life from
the perspective of a social justice, public health advocate in the Bronx
Posted by Kelly Moltzen on Sunday, December 22, 2013,
Saturday was the Winter Solstice & I was fortunate to
spend it at a Capuchin Prayer & Service Advent Retreat. The Capuchin Prayer & Service Days were
started in NYC after Hurricane Sandy, when many members of Capuchin Youth &
Family Ministries (CYFM) in Garrison, NY wanted to come down to NYC to help out
with relief efforts in the Rockaways. The Prayer & Service Days and Weekend
Retreats have continued ever since. It’s great to see this ministry of service
continue in the true tradition of... Continue reading ...
Posted by Kelly Moltzen on Thursday, November 28, 2013,
It’s Thanksgiving Eve. I
spent the day at the St. Crispin Friary as the friars and volunteers gave away
425 turkeys and bags of food to community members. Hungry people lined up outside the church and
we gave them tickets, recording their names, to ensure each person only got
one. The St. Crispin Friary in many ways feels like an extension of CYFM, but
different because they actually serve the poor and needy through the friary
& St. Anthony Residence, while CYFM ministers to Catholic famil... Continue reading ...
Posted by Kelly Moltzen on Monday, October 22, 2012,
Amber,
Fritz, Jyna, Brielle, Denise and I took a trip to Freedom Farm from Friday to Saturday. This was the second time I’ve visited this
farm. Fritz introduced us to a year and a half ago, as he knows Ann and Edgar through his connections with the Mennonite community in NYC. Edgar had been working in
the South Bronx with youth from Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, when
he and Ann decided to move upstate to Otisville / Middletown, NY, and start Freedom
Farm. They wanted to provide ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Kelly Moltzen on Monday, September 24, 2012,
I’ve come across a good number of provocative ideas in the
past couple weeks that I would like to start digesting here. Last Sunday, Pastor Guy Wasko at Trinity Grace Church – East Village gave good
meaning to the church’s motto, “Joining God in the Renewal of all Things.” During his sermon,
he spoke about how the full Christian story explains fully the Creation, Fall,
Redemption, and Restoration. This allows
for a holistic and encompassing
Christian worldview.
Unfortunately, m... Continue reading ...
Posted by Kelly Moltzen on Sunday, August 26, 2012,
Here is an epic memoir of Andre Christopher Rivera, a youth who was empowered to create positive change in his community in the Bronx through the guidance and mentorship of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice. His story means so much more than mine because he grew up in the Bronx. A short film has also been made with part of his story: Andre's River Vote for Andre! -----------------
My name is Andre Christopher Rivera. I am 19
years old, and I graduated from Lehman High School CLASS OF 2... Continue reading ...
Posted by Kelly Moltzen on Monday, May 28, 2012,
4/14/12 Leave It Better had been teaching youth about environmental stewardship and growing food in PS 306 / MS 331 in the Bronx when one of the teachers suggested they do something with the vacant lot across the street. Dominique and Graham decided to transform the lot into an official NYC Department of Parks & Recreation GreenThumb garden. It's incredible to see the work they've done to build community and involve residents - especially youth - in growing food and transforming the formerly ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Kelly Moltzen on Monday, May 28, 2012,
4/14/12 Amber
and I borrowed Doug’s van today to go to Home Depot and get gardening
supplies. We got 7 pieces of wood to
make 3 garden beds, and had the store lumber staff cut the pieces. We got four 2x8x12’s, two 2x8x14’s and a
4x4. We also got 3” screws and brushes
for oiling the untreated wood. Home Depot didn’t have linseed oil though,
unfortunately. Dominique from
Leave It Better gave us some gardening tips from her classes at NYBG, which
included information about how to bu... Continue reading ...
Posted by Kelly Moltzen on Sunday, January 29, 2012,
You may wonder about the photo I've chosen as the banner to this site. It's a photo from Freedom Farm in Otisville, NY, taken during a visit in 2011.
I found out about Freedom Farm though a Mennonite member of the NYC Community of Communities who has become a friend of the house. One of the reasons Ann and Edgar founded this farm was as an outgrowth of YMPJ, as a "Christian-based youth education organization striving for peace and justice by teaching alternatives to violence, sustainable ag... Continue reading ...
| |
