Today is the first day of school. Well, for those in Fairfax County. Today, 200 children at Virginia Run Elementary will have brand new backpacks – because of you.   It was just a few weeks ago that we asked for backpacks to serve the under resourced children at Virginia Run and New Life responded with tremendous generosity. But what I love about this project, is that represents so much more than a backpack.

One Sunday after third service a 5th grader, we will call him Juan (name changed), came up to an nZone staff and asked if he could have a backpack. He was directed to me and I asked where he went to school. He goes to Virginia Run. But he also had been coming to camp KidZone, the three day per week camp that New Life runs, and saw those backpack stacks. I was able to check with the school social worker to ensure that yes he would get a backpack through the school, that would also be filled with supplies to start his year. Today, Juan is hopefully walking into class with a little more confidence from his time spent with loving New Life staff and volunteers from camp, and simply having a new backpack.

backpacksThis story demonstrates the vision that New Life has for the nZone, and how Passion 4 Community connects to that vision. The nZone was a safe place for this child to hang out. He felt safe enough to ask for something he needed. People have been generous with their time, resources, prayers, emotional energy, and love to pour into the nZone and into peoples’ lives and fill a lot of different needs. Passion 4 Community coordinates with the school system to fill in the gaps for their students and their families. We in turn ask for you to be generous in providing for those needs. Whether a family is in need of beds, furniture, or winter jackets; Passion 4 Community is a link between New Life, the nZone, and families in need.

If you would like more information on Passion 4 Community, please don’t hesitate to .   We have a lot of opportunities to serve in short term projects, delivering furniture, marketing and development and connecting to the community.