New England Partners in Faith
The organization was born out of an event in August of 2003, where Archbishop Timothy Paul Baymon of the Christian Orthodox Church (now Board President of NEPIF) assembled 150 faith-based and community agencies gathered to discuss the problems facing inner-city youth.
During the discussions it was agreed that collaborative efforts were needed to address concerns of youth violence and gang activity in the Springfield/Holyoke, Massachusetts area.
NEPIF became a conduit for faith-based initiatives with experienced volunteer staff as well as paid staff, consultants and experts. NEPIF board members are aware of community needs and work directly with pastors of churches, program directors and community leaders to examine the need for capacity-building at a grassroots level.
In addition, NEPIF serves low income, unemployed and under-employed constituents of faith-based organizations.
A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, New England Partners in Faith (NEPIF) seeks to provide sustainable development and capacity building for small faith-based organizations throughout New England through technical assistance and training.
NEPIF programs include:
Substance Abuse Counseling is provided. Please contact the main office for more information.
NEW! Institute of Empowerment seeks to provide youth in the Mason Square and South End neighborhoods of Springfield a safe environment that engages them in a variety of positive and empowering activities, including:
- Peer-to-Peer Mentoring: Committed college-enrolled young people spend time with at-risk youth, forming trusting relationships to assist teenagers in their transition to adulthood.
- Education: Includes tutoring for state-required MCAS tests and a speaker program that invites successful community members to share their experience and knowledge in personal and civic life.
- Theater Arts: Provides acting and theater classes to troubled youth, giving them a positive outlet to showcase and develop their talents.
- Cultural Enrichment: Connects Springfield youth to the rest of the world through books, video, presentations, museum visits, plays, concerts, and other cultural events.
- Social Skills: Enhances self-esteem and responsibility through mentoring on social etiquette, dress, coping skills, anger management, and other social behavior topics.