Cup Of Cool Water

Programs: Outreach: bringing the presence of christ on the streets. We met youth and established healthy relationships by meeting the kids in their environment. Through outreach activities, day drop-ins & evening drop-ins & overnight drop-ins to the center in the heart of spokane's downtown, follow-up, bible study, and workshops we made 8,478 outreach contacts in 2013! Follow-up consists of: showing christ lived out in our lives, helping kids receive and coordinate services from other private and government agencies, visits to jail, and celebrating birthdays. Outreach: several times a week, staff roam the streets of downtown spokane handing out food and blankets to homeless teens talking to them about options, listening to the trials they face on the streets while offering hope. That hope is love and it only comes through jesus christ. Drop-ins for food & shelter: a safe place for kids off the streets. We have a day "drop in" for an environment of love and encouragement following the example of jesus christ. Services include a clothing room, meals, laundry facilities, hot showers, bible study and fun activities. Discipleship: studying the bible and discussing the principles found helped several kids grow in christian character. Mentoring: this is one-on-one ministry to help kids in daily life to overcome the obstacles of bad habits and attitudes. The mission of the organization is to empower street youth to become wholehearted followers of jesus christ and to exit street life. Through the gospel of jesus christ and building healthy relationships, street kids are provided services and the underlying values are: grace over law; relationship over program; empower over enabling; long term committment over short term committment; community over isolation; equipping over hindering; acceptance over discrimination; and unconditional love over rejection. The organization provides a safe place where youth can find haven from life on the street. There, kids 'drop in' to do puzzles, play games and meet with the trained staff and volunteers. The organization is also a distribution point for clothing for kids on the street. Numerous articles of clothing & personal hygiene were given away last year. Because of the increase in core staff and volunteers, the organization began giving haircuts and hosting cooking classes for kids. Three new agencies were added to help with our volunteer training. Staff and volunteer hours totaled 10,816 in the various aspects of the organization. The organization typically ministers to people from ages 13 to 22. Statistical totals for 2014: cup of cool water served 5,898 youths who are homeless in our drop-in center for day, evening, and overnight drop-in, and educational courses. 1,087 visits were made to the clothing room, where we distributed 5,755 clothing items and 1,034 personal hygiene items. We were also able to provide 607 showers and 131 loads of laundry. In addition to our drop-in services, we reached 324 youths who are homeless with our outreach ministry. In 2014, ccw began a job training program that employed 1 youth.