Enriching The Lives Of St. Petersburg's Children

Children had a chance to engage in making chalk drawings on the sidewalk.

Many of America's children live in areas where the majority of families get by on a low income or an income below the poverty line. Too often, the parents are working as much as they can to scrape by on this type of income. The children grow up seeing too much; losing close family members and friends, who die too young; struggle to grab onto a sense of safety; and have no place to go to relax and enjoy life. Many have their own demons with which to deal, while experiencing symptoms of PTSD when something reminds them of what they've been through.

Two young men, David and Harris Ambush, were aware of the many children and youth in St. Petersburg, FL, who were growing up deprived and hurting, and they wanted to do something to help. Together, they formed HANDS 4 HOPE. The focus was learning and safety, a place where children could learn and explore naturally some of the areas in which schools hadn't educated them. So, programming includes yoga and meditation, gardening, nutrition, building character and self-esteem, playing soccer, and other supplemental activities. The programming was designed to help children heal, feel a sense of self-worth, and become good members of the community.



David noted, at the time Hands 4 Hope was just starting, "It is my opinion that there is absolutely no better way to progress this planet than with the love, support, and education of the youth. Our program will nurture, love, and support children while allowing them to focus on areas of interest that may one day lead to their career and them being able to provide for themselves and their family, as well as change the world with their dreams, education, and attitude."

Hands 4 Hope has several different projects on which they are working. The Self-Esteem and Soccer Program has brought the organization into partnership with The Tampa Bay Rowdies and the University of South Florida - St. Petersburg. The program is being offered at five schools in Midtown and Southside areas. The program is designed to teach teamwork and build character as a foundation to boosting self-esteem. Both group and individual skills are being taught.

Another project is Mindfulness & Yoga Program. Both Kidding Around Yoga and the University of South Florida - St. Petersburg are partners in this program. It is also being offered at five different schools. Certified yoga teachers teach yoga poses, controlled breathing, and laughter, to help children develop success internally and externally. Since the start of the program, children have been noted to be more focused in class and to handle their emotions with better control.

The Enrichment Program is an afterschool program being provided in the Midtown area, for children of elementary school age who need more guidance, support, care, and safety. The program is organized holistically and includes tutoring, gardening, nutrition, yoga, music and art, sports, hygiene and self-care, goal-setting and achieving, and self-esteem and self-value exercises.

Some Tampa Bay Rowdies players stopped for a photo op with the kids in the Self-Esteem and Soccer Program.

A separate tutoring program is offered at Academy Prep, which has students in fifth through eighth grades. The organization also provides a gardening program at Maximo Elementary School. The program has been integrating the activities in the gardening program with the science curriculum.

Yoga/meditation on the grass.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/david-ambush-hands-4-hope-after-school-care/; this page on Hands 4 Hope: http://www.hands4hope.com/projects.html; and the above link.

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