Welcome to the First Edition of
the New City Kids Staff Newsletter
Dear Team,
Happy New Year!
As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible work God has done through this team over the past year. In 2024, your unwavering dedication brought hope, healing, and transformation to the lives of so many children and teens. Thank you for your passion and commitment to our mission of loving kids for change.
This year, we are excited to introduce a new way to stay connected—the New City Kids Staff Newsletter! This monthly update will celebrate your achievements, share important updates, and keep us aligned as we continue to walk in God’s purpose for New City Kids.
As we embark on this new chapter, I am reminded of the words in Isaiah 43:19:
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
This scripture is a powerful reminder that God is always working to create something new in and through us. At New City Kids, we witness this daily as children and teens discover their potential, overcome challenges, and step into their God-given purpose. In the same way, I believe 2025 will be a year of renewal, innovation, and abundant blessings for our team and the young people we serve.
Looking forward to 2025, I am filled with hope and anticipation for the great things God has in store. The year ahead will bring new challenges, but with Him as our guide and each of you faithfully answering the call, I know we are ready.
As we kick off this new year and new initiative, we would love your input. Please take a moment to complete this short survey. Your feedback will help us improve our internal communications and ensure this newsletter serves you well.
Thank you for all that you do. Let’s move into 2025 with hearts full of faith, hands ready to serve, and eyes fixed on the incredible work He has planned for us.
Blessings,
President & CEO
New City Kids, Inc.
Continue reading below…
Meet Tim Swafford, Esq.
National Board Chair
What inspired you to join New City Kids and ultimately take on the role of National Board Chair?
I was introduced to New City Kids through Josh Dornbos, former executive director in New Jersey, many years ago. Josh relayed the mission of New City Kids to me and I fell in love with it and became a donor. Fast forward to 2020 when Alex Goldsmith was planting New City Kids: Detroit, and Josh (again), insisted that Alex and I meet about New City Kids: Detroit. I definitely felt God’s hand in introducing me to Alex and soon thereafter I became the Advisory Board President in Detroit and the liaison member to the New City KIds National Board from Detroit.
After serving on the National Board for a number of years, I began to feel God’s call to become more involved with New City Kids in the fall of 2024. As only God can, he led me to the Chair Position shortly thereafter.
Can you share a little about your background and how your experiences have shaped your passion for supporting youth?
I am a father to four (!) amazing children. This experience has led me to invest heavily in children and their personal growth. I have led three separate Cub Scout dens; coached multiple basketball teams, baseball teams, flag football teams, and other sports during my time as a father.
I am married to a wonderful woman, Becky, who serves children in the same school district my children attend as a Physical Therapist. Becky gets the opportunity to love and help many children who are severely and multiply impaired in life. Seeing Becky make a difference in their lives inspires me to do my best with the children God has placed in my path.
I am a member of Faith Covenant Church (FCC) in Farmington Hills, Michigan. I serve on the Leadership Team at FCC, the Missions Team, the Evangelism and Outreach Team, the Prayer Ministry Team, as well as teach Youth Group every Wednesday to third through fifth graders.
Professionally, I am an attorney with the Jaques Admiralty Law Firm, P.C. in metro-Detroit where I routinely represent people who are in desperate need of help.
Growing up, my father was the best man I have ever known. It was his sole life goal to find fulfillment in being a great dad and husband. His faithful example showed me that being a great husband and father brings with it a greater joy than anything else could. Because of him and Jesus, I am the man I am today.
What excites you most about New City Kids’ mission and future?
The mission of New City Kids reminds of the parable where Jesus leaves the 99 to find the 1. New City Kids exists to find youth who are often overlooked by being in the “middle 60” and giving them a place to grow and thrive.
When I think about where New City Kids has been, is, and will be going, the phrase that comes to mind is the Joshua Generation. In the Bible, Joshua took over for Moses after a lot of amazing things happened, while at the same time painful moments too. Joshua was able to come in and lead the Israelites into a time of unprecedented growth and opportunity. For all the places where New City Kids has been recently, I think New City Kids is poised to enjoy a Joshua Generation time of success and I look forward to being a part of it.
Is there a particular moment or story from your time with New City Kids that has deeply resonated with you?
During November of 2024, New City Kids Detroit held its “Restore” fundraising event. I was able to observe from the back how the audience responded to the students leading the event. It was an awe-inspiring moment to see the audience worshipping freely in their seats with dancing, hands held high, and tears in their eyes as they witnessed the power of New City Kids transforming students’ lives. I remember thinking to myself that this is the Kingdom at work. New City Kids is doing the work of Jesus in the lives of our youth at all of our sites.
What message would you share with the staff as you step into this role?
I want the staff to know that the National Board cares DEEPLY about you. We know that you are the hands and feet that make this organization and the Kingdom grow. We want to honor you in any way we can. I am a big proponent of positive mental health and if there is anything I, or any other national board member, can do to love you, we will do it. We want to give you space to be you and thrive while making sure that you are holistically taken care of while we work together. And by holistic, I mean we want to care for your physical health, mental health, and spiritual health.
What’s a fun fact about you that the New City Kids team might not know?
I used to be a magician and am always ready to put on a show! Also, I have always had an unhealthy fear of the Swedish Chef from the Muppets!
HR Corner
Update Your Team Photo and Information
As part of our efforts to keep our team member directory up-to-date, we kindly ask each of you to send us a clear photo or headshot. Additionally, we need all team members to complete this photo release form.
Email both to marcom@newcitykids.org by Friday, January 17, 2025 to ensure your profile is up-to-date. If your photo is already included on the team section of the website, you only need to send your signed photo release form.
Thanks for your cooperation as we keep our team records fresh and professional!
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, New City Kids will be closed on Monday, January 20th. This day is a special time to reflect on Dr. King’s inspiring legacy of justice, equality, and service to others.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
2024 W-2’s
W-2’s will be finalized this week. To ensure accuracy and timely distribution, please login to your eselfserve (APS) portal and confirm that your information is correct: Name, SSN, Address
Questions or concerns, please contact HR.
Supplemental Benefits – Open enrollment
January is open enrollment for supplemental insurance benefits (dental, vision, LTD, STD & Life) for full-time eligible employees. If you wish to make any changes (enroll, terminate or add), you must do so in your EASE benefits portal by January 31, 2025.
Questions or concerns, please contact HR.
Halfway There: Celebrating Milestones
Team, we’ve reached the halfway point of the year, and it’s already been filled with impactful programming across the organization. Here’s a few highlights worth celebrating:
1. College Readiness Success
Our college readiness team has gone above and beyond, dedicating over 800 hours—many late nights—to support 66 seniors navigating the complex college application process. An incredible 85% of these seniors will be the first in their families to earn a college degree. Their hard work is paying off:
• Over 437 applications were submitted to 113 schools, including Princeton, NYU, TCNJ, University of Michigan, Grand Valley State, Rutgers, Duke, Drexel, and more.
• Over 172 acceptances so far, with 38 seniors already receiving at least one!
And it’s only January—more decisions will roll in through the spring! Please help us congratulate our senior TLIs and the staff supporting them. Please pray that they might have heavenly wisdom, direction, peace and provision, as over the next few months, they will prepare to make the very weighty decision of which college they’ll go to. Let’s celebrate their determination to break cycles and step boldly into new opportunities!
2. Music Learning Achievements
Let’s not forget our After School Center (ASC) students, who have been working hard in their classes! Our music students, in particular, have been making incredible progress this year. Across all our sites, over 130 students have successfully completed half of their assigned benchmarks in areas such as Rhythm Theory, Musical Alphabet, and Foundational Exercises. These talented young musicians could teach us non-musicians a thing or two—so next time you see them, don’t hesitate to ask them to share something they’ve been learning!
3. Overview Numbers
Across our organization, we’re currently partnering with 220 teens through our Teen Life Internship (TLI) program and serving 460 kids in our After School Centers—an incredible total of 680 youth nationwide! But our TLIs do far more than just clock in and out for their ASC roles. Outside of work hours, they participate in programming designed just for them, including tutoring, music lessons, job training, Bible studies, professional visits, and more. Together, they’ve already accumulated nearly 14,000 engagement hours this year—and we’re just getting started!