Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting Charles Moses
Hello, Hospitality House Youth Development (HHYD) family! My name is Charles Moses, and I am the new Executive Director for HHYD. I’ve enjoyed meeting many of you and hope to meet you all shortly. Thank you for your warm welcome! Let me tell you a little about myself.
I am a husband to my lovely wife, Keonna, and we have been married for 12 years. I am also a father to a fantastic son, Charles Jr., who is 4. My wife Keonna has a huge passion for education and equipping young minds, and our son Charles Jr. loves to learn! I love time with my family and enjoy our ventures together. My interests include sports, barbecuing, mentoring, fellowship, and golfing. My wife and I both share a background and desire in youth ministry.
I came from Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, where I worked for 14 years and most recently served as Program Manager for their Men’s Long-Term Program in Minneapolis. I am also a graduate of their program, which is a longer story. I can say that God met me there and has brought me into a new life with Him. We are all looking forward to this new chapter with the HHYD family.
By the way, did I mention that Rev. Johnny Hunter is my uncle? While it often pays to know people, I have to say that my relationship with Rev. Johnny did not make the interview process any easier. I was aware of HHYD and volunteered occasionally, but I hadn’t spent much time with my uncle at HHYD. As you can imagine, that’s changed quite a bit as he mentors me as our outgoing Executive Director. I’ve discovered that a lot is happening down here at HHYD, which is no surprise to those who have visited. Kids are coming and going, activity is high in the gym, and our lobby is full of love and conversation as our youth, staff, and parents connect as they move about. HHYD also has some big plans for growth as we consider our options for expansion and partners.
Of all the things I’ve learned about HHYD, the most important things remain the same. HHYD remains Christ-centered and focused on bringing the Gospel message to the kids and their families. We remain Youth-focused. As Frederick Douglass said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” HHYD remains committed to developing our youth into leaders of integrity in our community. A key ingredient to achieving those goals is our commitment to providing our youth opportunities to accelerate their education and develop perseverance and character through team sports.
God has called me to serve at HHYD, and my family and I feel extraordinarily blessed. I’d love to meet you all, so feel free to schedule a call or a visit. Thank you for supporting HHYD for all these years, and I look forward to working alongside you all for the glory of His Kingdom.
Root Beer Floats
We like to CONGRATULATE each of our students for taking the Mid-Year test! February 8th we honored our SUPER STUDENTS of the Month! The number of Super Students of the Month awardees increased since the start of the school year. The benefits of successfully completing their homework and spiritual journals while attending HHYD was a root beer float party this month. This month the teachers served the root beer floats and it didn’t end there, some of the students qualified for the raffle (improved on all their tests). They were able to choose a small gift in addition to the sweet treat.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE SUPER STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!
Super, Super Student of the month. Some children went even further than above and beyond.
Sports at HHYD
Basketball:
11U basketball team wins their game at Matthews Park Saturday 2/10.
6U basketball team at Fairview Park.
Dance practice:
Children getting ready for a performance at our upcoming Black History program.
Kickball:
Children burning off some steam playing Kickball.
Staff Outing
Food, fun, and wholesome competition. Staff Team Building outing at Flaherty’s Arden Bowl. Odis won overall highest score, 175, and Chris won a gift card for sporting the best Purple and Gold of HHYD.
February Birthdays
There have been many birthdays this month!
Save the Date
Our annual Spring Business Breakfast fundraiser is planned for Thursday, May 16, 2024, from 7-9am, once again at the Edina Country Club. The theme is “Changes” and we will get to hear from our Executive Director, Charles Moses.
Please mark your calendars and we hope to see you there!
Church Spotlight
Most people have heard of Eagle Brook – they are the largest church in Minnesota. Beginning in White Bear Lake in 1950, they have now grown to ten campuses surrounding the Twin Cities. Eagle Brook’s newest campus is located in the old First Baptist church building in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. They moved into the historic building, which was the original First Baptist congregation in Minnesota, and are up and running with Sunday services and childcare.
Pr. Jon Taylor, the new downtown campus pastor, has focused the new campus on what Eagle Brook has always focused on – praying for their neighbors. To that end, Pr. Jon reached out to his church leadership last winter to see what local ministries they could recommend for his young congregation. Fortunately, other Eagle Brook campuses had already served at Hospitality House and gave Pr. Jon a good report. The result was a van full of toys for our Christmas with Dignity program. Hallelujah!
Pr. Jon walked us around their beautiful, 90,000 square foot campus and shared their vision for serving the neighborhood with ‘help that doesn’t hurt’. “My entire staff understood the “dignity” part of HHYD’s Christmas event”, said Pr. Jon. “We appreciate how HHYD’s 10% price tags on toys and gifts allows families to fully experience the joy of shopping for their kids.” Eagle Brook also appreciates HHYD’s Christ-focused ministry. They have seen many organizations slip away from their traditional Christian roots to become secular social service providers.
“Folks downtown are refreshingly honest. They own their brokenness which makes it easier to serve them”, says Pr. Jon. “We livestream our services into the Hennepin County Jail. We roll in the equipment each Sunday morning, set up and roll out after the service.” Pr. Jon continued, “One resident spotted me on the street and asked if I was that pastor he saw in jail. I said I was and invited him to our church. He brought a friend who ended up being one of the first we baptized at our new campus.”
Pr. Jon has been married to his high school sweetheart Karla for 21 years and they have 2 daughters and a son. Both are homegrown Minnesotans graduating from Mounds View High School.
We look forward to growing our partnership with Eagle Brook Church and praise God for their new Minneapolis campus!
By Greg Serviss, HHYD Board Chair
Board Spotlight
Hi. My name is Tom Hagen. I have been on the Board of Hospitality House Youth Development (HHYD) since 2014 and have served as Board Chair and Vice Chair.
I am a retired business owner and continue to serve as Board Chairman for Pro-Tec Design, a leader in the electronic security industry. I joined the company in 1989, bought it and became President/CEO in 2004, and in 2016, sold it to our employees via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). I have also served as Elder Board Chair for Westgate Church of Wayzata and have led several Bible studies.
I grew up in Minneapolis and attended Washburn High School and Bethel University. Being aware of the racial and economic disparities in the Twin Cities I would occasionally wonder if I could do anything to make a positive difference. In a business meeting with a client we discovered that we were both followers of Jesus. He subsequently asked if I had heard of HHYD and like many have told me since, I responded, “Yes, I have heard of it, but what do they do?” He invited me to “come and see” and we went on a site visit.
I found the mission and vision of HHYD to be compelling. I began serving as a reading tutor which gave me quality time to get to know some kids there. I was also a driver for teens who would mow lawns for the elderly in the community. My hope for HHYD is that each child and teen will know they are loved, they will excel in school, graduate from high school and pursue opportunities in higher education or learn trade skills that will enable them to be productive members of society. I believe, and HHYD teaches, that faith, family and education are the gateway to success in life, and that restoring the traditional, two-parent family will be essential to restoring the community.
I am married to my wife Sharon and father to three daughters, sons-in-law and papa to 9 grandchildren. In years gone by I was a coach for girls softball and basketball teams. Our family enjoys water and winter sports. Sharon and I treasure times to be with our family. We love to travel. I love Canadian fishing and since retirement, I have returned to my hobby of HO-scale model trains.
Would you or someone you know like to work at HHYD?
Did you know Hospitality House is hiring? HHYD is always looking for high-quality candidates to join our team.
We’re currently looking for:
Education Director
If you or anyone you know might be interested, please share this link to the job descriptions: https://hhyd.org/job-opportunities/
Site Visits
On January 24 SCHEELS Sporting Goods
Pictured left to right, Walter Cox (HHYD staff), Lauren Andrist, and Tyler Brandel. Not pictured: Mike Burns
On February 19 Divine Islam, Educator
Pictured left to right, George (HHYD staff), Divine Islam and Walter (HHYD staff)
Interested in a Site Visit? Contact Walter Cox, Development Officer wcox@hhyd.org or 612.522.4485
Volunteer
Hospitality House Youth Development is looking for new volunteers. What God-given talent would you like to share?
- Tutor a student in math or reading
- Coach a basketball or baseball team
- Plan events
- Invite a group from your church, company or organization
We would love to hear from you! Call 612.522.4485 or apply online today.
Upcoming Events
May 16, 2024 – Spring Business Breakfast
Summer 2024 – Women’s Luncheon
October 2024 – Annual Fall Banquet