“Do you have time for some fun?”  This is a question that one of my girls has been asking me recently when she sees me around the neighborhood and at after school program.  She wants to spend time with me without the focus being on homework or academic activities. I’ve...

June 16-20 was our annual Care Camp, where we brought 64 youth from the communities where we run neighborhood programs to Calvin Crest in Oakhurst for 5 days of fun camp activities!  Youth played games, made crafts, went hiking and boating, ate great food, made s’mores...

When this school year finishes next month, I will have completed working at an after school program for 10 consecutive years, 5 of those years with Care Fresno.  I’ve learned a lot, but after 10 years, I still struggle when it comes to disciplining kids and there are c...

The other day during recreation time at after school program, we brought out frisbees.  One of my third grade girls had never played with a frisbee before. We stood a few feet away and I tossed her the frisbee...and she caught it with her nose.  I rushed over to make s...

One day last week, the room where my Care Club after school program meets was not available. My roommates and I decided to invite our kids to our apartment for a makeshift program day.  On that rainy day, we served hot chocolate and one of our new volunteers brought a...

August 24-26 was the Mission Care Fall Retreat for our residents and staff.  Throughout the weekend, current and previous residents shared with the new and returning residents from their own journey with Care Fresno.  Here is part of what I shared with the team regardi...

Constant noise and loud activity are a regular part of my Care Fresno experience.  My thin apartment walls allow conversations from the surrounding apartments to wander into mine, along with noise from traffic and passerbyers outside.  From my apartment, I often hear h...

On April 28, each of our 7 sites was able to invite 4 kids to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo for an incentive field trip.  The 4 boys I brought were fascinated by the reptile house we visited first.  They moved from display to display, pressing their noses against the glass....

When I joined Care Fresno, I was optimistic about my ability to change lives through a one-year Mission Care term.  While I have been able to invest in the lives of many of the kids in my after school program, I have also grown in my awareness of what it means to inves...

On December 8th, we had our annual Christmas field trip! Each Care Fresno site was able to bring 5 kids for a time of games at the park followed by a walk through Candy Cane Lane to look at Christmas lights.  We had a lot of fun together and as those from my site walke...