Our Strategy

Q. How do you eat an elephant?
A. One bite at a time!

 That phrase can sum up the process of change Compton has before it.

T.E.A.M.

It is obvious that together we can a more.  Remember, the acronym T.E.A.M. which stands for Together Everyone Achieves More.  In other words, these two concepts of long-term commitment and partnering together, are critical to any strategy that can be devised. With that being the backdrop we hope all parties involved with the transformation will grow in these areas.

The Circle of Hope, a Transformation Model

 For complete transformation to occur, several processes need to be in place.  The Circle of Hope model can help unpack phases of transformation to help the participating organizations see where they fit in and can grow to serve the community.  We have broken these down into 'Phases'.

Phase 1- CONNECTING [Short-Term Poverty Relief]

Through the network of partners we would like to CONNECT with each person who lives in   This means every person would receive a specific touch meant to help enrich their own life, based on their own needs. Examples of this connecting include;

• Churches and businesses coming together for the Compton Initiative housing rehab ministry
• Parks and Recreation outreach programs
• Second Chance Ministry’s homeless shelter
• Food and school supply distribution that happen all over the city

Phase 2- EMPOWERING  [Intermediate Poverty Assistance]

Then our method is to work continually to discover the needs of the people we are connecting to, and then offer appropriate training, assistance and other resources to help EMPOWER our neighbors. Examples of this empowering include;

• The youth being trained at the Major League Baseball Academy
• The Sheriff Department’s Youth Athletic League
• The summer interns that come to work in Compton with Here's Life Inner City
• The tattoo removal program through the W.I.T.H. Association

Phase 3- DEVELOPING  [Long-Term Poverty Intervention]

Finally it is the goal to help provide long-term, lasting change in people’s lives.  Our partner organizations desire to serve and maintain a long-term commitment. This strategy would not be complete unless needy people who are trapped in a cycle of poverty can overcome the odds against them and DEVELOP into the fullness of God’s plan for their lives. Some examples are;

• The S.A.Y. Yes! Youth Development centers after-school program at the Salvation Army and Calvary Baptist Church
• New Focus budget/personal finance classes at various churches including The Salvation Army
• The business and work training received by employees at Marble’s Slab Creamery, which is an outreach of Faith Inspirational Missionary Baptist Church
• The CAD (Construction & Discipleship) is a community development program where local churches are trained to rehab homes in their neighborhood and to use that opportunity for discipleship and job skills training