The Center (Stockton, CA)

The Center, located in Stockton, California, is touching the lives of thousands of children and youth each year. The Center is an after-school drop-in center for at-risk kids ranging in age from preschool through high school. The majority of these children are from single-parent families, many of which are consumed by drugs and/or alcohol and the gang lifestyle.

Working under the motto, “Giving faith, hope, and love to inner-city kids and their families,” The Center offers alternative activities to kids who would otherwise be home alone or running the streets. Such activities include Bible Club, recreation, crafts, snacks, camps, and the Learning Center. These programs are geared to teaching the kids the skills they’ll need to become productive members in their communities. More importantly, the kids are introduced to Jesus Christ, giving them a constant in their lives so they can make good decisions and live for Him.

Since the children who come to The Center are often leery of accepting people, WGM missionaries Justin and Ashley Guest take time to build relationships and lay a foundation of love and God’s Word, with firm but loving boundaries. Through programs at The Center, these kids learn that Christ is the One they can depend on because He will never leave them or forsake them.