHouse! We have a number of new families whose children have joined our programs, and their parents are eager to do their part as volunteers and community leaders throughout the year. Elementary kids are getting homework help, reading enrichment, hands-on learning with math games, and life skill workshops.

Our teen leaders in our "Leaders in Training" program have a had several meetings with our City Councilmember Jeff Harris about redevelopment plans for another neighborhood park. The teens presented their ideas and plans to increase community use of the park. They are empowered and energized about the possibilities opening up to them as leaders in their neighborhood. Teens in our R4 after-school program also went on a Sac State tour last week. We now have an average of 15 teens attending that program, a significant increase from previous years. Teens are being matched up with mentors from Sac State who can help them both on their academics and their life goals.

As is common for us, we are walking alongside a number of teens and families who are in distress in this season, and we invite you to join us in praying for them and for all the kids and families in this remarkable community. Thank you for your prayers and your partnership in this important work!

Top: Some of our Leaders in Training teens and volunteers with Councilmember Jeff Harris after a meeting about Gardenland Park improvements. Left: They REALLY liked posing next to the Mayor's office! Right: The GreenHouse was recently honored by Sac State's Department of Education for a Community Partnership award. Bottom: Teens pose with Councilwoman Angelique Ashby and local police officers at the opening of the new Kings basketball courts at Gardenland Park last week.

Our 13th Annual Harvest Carnival is
Saturday, October 29th 3:00-5:30 pm

We still are in need of some donations and volunteers for our Harvest Carnival. If you are interested in volunteering that day as a pumpkin carver, face painter, craft helper, or for set-up/clean-up we still have some spots! Contact Chito at chito@thegreenhousecenter.org if you're interested.

Our annual Harvest Carnival at Niños Park offers neighbors an opportunity to come together and enjoy a day of safe family fun with one another. This free event offers a pumpkin patch, carnival games, special performances, great food, a bounce house, face painting, and a positive families to connect with the broader community in the Gardenland/Northgate neighborhood.

If you find good deals on bags of candy or little prizes for our carnival games, please consider purchasing and donating them for the Harvest Carnival as well.

More information about our Fall and Christmas community-service events (led by parents and teens) is on our events page at our website.