The Bulletin
Scarborough Edition
Everyone Has Absolute Purpose (EHAP)
We would like to take a moment and recognize a champion in the Scarborough community. Emanuel Perez a great collaborator and supporter of our MBK Houston collective impact model. Mr. Perez has stepped up to the plate and worked effortlessly focusing on the empowerment of youth and young adults in the Scarborough community. His efforts focus in providing an outlet through arts, music, dance, sports, and academics.
Emanuel Perez has been working with kids since he was a kid himself. He volunteered at the local YMCA from the age of 14 until he was old enough to get hired. 14 years later he’s still working with kids and youth in the community. After 6 years of working in an elementary school his spirit led him to begin a movement that reminds the kids there is an absolute purpose for every life and every soul. Everyone Has Absolute Purpose (EHAP), established by Emanuel Perez, is a nonprofit organization with purpose as it's destination. The mission statement is “breaking down the walls that keep our youth from reaching their goals and fulfilling their purpose” EHAP empowers low-income youth, who primarily have unfortunate home lives, to spend their afternoon in productive environments to find and pursue their purpose. EHAP invites people with passions in different areas (sports, music, dance, and academics) into after-school programs to teach youth participants different skills and to give them an opportunity to participate in diverse activities.
Emanuel is passionate about connecting young men and women all over the city of Houston to their designated purpose. Throughout the years he’s learned that it’s not just about telling someone to reach their goals, but about showing them the many goals available for one to reach.
As he says “though dreams are often better than reality, without reality we would not dare to dream. Reality may not always be what we want, but it will always be what we have to see how strong we can truly be.”
His vision of putting purpose back into the soul of the young can help us realize that we’re never too young to discover our purpose or too old to fulfill it. From serving as Youth Pastor in his local church(where he was born and raised), to mentoring in elementary, middle, and high schools in the Houston area to now being the president of the non-profit EHAP, Emanuel is fulfilling his purpose or as he says
“Just doing what I was made to do...this is only the beginning it doesn’t matter if you failed before the time is now to get up and go! make a difference in this world! E.H.A.P. everyone is worthy! There’s no purpose without (u)and no meaning without (me)We’re all in this together to make our world a little better.”
He wants to remind our youth that there is always a need of one's existence and a purpose to every life. Besides giving the kids a way to belong and be valued Emanuel wants to continue blessing the community with toy drives, school supplies giveaways, thanksgiving dinners to the less fortunate, and many more things through EHAP year round service projects. Emanuel strongly believes that you don’t necessarily have to hand a kid the entire world to make a positive impact in his or her life, simply offering a hand is all they need to see there’s a good world out there that is worth exploring!
MBK Houston wants to recognize Emanuel Perez and his organization EHAP (Everyone Has Absolute Purpose) for their hard work and dedication to the Scarborough community and to make sure we continue supporting and collaborating with organizations like EHAP that are making a deep impact in the community. We have encountered students in middle school and high school that still remember their first encounter with EHAP and it has made a profound impact in their lives.
If you would like to support EHAP through volunteering, collaborating, or donating towards service projects lead by the youth please contact Emanuel Perez at movehap@gmail.com
You can also visit the EHAP website to gather more information on upcoming events and service projects!
Clifton Cougar Food Pantry Training
During the food relief drop post hurricane Harvey, Clifton was a beacon of light to a local community that did not have access to food. Now Clifton Middle School has taken the charge thanks to the support of the Principal, Administration, and the Leadership of the school counselor Mrs. Guel.
Clifton is always in need of volunteers and if you would like to support the efforts please contact Mrs. Guel at Shabana.Guel@houstonisd.org.
Photo Courtesy: Francisco Garcia, Community Involvement Coordinator
BYAH: Parental Engagement Leadership Training
Benbrook is always looking for volunteers, service agencies, and donations that will support the students, parents, and school functions. If you would like to support Benbrook Elementary please contact Francisco.garcia@houstontx.gov to further support the campus and its functions.
Photo Courtesy: Francisco Garcia, Community Involvement Coordinator
Clifton Library Renovations
MBK Houston has partnered with HPL, EHAP(Everyone Has A Purpose), Volunteer Houston, Bridge By HOPE, Grace Church, and HHD to support Clifton Middle School in their new library installment. Clifton Middle School has not had an active library in a few years and thanks to the leadership of the Principal, admin, teachers, and counselor this project has come to fruition. Clifton Middle School has already coordinated two service projects that has rendered over 100 volunteers and over 8 hours of community service per participant. Clifton has also provided the students with access to the court yard during lunch to take a break from classes and catch a breath of fresh air. Clifton also has 6 to 8 flower beds that are in need of care and guidance to plant the next phase of seasonal crops. Since Clifton is ambitiously been working to make sure they provide the most for their students, they need the communities help on the following areas: More volunteers to sort out books, gently used books appropriate for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, chairs, tables, book shelves, computers, external paint for the court yard, mulch and seeds for the garden, and materials for the library.
College Knowledge Fest
For those already out of high school... Do you remember your last college fair? What was it like for you? Feel free to reply to this newsletter with your response, so we can share with students that could benefit from your experience!
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