Evening Programs

OUR PROGRAMS RUN ALL YEAR LONG!
From Monday to Thursday, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. we open our doors for Rockford’s inner-city kids, providing a safe and warm place, a hot meal, and daily essentials.

Feeding hungry kids.
Many of the children we see do not get three meals a day. In fact, if it weren’t for school lunches, they may not get food at all. For that reason, we always serve a hot meal. And when the kids leave Rock House each night, we give them a bag of non-perishable, kid-friendly foods to help sustain them when they are away from our facility.

Providing the essentials.
Throughout the year we provide seasonal needs such as coats, hats, mittens, boots, socks and underwear; backpacks and school supplies, and gym shoes; bikes, blankets, and flashlights for safety; and hygiene supplies.

Enjoying special events.
From time to time local groups will bring activities to our kids. We’ve had animal visits from Burpee Museum, math and science projects from our local STEM group, and outdoor games with local churches. Other professionals visit to teach important skills such as proper adolescent behavior and hygiene, applying and interviewing for jobs, or to talk about job opportunities and college.

Occasional field trips help break up the year – our kids enjoy swimming, bowling, skating, camping trips, and even learning how to water ski with the Rockford Ski Broncs!

Celebrating birthdays and holidays.
Once a month Rosie's Birthday Club helps us celebrate the month's birthdays with a party, cake, and gifts. We also enjoy Easter, Harvest, and Thanksgiving holidays with decorations and special meals.

Christmas is a big deal at Rock House Kids, too. We collect wish lists from the children and with help from our generous community, each child receives a large bag of gifts and a filled stocking. It is so fun to hear the kids squeal with joy to receive gifts they might not otherwise get.

The need is ongoing.
We are always aware that many of the children we serve would be without food, basic life essentials, and special celebrations, were it not for the Rock House Kids program.

With God’s help and the generous support from our donors, we CAN make a difference in the life of these children. With your help and prayers, we will open more doors and bless more children!

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1st – 6th Grade

Mondays and Wednesdays are exciting for youngsters!

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We always start our evening with a hot meal. Kids function and focus better when they have full tummies. After dinner, our 1st & 2nd graders enjoy a time of singing and Bible lessons, followed by time of fun crafts & games with their volunteer mentors.  Our 3rd-6th graders divide into groups by grade with their mentors and rotate to different stations for Bible lessons, crafts, scripture memory activities and games.

    7th – 12th Grade

    Tuesday and Thursday evenings are fun for teens!

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    Like with the younger kids, we always start with a hot meal because a hungry belly does not listen! Then it's chapel time, where we enjoy music and share faith-based lessons specifically written for older kids. Time is spent instructing on important topics like honesty, responsibility, and gang/drug avoidance. The teens then split into classrooms where their mentors expand on the lesson and build relationships within their group.

    • TEEN PROGRAM

      Any teen grades 7th -12th can come in to interview to be a part of our Teen Program. This team of kids also has the opportunity to help with the younger children on Monday and Wednesday nights, assisting in classrooms, serving food, and more. Our Teen Program builds self-esteem while teaching how to be a good example to the younger kids, and the importance of giving back to the Rock House Kids program that helped them. The hours they spend helping is considered volunteer time.

      PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS

      Puppets & Props
      This is a 4-6 week class once a week for 60 minutes. Our puppeteers act out a story and sing songs using a variety of puppet characters. Using puppets allows the more shy children to outwardly express themselves. Our Puppet Teams get to perform for all of Rock House Kids upon completion of their class. They are also showcased at our annual fundraiser, Streets & Sweets.