By Cathy Spaulding
African-American ministers are seeking support for a campaign to help Muskogee children succeed in school — and in life.
Ministers representing at least eight churches and religious groups met Tuesday at Old Agency Baptist Church to kick off the local Save the Children campaign. Through Save the Children, the ministers plan to work with schools, colleges, governments, law enforcement, businesses and other agencies to provide positive programs for youth.
“We are spearheading this effort as we look into the community and see where African-American children are failing,” said the Rev. A.H. Jones, Old Agency pastor. “Schools and the chief of police came to us, and we are answering their call.”
Jones said Save the Children is seeking funding from the City of Muskogee Foundation for two programs:
• A night hoops program to let youth play basketball at night.
• A cultural enrichment program to get kids involved in the arts and other cultural activities.
Save the Children also seeks to get involved in Let’s Move, an effort led by First Lady Michelle Obama to combat childhood obesity.
Jesse Harris, a consultant working with Save the Children, said he has been working with Muskogee ministers for the past five years to “put the African-American community in the driver’s seat” in helping youth.
“We did Save the Children in McAlester, and we are confident it will be just as successful here in Muskogee,” Harris told the ministers.
Harris is a consultant with Inner City Productions Inc., a McAlester nonprofit arts and culture development organization.
Harris said Muskogee applied to be a local facilitator for Let’s Move.
“We wanted to build this generation up, and we gave them computers and video games,” he said. “We need to get them to get up out of the sofas and get active and engaged.”
Ministers attending Tuesday’s meeting echoed the concern.
“We have to look at the national dropout rate and look at child pregnancy, youth going to prison,” said the Rev. Kevin L. Neal, pastor of Peters Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. “We really got to try to create the program, to help the program.”
Jones said he’s inviting Muskogee’s religious leaders to attend a Save the Children information session 9 a.m. Saturday at Old Agency, 1115 N. 24th St.
Jones said the effort grew out of what once was the Muskogee Baptist Union.
“We are now reaching out to other denominations,” he said.
Jones said he is working with other ministers to have nondenominational services and activities the week leading up to Easter.
Reach Cathy Spaulding at 684-2928 or cspaulding @muskogeephoenix.com.
