SANTA ANA, Calif. & NORFOLK, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UHSM Health Share, a faith-based health care nonprofit founded on Christian beliefs and values, today announced its initiative with KidWorks’ Ignite Youth Leadership Program (IYLP). Based in Orange County, KidWorks strives to make a difference in children's lives every day—and restore at-risk neighborhoods one life at a time. This program will further strengthen UHSM's mission of uniting the community to healthy conversations around faith and empowerment.
"At UHSM, we are committed to making a change and giving back to our communities," says UHSM President Christopher Jin. "Leading the Ignite Youth Leadership Program gives us the opportunity to reinforce KidWorks’ vision to transform challenged neighborhoods in central Santa Ana through education, character formation and personal development.”
KidWorks, a nonprofit organization ushering hope into Orange County's most challenging neighborhoods through life-changing leadership development and academic enrichment programs, launched IYLP in June 2021. This program is centered around character themed soccer games and activities to engage youth and model love, prayer and facilitate leadership skills. Since the program's inception, eight high school students have been selected as leaders along with two junior high students. They have begun their leadership training as coaches and mentors and will begin official programs after Christmas. Ignite youth leaders are trained to focus on impacting the lives of these children by giving them opportunities to learn about the Bible's teachings and values such as respect, integrity and honor so they can become the best versions of themselves.
"This UHSM initiative perfectly aligns with KidWorks’ goal of walking alongside those that are underserved and in need. And we do this with an outside of the box type of ministry that above all, engages in a posture of love, care and play,” says UHSM Program Director and KidWorks honorary staff member Anthony Cummings. "UHSM’s support gives this program the resources to implement conversations around faith and the love of God, career preparation, social skill development and facilitation techniques in sports-based youth development."
UHSM partners with like-minded organizations and individuals that believe in its mission to help Christians maintain their holistic health and well-being. To proliferate the values UHSM cherishes as a member community, it endorses other community, charitable and religious organizations that share its principles and convictions.
To learn more about UHSM and its partners, visit: www.uhsm.com.
ABOUT UHSM
UHSM (Unite Health Share Ministries) is a nonprofit, faith-based health sharing ministry that facilitates member-to-member health sharing among fellow Christians, serving as a connector to administer medical cost sharing. Christian healthcare is chosen by millions each year over traditional insurance plans, and UHSM stands alone as the only health share that offers members access to true prescription coverage through the CVS Caremark network. UHSM members also have access to nearly one million doctors, hospitals and specialists through the First Health PPO Network, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aetna Inc. Headquartered in Norfolk, VA, UHSM offers simple, fair, and friendly healthcare programs to its members. The UHSM mission is to help Christian families fulfill their God-given purpose to care for one another, foster holistic wellbeing, and positively impact our communities.
ABOUT KIDWORKS
KidWorks ushers hope into Orange County’s most challenging neighborhoods through life changing leadership development and academic enrichment programs while also fortifying families by engaging and supporting parents. KidWorks, founded in 1993 by Pastor Larry and Jayme Acosta, began in a tiny, one-room apartment on Townsend Street as a summer safe haven for children and youth. From the beginning, KidWorks recruited college students to live and work in the community. For more information about KidWorks and Ignite Youth Leadership Program visit: https://kidworksoc.org/.
