A Concept for Neighboring in Walltown

Urban Hope's target population is urban youth in 5^th through 12^th grades who primarily reside in the inner-city neighborhood called Walltown.

• Durham is the home to a large number of ethnic minorities – especially African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
• According to the 2005 US Census Bureau Report, African Americans made up 38% of Durham County’s population of about 243,000 people.
• Hispanics represented 11% of the County’s population.
• In the city of Durham, of the over 198,000 residents, African Americans represented close to 44% of the population while Hispanics represented about 9% of the city’s population.
• Almost all the youth living in this community are "at-risk" of dropping-out of school, joining a gang, or of engaging in other types of self-destructive behaviors.
• Urban Hope is proactive in the prevention of delinquency rather than being reactive to this growing problem.
• Urban Hope's ministries provide an alternative to street-life while planting the gospel of Jesus in the hearts of these youth.
• On a macro-level, Urban Hope seeks to develop redemptive ways for local residents to see Walltown as a desirable place to live, work, and raise families.
• This includes access to economic development, entrepreneurship and career readiness training, discipleship, and group service and learning activities.
• Urban Hope helps create a positive, safe environment that fosters a culture of youth that are future-oriented, growing spiritually, and will develop into indigenous leaders capable of serving Walltown for generations to come.