Stories of Change in Camden

Ivan Stevens
A lot has changed for Ivan Stevens over the last year. He has a new apartment, lives in a new neighborhood, and he is a first grader at the CamdenForward School—a private school founded by UrbanPromise in 1997. According to his teacher Ms. Heath, Ivan is eager, engaged, and an excellent student. What a difference a stable home, a comfortable bed, nutritious food, and a loving learning environment can make in a child’s intellectual and emotional development. Ivan’s future is optimistic.

Jonas & Steven Marrero
“They love to go to school now,” chimed Victor Marerro, father of Jonas and Steven. “I used to have to pull them out of bed in the morning, now they get up on their own!” Since the 20/20 special last January a lot has happened for the Marrero family. They have a new home, thanks to Extreme Makeover. There is food in the pantry and working electricity. But they are also part of the UrbanPromise community. “It gives me such peace to know that my boys are in a safe place,” added Victor. Raising teenage boys is a challenge for anyone. For Victor, having the support of the UrbanPromise staff has been an added bonus.

A Town Meeting
Immediately following the 20/20 special in January, the town of Haddonfield, New Jersey decided they wanted to be a more engaged neighbor to the city of Camden. Haddonfield is about 10 minutes from Camden. A town meeting was held and about 200 people showed up to discuss ways these two cities could work together. Consequently, a store owner in town now sells the art work of Camden’s children. The Baptist Church sponsored a youth exchange event where children from Camden and Haddonfield made mural together. Resources have been raised to help with summer camps and after school programs. People from this town have now engage as tutors.

High School Exchange
A high school senior showed Diane Sawyer’s Waiting on the World to Change five times at his high school last spring—to over 800 students. In response a social action club was formed and resources were raised for UrbanPromise and additional organizations. Last May 60 students from Voorhees High School visited UrbanPromise and the Creative Arts High School in Camden. Students had the opportunity to dialogue with one another and learn about each other’s communities.