Tag:ABC 15 Arizona

NBCC Donates Minivan to Mother of 7

Posted on Updated on Categories:In the News

Auto repair network donates minivan to mother of 7 with help from church – ABC15 Arizona

A minivan now belongs to Fallon and her family with the help of New Beginnings Christian Church and the nonprofit “Helping Hands for Single Moms,” and the Neighborhood Auto Repair Professionals, or NARPRO.

Full story at https://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/mesa/church-donates-minivan-to-single-mother-of-seven

 

It was a special day for Fallon LaGuerra and her family. It’s a day she thought would start with a simple chat with her pastor, Andre Miller of New Beginnings Christian Church.

Pastor Miller and other members of the community in Mesa had other plans.

Fallon lost her job last year due to the pandemic and her car broke down, too. All this while she took care of her seven children.

When Pastor Miller found out about her struggles, he went into action.

He posted on Facebook, asking for anyone who could donate a minivan to the deserving mother.

The post was answered immediately, Miller says.

“A buddy, who used to be a council member in Mesa, Jeremy Whitaker, he saw it, he shared it. The person he shared it with was able to meet the need that we had.”

With the help of the nonprofit “Helping Hands for Single Moms,” and the Neighborhood Auto Repair Professionals, or NARPRO, a donated and repaired minivan would now belong to Fallon and her family.

James Garnand of NARPRO believes a higher calling is what brought everything together.

“Somebody above directed this situation. It wasn’t really done by us or anybody standing here. It’s just the way things happened to come together,” Garnand stated.

Whether it be coincidence, or divine intervention, Fallon is thankful to her East Valley community for helping her and her family.

“It’s amazing. It’s amazing because you don’t see that in too many places. I know the pastor’s heart is in a good place.”

Valley church helping neighbors pay rent – ABC15 Arizona

Posted on Updated on Categories:In the News

Valley church helping neighbors pay rent – ABC15 Arizona

Valley church helping neighbors pay rent – ABC15 Arizona

MESA, AZ — A Valley church is showing the community they are there for them by handing out cash to those who need help paying their rent.

Pastor Andre Miller, with New Beginnings Christian Church in Mesa said he felt compelled to do something after hearing so many stories about people losing their jobs, and wondering how they would make ends meet.

“The need is there so we just sprang into action. I just wanted to make sure we could do something to help mitigate some of these burdens people are experiencing right now in this pandemic,” said Miller.

The church started a fundraiser to help neighbors in need. So far they have been able to help eight struggling families.

One of them was Kristen Smith, a single mother who lost her job at the bank. Smith has been tapping into her savings to pay her bills.

“My rent still needs to be paid, I still have an electric bill, my car payment, insurance needs to be paid,” said Smith.

The church helped her with $250 dollars which was enough to cover her expenses after she used some of her own money from her savings account.

Cheris Jackson is another Valley woman who is extremely grateful to get help from her pastor. “I was real worried until the pastor reached out to me. I am the type of person, I don’t like asking,” said Jackson.

Tattoo artist Beau Banks did not attend Pastor Miller’s church, yet he too got a helping hand when he reached out for help.

“I almost like came to tears, yet it was pretty moving,” said Banks, who said he would have been evicted had he not received help from the church.

Miller said the church is raising funds so they can help more families in need.

You can help them out by visiting their fundraising page here.

Valley police chiefs come together for forum on community relations.

Posted on Updated on Categories:In the News

Valley police chiefs come together for forum on community relations.

ABC 15 -  Valley police chiefs come together for forum on community relations

MESA, AZ — Rather than screams, chants and protests; it was a calm, civil conversation among those who lead some East Valley police departments, and those who live in the cities they serve.

“With everything that’s happening, we gotta do it now," said Pastor Andre Miller, who invited four East Valley police chiefs, and community members to New Beginnings Christian Church off Gilbert Road and Main Street in Mesa. "We can’t just keep kicking the can down the road or keep waiting for the next big incident or next big situation to happen.”

The Valley Concerned Citizens Police Forum, held just days after Phoenix city leaders voted to implement a citizens review board amid several high-profile use of force incidents, drew more than a dozen residents who asked about agency hiring practices, and discipline processes, among other things.

Among attendees, Tempe Police Chief Sylvia Moir, Gilbert Police Chief Mike Soelberg, and Interim-Chief for the Mesa Police Department, Ken Cost. Chief Sean Duggan with the Chandler Police Department was also expected at Friday's forum but told church officials he was unable to attend just hours before the meeting began.

"I hope to get what is on the minds of the community," said Chief Moir. "I hope I get some really good questions about the truths behind policing, a lot of folks have a lot of misunderstandings about policing."

The Tempe Police Department received major backlash for the death of 14-year-old Antonio Arce in January of 2019, and more recently, for another incident where a Tempe officer was seen shoving an 11-year-old boy after detaining the boy's older brother.

The Mesa Police Department also scrutinized for similar incidents, including an excessive use-of-force complaint surrounding five Mesa officers seen beating 35-year-old Robert Johnson in the hallway of an apartment complex, alongside several others filed when former Chief Ramon Batista led the department.

"We're putting a period on that and moving forward," Interim Chief Cost said Friday.

Cost, named chief just four months ago, joked that he doesn't have it all figured out to the group of men and woman present Friday, despite his 25 years on the force.

"I think anytime there's tension or questions or concern it comes down to trust and it comes down to relationships," he said.

Several leaders also mentioned the role of citizen review boards, Chief Moir telling ABC15 she supports the group, who's helped make recommendations to her department since its inception in 1999.

“There’s a real strength in having a citizens review board as we have," said Moir. "The folks are not put in the public eye, they’re not prone to public pressure. They are prone to high values, they are trained they are really brought in behind the curtain. And they examine our cases in full. We are completely open and transparent with them and they make recommendations."

Pastor Miller hoping the discussion with respective chiefs gets back to officers on the streets.

“I hope they can take the conversation, they can take the comments and they can take those back to the people who are under them," said Miller. "If the message is not passed down to a line officer then we’ve done nothing.”