RADFORD – New River Community Action (NRCA) presented their first Community Supporter of the Year Award to First Baptist Church of Radford at the agency’s Board of Directors’ meeting in Radford on May 16, 2019. NRCA recognized First Baptist Church for their outstanding support to NRCA’s Head Start Program.
Three years ago, First Baptist Church adopted the New River Community Action Head Start Program as a mission project leading to the relocation of a Radford Head Start classroom to the church. Not only did the church provide classroom and office spaces, but also a playground and space for parent group meetings.
Weekly congregational activities include a volunteer to read to the children and access to the children’s section of the church library. Members have provided holiday gifts, food, and led games at program activities. The congregation sponsored a potluck dinner for Radford Head Start families at the end of the year and provided bags to the children filled with activities to help promote learning over the summer. Additionally, the church organized a book drive to supply the classroom and to provide a book for each child, facilitated the development of a new backpack program, and reached out to other churches encouraging help to other Head Start locations.
First Baptist views the children as not just being housed in their building, but as their own children they want to nurture and support. The congregation took Head Start under its wing and has continued with passion to grow and foster success in our community’s children.
Working in collaboration with local health and human service partner agencies, volunteers, community and faith-based organizations, NRCA assists more than 10,000 New River Valley residents each year through a variety of programs that address local conditions of poverty and improve the lives of lower-income individuals and families.
