- History
CLERGY, COMMUNITY, CHILDREN/YOUTH COALITION
(4C Coalition)
We are in the beginning of a new paradigm, a new way of thinking. -Quote the 4C Coalition
A place and time of cooperation as we strive to build our community. The purpose of Operation Uplift was to create and design a recruitment campaign to increase and expand opportunities for mentoring. The campaign for Operation Uplift was born out of collaboration between Big Brothers and Big Sisters of King County, The Joy Initiative, out of King County Department of Juvenile Services Chaplaincy program and Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration Mentor Program.
The programs came together to collaborate out of a common need, which was to increase mentors, especially African-American male mentors, to work with the devastating number of youth in need of support from a caring adult.
After several meetings it was decided by The Operation Uplift Campaign that to have an impact on the faith community, an atmosphere had to be created that would inform and inspire the congregations.
A place and time of cooperation as we strive to build our community. The purpose of Operation Uplift was to create and design a recruitment campaign to increase and expand opportunities for mentoring. The campaign for Operation Uplift was born out of collaboration between Big Brothers and Big Sisters of King County, The Joy Initiative, out of King County Department of Juvenile Services Chaplaincy program and Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration Mentor Program.
The programs came together to collaborate out of a common need, which was to increase mentors, especially African-American male mentors, to work with the devastating number of youth in need of support from a caring adult.
After several meetings it was decided by The Operation Uplift Campaign that to have an impact on the faith community, an atmosphere had to be created that would inform and inspire the congregations.
HISTORY OF OPERATION UPLIFT
Operation Uplift-On October 6, 1999 several pastors, church representatives, agencies, educational persons and mentor programs met at JRA Region IV to discuss how churches could devote more effort towards working together in mentoring our youth.
The Pastors discussed how churches, both large and small, should share resources to reach our youth and how mentor programs could offer training or technical assistance to the churches.
Operation Uplift and the Church Council of Greater Seattle then invited Reverend Eugene Rivers, co-founder of the Ten-Point Coalition in Boston, who was featured in NEWSWEEK Magazine and on CNN to Seattle. Reverend Rivers is a former gang member who went on to Harvard University. He wrote the Ten-Point plan for a church mobilization to combat black-on-black violence in addition to co-founding the internationally recognized Boston Ten-Point Coalition, a group of pastors that are successfully helping Boston’s most troubled youth.
On October 25, 1999, First African Methodist Episcopal Church hosted a Pastors’ luncheon to continue the discussion of church involvement with Seattle’s most troubled youth.
On the evening of October 25, Reverend Rivers gave a powerfully inspirational message on the importance of the need to mobilize to save our communities and our youth.
Tuesday, October 26, 1999, a roundtable meeting convened with Reverend Rivers, Pastors from the Seattle Churches, agencies and mentor programs to continue the discussions and of partnership. Out of these discussions, light was shed upon the enormity and magnitude of the crisis in our community and that of disproportionality.
On November 16, 1999, Reverend John Wyatt of Ebenezer African Methodist Zion Church hosted local clergy, agencies, church representatives and mentor programs to begin planning, developing missions, goals and strategies in identifying solutions.
There was a shift in the way Seattle clergy, communities and agencies began working together. The objective of Operation Uplift was being met.
If we are to find long-term solutions for the spiritual, social and educational needs of our children, it is clear that we must continue to develop strategies that draw on the unique strengths that exist in our churches. -Quote
Out of The Operation Uplift campaign The 4C Coalition was birthed.
4C Coalition is the acronym for Clergy, Community, and Children/Youth Coalition.
A coalition of Pastors, and Community Members who are committed to their communities, their congregations and to youth.
The momentum continues to grow!
There is a shift, a move, a change in the way we will work together, and everyone will feel the impact of this positive change as we build the community for our youth and families! -Quote 4C Coalition
The Pastors discussed how churches, both large and small, should share resources to reach our youth and how mentor programs could offer training or technical assistance to the churches.
Operation Uplift and the Church Council of Greater Seattle then invited Reverend Eugene Rivers, co-founder of the Ten-Point Coalition in Boston, who was featured in NEWSWEEK Magazine and on CNN to Seattle. Reverend Rivers is a former gang member who went on to Harvard University. He wrote the Ten-Point plan for a church mobilization to combat black-on-black violence in addition to co-founding the internationally recognized Boston Ten-Point Coalition, a group of pastors that are successfully helping Boston’s most troubled youth.
On October 25, 1999, First African Methodist Episcopal Church hosted a Pastors’ luncheon to continue the discussion of church involvement with Seattle’s most troubled youth.
On the evening of October 25, Reverend Rivers gave a powerfully inspirational message on the importance of the need to mobilize to save our communities and our youth.
Tuesday, October 26, 1999, a roundtable meeting convened with Reverend Rivers, Pastors from the Seattle Churches, agencies and mentor programs to continue the discussions and of partnership. Out of these discussions, light was shed upon the enormity and magnitude of the crisis in our community and that of disproportionality.
On November 16, 1999, Reverend John Wyatt of Ebenezer African Methodist Zion Church hosted local clergy, agencies, church representatives and mentor programs to begin planning, developing missions, goals and strategies in identifying solutions.
There was a shift in the way Seattle clergy, communities and agencies began working together. The objective of Operation Uplift was being met.
If we are to find long-term solutions for the spiritual, social and educational needs of our children, it is clear that we must continue to develop strategies that draw on the unique strengths that exist in our churches. -Quote
Out of The Operation Uplift campaign The 4C Coalition was birthed.
4C Coalition is the acronym for Clergy, Community, and Children/Youth Coalition.
A coalition of Pastors, and Community Members who are committed to their communities, their congregations and to youth.
The momentum continues to grow!
There is a shift, a move, a change in the way we will work together, and everyone will feel the impact of this positive change as we build the community for our youth and families! -Quote 4C Coalition