The Gussie M. Walker Community Outreach Organization  is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization located at 1207 Moravia St. New Castle, Pa.  A number of citizens in our community wanted a place for our disadvantaged youth in our South Side community to go for educational assistance as well as a place for recreation in a controlled environment.  At the same time, we did not want the name of the founder of our church to be forgotten.  Consequently, our organization was formed in 2004 under the name of Gussie M. Walker Community Outreach Organization, Inc.  In January 2006, we received our 501c(3) non-profit public charity status and on August 14, 2006 we opened our after-school program for the disadvantaged youth of our community.  St. John United Holy Church allowed us to use their basement for our program, however, we are separate from the church. 

Our after-school program is called Walker’s Neighborhood House, where we currently provide tutoring for the youth in our economically depressed community. Although we are located in the South Side community, we offer our services to anyone in our community regardless of their race, color, religion, creed, disability, or economic situation. Our mission is to empower our youth to be the best they can be by obtaining a better education. We encourage the youth to bring whatever homework or study papers they have to Walker’s Neighborhood House.  We are able to help them with their homework when most of their parents cannot.   The students from Westminster College are the tutors for the children, helping them in whatever subjects they may need the help.  Since some of the students do not have transportation, twice a week some one from our staff picks up the students at the College to bring them to Walker’s Neighborhood House. For the other days, they provide their own transportation.  The tutors interact with all of the youth, giving them one-on-one attention as needed.  We provided a Computer Lab for their convenience in doing their school reports and research.  Walker’s Neighborhood House provides a place to learn new skills, review previous skills such as reading and math, do arts & craft projects or just to have a place to go for fun in a controlled environment.  Even though we have “Homework Sessions”, we provide reading and math workbooks for additional studying.  We also have a library for those who like to read. If we don’t have anyone scheduled to come in from the community, we use Friday as a free day for games or to watch movies.

While school is in session, our hours are from 4:00 pm – 6:00pm daily.  Most of the youth come directly from school, therefore, we provide a light meal or snack for all to eat.  We feed over 150 youth per week.  When the last school year ended, we had an average of thirty kids per day who brought in their homework or study papers.  The ages ranged from pre-school thru Junior high school. 

We know that our efforts were not in vain because we have seen the improvement on their report cards.  Some of the grades went from grade “F” to “C” and from grade “D” to “B” grade. We will continue to work with each child so they all could show improvement in all subjects. Our goal is to continue to encourage them to want to do better. We really want them to know that we are here to help them obtain a better education.

Summer Enrichment Program and Summer in the Park Program

When the school year ended, we continued Walker’s Neighborhood House with our Summer Enrichment Program.  We had a $15,000 contract with West Central Job Partnership for our summer program.  The contract was from May 1, 2007 through July 15, 2007.  Through this contract, we were able to purchase computer & learning material; arts & craft supplies; food for our daily meals; pay the insurance; many field trips and payroll for our staff of five.  Even though the program was opened to kids from 5 to 18 years of age, the youth who participated in the program were from 5 to 13 years of age.  We continued our time from 4:00 to 6:00 with studying and preparing for the end of the school year.  Then when school ended, we started the summer hours, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

We received the results of the evaluation tests that the school administered just before school ended.   We used these results to help us determine where each child needed help the most.  The kids were separated according to class grades.  Each day reading and math lessons were studied. The book, Battlefield of the Mind for kids by Joyce Meyer was the selected book for the summer.  The kids took turns reading the book out loud or the teacher read from the book.  Then they discussed what was read.  At the end of the session, each child had the book to take home. 

To enhance our Enrichment Program at Walker’s Neighborhood House, we incorporated the Summer in the Park Program with our agenda.  We partnered with other organizations in Lawrence County for this Program.   We continued the reading and math studies in the morning representing the Enrichment Program and going across the street to the Big Run Park in the afternoon for the Summer in the Park Program.  We continued to feed the youth lunch at noon and a light meal at 4:00.  Each week we presented special guests from the community. There was a theme for each of the nine weeks.  A few of the guests included the science man on every Monday, a police officer, an artist, someone from Adagio Health, the Book Mobile and Penn Power to name a few.  Each Tuesday, the kids had the opportunity, through the Summer in the Park Program, to go swimming at Ewing Park in Ellwood City. The kids had the opportunity to go on many field trips.  Our Enrichment Program and the Summer in the Park Program provided many fun and educational field trips for the children. In the middle of our summer activities, a private donor donated funds enough for thirteen of our youth to go to camp for one week.  The summer at Walker’s Neighborhood House ended on August 17, 2007.  It was our objective for the children to retain what they have learned this summer.  If only one child made an improvement in their experience with us, we would still be thankful, however, it is our goal to reach as many youth as possible who come through our Walker’s Neighborhood House. 

FUTURE GOAL

Walker’s Neighborhood House is now in our second year tutoring the disadvantaged youth of our community. This year, our continued goal is for every child who wants educational assistance from Walker’s Neighborhood House, will improve the grade level by at least one grade.  With our college tutors along with our innovative study program, we can obtain that goal. We are also the Host Agency for the Senior Service America, Inc. (SSAI), Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) operated under Title V of the Older Americans Act.  We have one senior citizen employed as our receptionist under that program. 

The Gussie M. Walker Community Outreach Organization is a non-profit organization, totally dependant on grants, donations and fundraisers.