UHope Success Academy
In Fairfield, Urban Hope Community Church’s main service arm to the community is through our own church-led nonprofit, Urban Hope Development, located at 4917 Gary Ave. Its vision is “Bringing hope to students and families through education and economic development”. The key to any community-based program is having good community-based relationships with people in leadership. Building that relational capital takes a lot of time, trust and long-term commitment.
My wife, Sandra Hardy, Urban Hope Development’s executive director, has done just that through UHope Success Academy, UHD’s summer learning program. This program is in its 8th year and has been a mainstay for the Fairfield City School system and has provided excellent learning opportunities for students in our city. Along with the support and volunteers from our various church partners, including Oak Mountain Presbyterian, Altadena Valley Presbyterian, Faith Presbyterian and other churches, Sandra has remained faithful to seeing children who attend Fairfield City Schools (primarily rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders) practice and improve their efficiencies in reading, math and other subjects. It's not glamorous work, but the kind of work that takes faithfulness when no one is looking or observing except for God himself.
As an incentive for our students who meet certain standards in the classroom, complete their homework assignments and maintain good behavior, Urban Hope provides students with an opportunity to travel to another city. This is a photo of our first group of students on our trip to New York City in 2011. We shared with these students that the Gospel is the only hope we have of breaking generational cycles and living a life filled with Godly purpose. We spoke to directly into their individual family situations and challenged them with the infallible word of God.
This Monday, our 2021 UHope Success Academy began with about 35 students who are eager to learn and to grow! Throughout the month of June, these students will be challenged in academic excellence and encouraged to fight against the tides of underachievement and preventing otherwise inevitable summer learning loss.
The key to success with these students, their parents and their loved ones is relationships. The love of God must be evident in reaching students and building genuine trust with their parents and grandparents. We are praying that God will do a special work of grace this summer and that many of the parents and students will become genuine Christians; followers of Jesus Christ. We hope to take the students who achieve UHope Success Academy’s attendance and performance standards back to NYC with us for cultural learning and enrichment opportunity along with one of their parents/guardians. UHope Success Academy is a vehicle that provides and incredible and unique opportunity for the Gospel of Christ to enter into the hearts of all who participate in our program; students, parents, family members, teachers and the Fairfield School Board.
For the sake of the Gospel and for the glory of God!
We welcome and encourage your financial support as well as your prayers. You can give online at www.urbanhopecc.com or by sending a check to P.O. Box 53, Fairfield, Alabama 35064.
Our phone number is 205-514-3715 and our email is info@urbanhopecc.com.
Grace and Peace,
Alton Hardy, Founder and Visionary, Urban Hope the Movement
