El Dorado Park Ministries

The neighborhood immediately south of the Wesley campus has recently come to be known as "El Dorado Park".  In the 1970's this neighborhood of mostly apartments was home to many southeast Asian refugees, mostly Hmong.  A ministry to serve these neighbors, Stone Soup, grew out of Wesley, and became an independent non-profit organization.  Many Wesley members still volunteer with Stone Soup.  Over the last decade, the demographic of the neighborhood has become much more ethnically mixed, but still largely low-income. 

Wesley tries to be a good neighbor in a variety of ways:

• El Dorado Park Ministry is dedicated to building bridges between members of the congregation, residents of the neighborhood, and other church congregations in order to share knowledge about current issues and concerns in our local neighborhood.  We join together to take action and connect resources for the greater overall community health.  Some of the issues being addressed are public safety, health and wellness, and youth recreation.  This group also works to improve communication between neighborhood residents and the City of Fresno, the Fresno Police Department, and elected representatives. 

• Summer Outreach.  One hundred percent of the children in El Dorado Park are on both free-breakfast and free-lunch at school.  That means that when school is out for the summer, kids don't have as much to eat.  For the past two summers, a small group from Wesley has assembled simple sack breakfasts, and offered a place to eat and develop friendships through playing games and other interactions.  For more information, contact Christie Sartor.
  
  
• Base Camp was born partly out of a desire to extend our hunger ministry beyond the summer. Each Thursday evening starting at 5:30 p.m., we gather for a community meal which includes our neighbors from El Dorado Park.  A simple, nutritious meal is prepared and served for between 40 to 70 people, both Wesley folks and neighbors.  Those who can afford to, make a small contribution, those who can't eat free.  This is not a "feeding program" so much as an opportunity to share food and friendship.  For information on helping with meal preparation or clean up, or on donating food/fruit/produce, contact LorraeEmory. 

Base Camp also includes a short time of worship (starting at 6:15 p.m.) and groups/study options from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.  Child care for kids 5 and under is available.  For more information about this aspect of Base Camp, email Pastor Vickie Healy.  

• Hunger Ministry Grocery Bags.  For many years, Wesley has distributed bags of non-perishable groceries and household items to our neighbors in need.  Many families rely on these bags to see them through to the end of the month.  To foster a sense of equity, each bag contains the same items.  Wesley members are encouraged to assemble a sack and bring it on the first Sunday of the month, leaving it in the box in the narthex  (entryway to the sanctuary).  Paper grocery sacks with the item list are usually available in the narthex.  For the list of items, click here.  Those who don't want to assemble a whole sack are encouraged to bring items for the sacks (ie. tuna cans, peanut butter, etc.) and put them in the box in the narthex, or to make a financial donation to the Hunger Ministry Bags.  Julie Porter and Barb Bray coordinate assembling sacks from these kind and monetary donations.  For more information, or to coordinate a donation, email Julie and Barb. 
   
• El Dorado Park Revitalization Project.  Within the last year, Wesley has partnered with Stone Soup, CSU-Fresno, the City of Fresno, landlords and many residents from El Dorado Park to envision the redevelopment of the neighborhood.  This project is currently in the planning stages.  If you would like to get involved in this project, contact Pastor Vickie Healy.