Redeemer Serves the City impacts the community

How much difference does that new coat of paint you apply during Redeemer Serves the City really make? Sometimes it’s the difference between leaving our neighbors feeling alone or feeling seen and cared for, according to Beatriz Aldrete, parent and family liaison at Ogden Elementary School.

Ogden Elementary will be one of several work sites Redeemer teams visit during Redeemer Serves the City on May 4^th, a day of service to our community. Ogden, part of the San Antonio Independent School District, is a vital anchor point for an economically disadvantaged neighborhood. Many of its students come from families struggling with housing instability, incarceration of a parent or food insecurity. In turn, the school struggles with large needs and a lack of resources.

This will be the fourth year Ogden has welcomed a Redeemer Serves the City team, and Aldrete says the staff and teachers there now eagerly look forward to seeing what space will be transformed over the weekend. 

“This past year you went into the teachers’ lounge and painted two walls to add color,” she says. “It’s such a big difference. It was a dark grey before, and it brightened up the room. The timing is perfect because you all come the first weekend in May, and then the following week is Teacher Appreciation Week, so I always keep it a surprise what you’re working on and when they come in on Monday they always want to know ‘Who did this? Who do we say thank you to for this?’”

Redeemer teams have refinished old work tables, decorated a study space in the library and added decorative touches to teacher restrooms at Ogden over the years. These may seem like minor things, but it makes a difference in the way the school community feels.

“You should have seen what a difference something little like that makes, the impact it has on everyone,” Aldrete says. “It’s a big deal. It’s good for the staff and it’s good for the children to see that the community cares and they’re not alone. A lot of the time that’s the feeling, ‘We’re alone, this is just our neighborhood and it just functions like this,’ and it really helps for them to see that there is help.”

Redeemer’s relationship with Ogden has grown to extend beyond Redeemer Serves the City. Redeemer members have formed mentoring relationships with students. Redeemer hosts twice-annual luncheons for teachers and staff during busy standardized testing weeks. Ogden also receives Boxes of Blessing and distributes them to families from the school who struggle to keep food on the table during the Christmas holidays. For several years, staff members from Ogden have come to help with Redeemer’s Boxes of Blessing event as volunteers.

Aldrete says Redeemer Serves the City has even inspired Ogden’s staff to start its own day of service. As part of that first service day, a team from Ogden organized and cleaned a storage closet at Redeemer in August.

RPC Associate Pastor Victor Martinez says this kind of community relationship is one of the best long-term results of Redeemer Serves the City. And the event gives Redeemer an opportunity to connect with ministry partners they can serve in other ways throughout the year.

“Seeing it, serving, and owning it for a day affects people more than just hearing about it,” he says. “We’ve had people who come back saying ‘How can I get involved? What can I do?’ It changes everything. We hope it affects how people see the city."

Make plans to join us for Redeemer Serves the City from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 4^th! We will gather in the church parking lot at 8 a.m. for coffee, breakfast tacos and instructions from our group leaders.

• Pack a sack lunch and wear comfortable work clothes and closed-toed shoes.
• Families are welcomed and encouraged to serve together, and there will be jobs for all skill levels available.
• Please plan to stay for the duration of your team's project. Projects are designed for the number of people who sign up and everyone is needed to complete them!
• Register HERE to help us plan projects and teams.
• Join us on Sunday, May 5^th following the second service for our City Missions Luncheon, when we welcome RPC Ministry Partners to come and share with us about their work and view a slideshow from the work day!