JOVEN PURCHASES ITS OWN HOME – Youth Agency Will Renovate and Re-open Church as a Community Center for South San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO (January 8, 2010) – JOVEN has purchased the first property in its history as a provider of youth programs in South San Antonio since 1992. The former Harlandale Church of Christ will be renovated and converted into a community center that will serve children and parents with an array of programs to include after-school, summer camp, career development, dance instruction, and workshops.
The property, 507 E. Mayfield, is conveniently located only a couple of blocks from JOVEN’s current location, so families being served now will not experience any interruption of services. The main building has 17 classrooms and a large chapel. There is also an annex that can be used for meetings, luncheons, or rentals.
The JOVEN Capital Campaign will be launched immediately to help pay for the renovation expenses. Sponsors are being sought after for classroom naming rights and to defray material and labor costs associated with modernizing the 60-year-old building. Also, a playground will be built next to the annex.
“With this property, what we can achieve is only limited by our imagination,” said James Parsons, JOVEN’s CEO. “The growing needs of our community demand a more comprehensive response. Both children and parents lack access to timely and effective instruction covering a broad range of topics. By acquiring this property, JOVEN will have a proper vehicle for adding programs and services that address the community’s most critical needs.”
“Our programs help create a healthy community by providing a supervised, positive environment that has education and safety as primary components,” Parsons added. “Enrolled children have a sense of community and develop intergenerational relationships.”
JOVEN is the Spanish word for “youth,” and is also an acronym for Juvenile Outreach Vocational/Educational Network. Its mission is to develop character and resiliency in children by providing innovative, exciting programs and structured alternative activities that are designed to help them succeed. JOVEN believes that every child deserves the promise of a brighter tomorrow.
JOVEN partners with more than two dozen community groups to supplement JOVEN’s programs with targeted services. Current partners include the San Antonio Food Bank, Communities in Schools, Daughters of Charity Services, the Southwest School of Art & Craft, the PEACE Initiative, San Antonio College, SER San Antonio, the United Way, and many more. It is expected that in 2010 additional partnerships will be developed so that the needs of children and their parents will be better met.
For more information about JOVEN, contact JOVEN at (210) 924-0330. Interested persons are invited to visit JOVEN’s Web portals, which include:
Web site: www.jovensa.org
On Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/ylyorwe
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/JovenSAdotorg