Since 2007, Parent Life, a ministry of Youth For Christ Lubbock (YFC), has mentored teen moms and teen dads in Lubbock, Texas through weekly parenting support groups. For the past year, COVID prevented the Parent Life ministry from meeting face to face for weekly group. The YFC Lubbock staff knew the families they work with often struggle with access to resources like diapers and food.
Concerned that Parent Life families would go without needed resources while the group was unable to meet, the YFC Lubbock staff formed partnerships with local businesses, churches, and individuals to set up a weekly drive-up service at the YFC ministry center where local teen parents and their families could pick up dinner to go, diapers, wipes, and other baby items they needed.
“Being a single mom during COVID has been difficult,” a Parent Life participating mother notes. “But knowing that Parent Life has still been there through all the changes and the hard parts has made a huge difference for me.”
Local Chick-Fil-A owner, Brandon Mulkey, is one partner who has helped YFC Lubbock’s Parent Life ministry continue meeting the needs of the local families throughout the unpredictability of COVID. Mulkey’s Chick-Fil-A donates dinner once a month to feed 50 parent Life families.
“We are so grateful for the many people like Brandon at Chick Fil-A who have partnered with us during our weekly dinner and diapers drive through over the last several months,” states Renee Morales, YFC Lubbock’s Parent Life director. “Not only are we able to connect our families to these physical resources, but it gives our staff a way to still connect with them on an emotional level in a COVID safe environment.”
Local churches and individuals in the community have also helped YFC Lubbock Parent Life ministry keep their baby boutique stocked with diapers and other baby essentials for families so they would not go without. Every Tuesday night, local teen parents in need drive up to the ministry center and leave with dinner and diapers for their families.
“We might not be able to meet in our weekly small groups, but when they drive up to pick up diapers and dinner, we get a quick moment at the window of their car to connect with each family,” Morales continues. “We can conduct a mini emotional health check-up. We can ask them how their week has been, if there is any help or support that they need. We can ask how we can be praying for them. The diapers and food are great, but checking in and offering prayers are really the tools that are enabling us to remain connected to our Parent Life families during this very isolated time in our city.”
YFC has chapters impacting thousands of communities across the nation that seek out and serve youth from all walks of life. Many teens are silently struggling through a variety of challenging issues—and now they see the living power of a loving God.
Learn more at: yfc.net.
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