“Each child contains the possibility of becoming many different children, and caring adults can determine which of those children come to life.”
                                 - James Garbarino

As I watched the video and listened to the children on October 18, 2007 at the Annual UrbanPromise Banquet, one theme kept surfacing: Hope!

Teens, like Elyse, talked about returning to their city to make a difference, volunteers talked about what it takes to build a city of Promise, children sang songs about miracles, and we watched video clips about ordinary citizens coming together to build houses and renovate broken buildings.  These were hope filled testimonies.

But one must ask: What is the soil in which hope takes root, grows and flourishes? 

I believe the soil in which hope finds a place to grow is in a garden of promise.  When human beings come together and promise to share, promise to care, and promise to keep commitments hope begins to grow.  The hopefulness of last night’s celebration was evident because it was coming forth from a community of people—a community of people, from all walks of life, which has made a promise to the children of Camden. 

Last night you made a gift to UrbanPromise and the children of this city.  You fulfilled your promise in a very tangible way.  Thank you for sharing your hard earned money with our ministry so our staff can continue investing in the lives of children and teens.  This is my promise to you:  Our team will continue to guide, nurture, teach, love, train, encourage, and mentor the young people God places in our path.  

Together we can make a difference.  Together we will continue to “….build a city of promise one child at a time.”

Bruce Main
Executive Director