Common Ground Social Needs

In order to fulfill the requirements of this paper, I attended a ministry called Common Ground. Common Ground is an after-school mentoring program for underprivileged children in kindergarten through fifth grade that reside here in Waxahachie, Texas. This ministry has volunteers that help the children with their homework, includes a reading program to help the children become better readers and improve their comprehension skills, and allows the volunteers to spend one-on-one time with the children in order to share the love of Christ to them. While attending this ministry I noticed not only one, but several social needs. Needs such as love, belonging, security, and safety. I chose love as a need, because most of these children either do not know their parents, reside with only one parent, or reside with their grandparents. For some, their parent(s) are in jail or walked out on them. I chose belonging, because sometimes through their hardships they may feel as if they are alone or that they do not belong with their other friends that have parents. I choose security, because these children need something/someone that is constant in their lives and will not walk out on them. Finally I chose safety, because sometimes their home is not safe for them to be in or because their parents or siblings are not making wise decisions. The best thing about Common Ground, is that they strive to fulfill these social needs in any way they can. Whether it being providing extra food for the children to take home, providing backpacks, allowing them to go to the doctor, and so much more. So now the question is, “What is a potential solution and resource for all of these social needs?” and honestly the answer is very simple; people. …show more content…
People are the answer to these needs. If the ministry can get people involved that have a heart to reach and serve underprivileged children, these social needs would be fulfilled. If we can get people who want to love on these children and share the love of Christ with them, then the social need of love and belonging will be fulfilled. If we can get people who show up on a constant basis, then the need of security and safety will be fulfilled. It does not take money, or anything far-fetch. It takes people. Like you and I. When interacting with people facing these certain social problems (especially children), the most important thing a person can do is to not give up on them and to be someone that is constant in their lives. You need to show them the love that they have yet to receive from even their own family, and learn to encourage them with everything that they do. Personally, my favorite way to interact with the kids is to take them out on one-on-ones. I will take them out to dinner, ice cream, and then take them to SAGU and just spend time to get to know them. This is how I build my trust and relationships with the kids, and it allows special opportunities to just pour words of wisdom into their lives. The main thing I learned about myself through this ministry is that God has really broken and burdened my heart to help and serve underprivileged children. At this point, I am not sure if that is serving in a foster center or working at