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BY JUSTA RECIO –
Jennifer Arens, youth ministries coordinator, and her staff of seven added an unusual project to the San Francisco Turk Street Corps school program combined with summer camp.
During the math class, three groups of children were each given a book of store coupons and instructed to plan a meal worth $20. The group to finish first would be the winner.
The group leader then accompanied the winning group to the store and purchased the items on the menu. This taught the children how to plan a nutritious meal and do some smart shopping.
Late in the day, all the children were taken to the park to unwind and upon walking back to the corps, the meal items purchased at the store were given to a homeless person on the street.
This taught the children to respect and care for other human beings. The surprise and thankfulness that the children saw on the homeless person’s face after receiving the meal was enough to make the children smile and feel proud of themselves for having helped and touched someone in need.
Thirty to 35 children attended a variety of classes and activities such as Bible class, math and reading, music and drama, science, and art.
