An article in the San Francisco Examiner this month, reports that the San Francisco Unified School District, made up of 118 schools, is facing a dramatic shortage of core-teaching materials. City Church's partner, El Dorado Elementary School, has found itself reeling in the midst of this crisis, described by the Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, Innovation and Social Justice as, "a perfect storm of missing materials."

After reading the article, several City Church community groups have decided to take action and host a bake sale benefitting our valuable partner in Visiticion Valley. Our church participates in a mentoring program with this elementary school via KIDS HOPE USA, a non-profit that partners one church with one struggling school. The transformative power of this program is rooted in paring one adult with one at-risk child. We currently have over twenty City Church mentors taking one hour out of their weeks to make a difference in the lives of these adorable children.

City Hope's Urban Beautification initiative has been another successful part of this symbiotic relationship between the church and school. Pastor Paul Trudeau and a gang of creative individuals from our church have painted murals that have transformed dark, foreboding hallways and stairways into colorful, imaginary worlds.