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AFC Youth Ministries
AFC YOUTH MINISTRIES
Ambassadors for Christ Youth Ministries, Inc. (AFC) is a model faith- and community-based nonprofit 501c3 organization that operates in Texas and Arkansas. It was formed in 2006 for the purpose of providing mentorship and youth development programming to at-risk, underprivileged, homeless, and displaced youth through multi-faceted culturally and linguistically appropriate service provision.
For 17+ years, AFC has made concerted efforts to provide a meaningful framework to consistently support youth in identifying their strengths and using their skills towards personal growth, development, and success. This framework is essential to ensuring that our clients have a sense of safety, structure, belonging, membership, self-worth, social contribution, independence, and control over their lives as well as skills to develop plans for the future, set goals, and foster interpersonal relationships. AFC also aims to increase youth leadership capacity through intentional projects and activities designed to enhance this skill set.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to inspire excellence and promote leadership in youth through multifaceted mentoring programs, intensive case management services, and professional counseling services; as well as through music and the performing arts, in order to provoke positive change and enrichment in our communities.
Founder & Executive Director
People have different drives and aspirations, which can either make them the leader or the follower. True leaders are also good followers and come from all occupations. They are able to build lasting relationships, forge bonds, and develop trust with the people they encounter. One of those people is Sherrie Sams, who manages to succeed in her craft and, at the same time, succeed in developing and mentoring the people around her. Her position as the Founder and Executive Director of Ambassadors for Christ (AFC) Youth Ministries, Inc. allows her to sow seeds into the youth served as well as the staff she employs.
Ever since she could remember, Sams has possessed a deep love of music and the performing arts, and later discovered that this love would give her a platform in churches and schools to minister to youth experiencing issues of bullying, drugs, teen pregnancy, homelessness and abuse. She was so fueled by her passion that it gave an unquenchable drive to begin providing voluntary mentoring sessions to youth at an alternative school near her workplace during her lunch breaks that later spread throughout all of Houston, Texas. Thus, AFC was born!
Since its inception, AFC has become a thriving, state of the art organization that has gained national attention through the Aetna Foundation and CNN. Under her leadership, AFC has touched the lives of more than 17,000 at- risk, underserved and underprivileged youth. With a total of three administrative offices in two States (Texas and Arkansas), AFC operates two male and female transitional living programs for homeless young adults who are over the age of 18, as well as a Basic Center emergency shelter for homeless youth under the age of 18. Additionally, AFC operates a drop in and resource center in one of north Houston’s most high crime infested areas, a domestic- victims of human trafficking (DVHT) program, a street outreach program, a young mother’s juvenile reentry program, a childhood obesity health and wellness program, a counseling and therapy program to help combat issues of mental health, trauma and substance abuse and a teen pregnancy prevention, HIV and STI awareness program. As AFC embarks upon its 16th year in October, Sams has plans to expand its services yet again, to incorporate social enterprise businesses and a young offenders’ 2 nd chance reentry program.
Beyond her professional work, Mrs. Sams is an avid believer in discontinuing the poverty mentality that some of our youth have unfortunately inherited. She has an unparalleled passion to shift the mindsets of at-risk youth and instill in them positivity and fortitude. Sams currently resides in Houston, Texas, is married to Kenneth Sams, and has three children. As a devoted wife and mother, she brings a unique perspective to the juggling act women face daily balancing family and their professional lives.
AFC YOUTH MINISTRIES
At AFC, Excellence is where we begin, not where we aspire to be. Through ongoing, data-driven program evaluation, we are continuously track program successes and refine services if needed. Testimonies from youth participants, parents/legal guardians, teachers, counselors, and others also confirm that our programs produce positive RESULTS, allowing us to not just meet, but exceed, our desired expectations.
89
homeless youth/young adults received Transitional housing services
180
high risk young adults who successfully gained employment
4240
runaway, homeless, street youth/young adults received food, shelter, and other needed services
1796
high risk youth/young adults received mental health & substance abuse services to address SUDs, SMI, SEDs, & CODs
149
justice involved youth/young adults received education and services to increase financial independence and prevent recidivism
60
victims/survivors of human trafficking received crisis intervention services
8368
high risk youth/young adults received education, clinical, and case management services to prevent STIs, adolescent pregnancy, sexual assault, and domestic violence
327
high risk youth/young adults who successfully enrolled in middle/high/alternative school, college, and/or training/vocational programs
783
high risk youth/young adults tested for HIV/VH
8%
LGBTQ+ youth/young adult served
186
runaway, homeless, street youth/young adults reunified with family or safe contacts
Today, there are more than 17,000 people touched by Ambassadors for Christ Youth Ministries. We provide multi-faceted youth development programs for at-risk, displaced, and underprivileged youth. Our impact goal is to give hope, encouragement, and better equip the youth for success in life.
Success of AFC’s programs is determined in great measure to strong partnerships and collaborations. AFC has extensive experience coordinating with various community partners such as the federal and local government, law enforcement, nonprofits, and other service providers to assure the ability to serve our program participants.
AFC understands that continued training is needed among service professionals to close service gaps and ensure coordinated service provision in underserved communities.
That is why we are committed to hosting quarterly workshops and trainings that consist of educating professionals on trauma-informed care, strengths-based approaches, client confidentiality, victim safety and autonomy, outreach and referral methods, and racial equity. Please contact us at
info@afcyouth.org to find out how your company or organization can enroll.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
We believe…
… that God is the creator of the universe creating both of the seen (physical) and the unseen (spiritual) realms and that God the creator is also the giver of life. We believe the Holy Bible is God's word Personally spoken by God for mankind for the purpose of revealing who He is and it is without error in all issues to which it speaks. We believe in the Triunity (Trinity), one God in three Persons, consisting of Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit. We Believe Jesus Christ is Divine God who came from Heaven to mankind as a man yet retaining the Divinity of God and who while living a sinless life was rejected and betrayed by man to be crucified and die on the cross yet not to remain dead but to Resurrect the third day in accordance with His Everlasting Divine life. We believe that the death of Jesus on the cross provided complete atonement for all the sins of the world therefore cleansing those who choose to be cleansed from their sin to then receive the Holy Spirit and by receiving the Holy Spirit becoming "Born Again" and being Born Again becoming children of God. Children in the family of God and as children in a personal relationship with their Father who is God above all and as children also inheritors in the Heavenly Kingdom of Jesus the kingdom that is without end. We believe that Jesus is the judge of all of mankind's thoughts, intentions and actions and that He is just and wise in His judgment. As judge, Jesus will judge the unjust to everlasting condemnation while to the righteous He will give of His life, His gifts, and His glory. We believe Jesus physically rose from the dead, was seen by and interacted with many eyewitnesses including the Disciples and Apostles and that Jesus has now ascended back into Heaven where He originally came from. Jesus is currently seated in Majesty, Power and Authority alongside the Father and He is now accessible to us in both Prayer and Fellowship.
Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6; Mark 10:6-9; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9
OUR LOCATIONS:
AFC Corporate Office-Houston
100 Glenborough Drive Suite 900 Houston Texas 77067
AFC Corporate Office-Pine Bluff, Arkansas
305 E. 6th Street Pine Bluff, AR 71601
AFC Drop In & Resource Center
555 Seminar Drive Houston, TX 77060
AFC North Office- Houston
390 Glenborough Dr. Suite 156 Houston, Texas 77067
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