The Ezer Initiative

05/30/2025

We know it’s been a while, but we are still here and going strong! We have been leaning in with the Lord to see all that he has planned as we continue to move forward and are really excited about the things that he is showing us!

We would love for you to meet Fred and Wendy, one of the many stories of how we work to aid and empower people to get from where they are, to where they wanna be in their journey to achieve personal independence and future sustainability!

12/13/2023

Such an honor to join Arts for Learning Virginia and Newport News Public Schools as they lean in with 5th grade students from McIntosh Elementary School to identify community issues and creative solutions for addressing them…. Creative art projects on Violence, Cyberbullying, and Homelessness were designed by groups of students and the homeless project was chosen to be shared in a life size display here at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center. Our executive director got to spend some time with the students Monday afternoon discussing homelessness, addressing stereotypes, doing Q&A and walking through a mock budget for a single mom of two working 40hrs per week making $14hr… demonstrating how it can be just to stay housed and how easy it is to get behind and lose your home for the ALICE population (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed). Each student will leave with a hygiene/first aid kit donated by Anthem HealthKeepers Plus that they can use to develop their own blessing bags and have in hand if they see someone who would be blessed to receive it.

These young hearts and minds are sooooo talented and sooooooo inspiring! Tonight is a night that shows them if they can dream it ….it can happen…. They can be the change!!!

12/09/2023

🚨🚨🚨

We are so excited to shop with a couple dozen families THIS weekend for our 6th annual Ezers Angels Blessings…. Thanks in huge part to a grant from the PCF Virginia!!!

The families are all signed up for their time slots and we have some volunteers on deck… BUT…. Some have had to step out at the last minute…. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!

If you are available to come and hang out with a family and be a volunteer shopper TOMORROW at 1PM or 3PM…. Please text us at 757-317-0200 and we will give you all the details of where to meet us!

This is a phenomenal opportunity to build relationship’s and to remember the reason for the season….JESUS and his unfailing love for ALL of us!!

11/23/2023

11/21/2023

Welp that’s a wrap!!!!

Ezer’s 6th annual Thanksgiving Blessings was a tremendous blessing to our team and the families we were able to partner with!

Hundreds of men, women and children got to shop for the meal of their choice while building relationships with our team of volunteers!

The laughter, hugs, tears, prayers, gifts from families to our team (check out the photo below), and messages of gratitude….the way God showed up for each of us …. It has been overwhelming to say the least!

I don’t know that we will ever go back to “just distributing “…. Shopping with families and their children is IT!!!! Any and everything we can do to be relational over transactional will definitely be our first priority in all of our future annual event endeavors.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of our partenrs that helped to make this impact possible!

11/19/2023

Another Thanksgiving Blessings shopping with families day is done!

Another day full of gratitude and relationship building, demonstrating budgeting and financial stewardship with some families and learning budgeting hacks and so much more from others!

****Un enorme agradecimiento a nuestros voluntarios de habla hispana por cerrar la posible brecha de comunicación***
(A huge thank you to our spanish speaking volunteers for bridging the potential communication gap )

Thank you to Lakisa and her circle of friends and more of the amazing team from HU, The Little Black Girl That….

Every volunteer , sponsor and prayer warrior helps us help others feel seen, heard and cared for….the thank you texts and blessing to each of you messages from receiving families are pouring in…. WE are truly better together!!!!

11/18/2023

Took our first dozen families shopping today for our 6th annual Ezers Thanksgiving Blessings event, dozens more to come tomorrow and Monday!

The stories of connections and relationships being built through this personalized approach to empower dignity and choice in the lives of our neighbors was nothing short of amazing!

Shout out to Bre Carnes, Ellie and Sophia Bateman (The real leaders of Ezer!!!) Tina OT from Newsome Bailey Project and Tichira Smith- Lindsay Middle School Family Engagement Specialist and this HU crew of women that volunteered with us again this year from The Little Black Girl That...they are a WHOLE MOVEMENT of inspiration!!!!

We are blessed to be a blessing!!!

It’s not too late to sponsor and/or come shop with a family…simply text “I’M IN” to 757-317-0200

11/13/2023

After much prayer and affirmation!!
We are trying a new way of Thanksgiving blessings this year….

Rather than filling out a shopping list and having us shop and package items for each family, we have invited them to meet us at the grocery store!!!

There, they will be given their budget to spend and a shopper to shop with them if they would like!

If you are interested in signing up for a time slot to meet us and shop/build relationships with a family, please respond with the day(s)/time(s) you are available!!!!

Days/Dates:

Saturday 11/18 11am-2pm

Sunday 11/19 11am-2pm

Monday 11/20 5:30pm-8pm

Also, if you know a family who would be blessed to come shop with us, please have them text us!
757-317-0200

AND

There is still time to sign up to sponsor a family via the link…

https://www.theezerinitiative.com/copy-of-sign-ups

Blessings to you and your family this holiday season!
The Ezer Initiative

11/05/2023

🦃6th annual Thanksgiving Blessings🦃

It’s hard to believe we are approaching the end of 2023 already!

The holidays are fast approaching and we are excited about the chance to come alongside our neighbors again this year with a true picture of collaboration across various agencies and churches!

Our heart is always to facilitate family to family sponsorships to personalize the opportunity for people to intentionally be empowering dignity and choice in the lives of their neighbors by purchasing their meal of choice and praying for a family throughout the year.


Please let us know if you’d like additional information or have any questions on ways you could partner with us in blessing those in need this Thanksgiving.


Feel free to share this info to invite your family, friends, group, agency, or organization to join us!

Sign up to SPONSOR/SERVE:


https://www.theezerinitiative.com/copy-of-sign-ups (https://www.theezerinitiative.com/copy-of-sign-ups)

Get Involved!

10/07/2023

Good afternoon!

It’s hard to believe we are approaching the end of 2023 already!

The holidays are fast approaching and we are excited about the chance to come alongside our neighbors again this year with a true picture of collaboration across various agencies and churches!

Our heart is always to facilitate family to family sponsorships to personalize the opportunity for people to intentionally be empowering dignity and choice in the lives of their neighbors by purchasing their meal of choice and praying for a family throughout the year.


Please let us know if you’d like additional information or have any questions on ways you could partner with us in blessing those in need this Thanksgiving.


Feel free to share this info to invite your family, friends, group, agency, or organization to join us!

Sign up to SPONSOR/SERVE:


https://www.theezerinitiative.com/copy-of-sign-ups (https://www.theezerinitiative.com/copy-of-sign-ups)

08/29/2023

Good morning FB family!❤️

We wanted to share a glimpse into behind the scenes of Back to School. We want to thank every single person who helped sponsor a child, made a monetary donation, prayed for us, served with us to make this years back to school blessings event a huge success!

08/15/2023

UPDATE:
This year we are honored to get to come alongside 85 children and their families across 28 schools…

BUT….

We need your help!!!

45 of the 85 children have been sponsored ….

That means 40 children still need YOUR YES!!!

Any support that you, Your family, your job, your church, or any other organization you are a part of could give us in praying for provision, considering sponsoring a child or inviting your friends and family to receive information and shop for a child that they sponsor or any monetary donations would be a tremendous blessing as we come alongside children and their families right here in Hampton and Newport News to ensure that every child starts the year confidently and feeling like they are well equipped.

Back 2 School Blessings: Sign up To SPONSOR and/or SERVE