The Alliance is a non-profit organization partnering with CCA for a dual purpose: (1) to mobilize and equip a broad reaching volunteer base made up of family and friends of CCA to serve the needs of the Inner-Community at CCA and the Outer-Community of Concord (and beyond), and (2) to raise funds to support CCA’s scholarship programs. The intended by-product of the Alliance is to make an education at CCA accessible to as many families as possible, and to create a service-learning environment for the students as well as all who participate.
The Root of the Alliance
The Alliance was born from the corporate conviction (noted above) that Community Life at CCA has two layers of meaning (1) the intrinsic Inner-Community we experience as an academic body – students, families, faculty, staff and board, and (2) the surrounding Outer-Community – the capital region of Concord and beyond. Though the first of these requires our primary daily attention, the fact is that its health is maximized by a fostered alertness toward the second, for we believe the Christian is not called to be a citizen of “Church-world”, or “Christian-school-world”, but rather of a greater Kingdom, that of Heaven coming down to earth – emulated to us by the life and divinity of Jesus Christ.
Jesus spent time in the synagogues, yes, but he was more in the villages, on the streets. If we are to take the Christ-following life seriously, we cannot dismiss His use of time and energy. If the CCA Mission of Building Integrity & Modeling Service has resolve attached to it, then here is where it is fleshed out. The vision is to unite a Biblical educational experience with an intentional hands-on service learning program. Rather than perpetuate service projects as an “add-on” to student life, service learning is a method of teaching through which students apply newly-acquired academic skills and knowledge to address real-life needs in their own communities. The service options are unlimited, moving students from an inner-community focus to an outer-community investment.
As a member of the Alliance, a parent, grandparent, neighbor, friend of CCA, etc. inherits the opportunity to build integrity and model service to the youth of CCA, leaving an enduring legacy. True beauty is seen when Alliance members come forth to serve alongside the children/youth, modeling service, spending time with them, confirming their value in the midst of that activity. Fully present adults, reinforcing the joy gained in giving of oneself, invest in the lives of young people who so need encouragement. How could youth help but catch the greater message that we are made for such things?
Caring for the Inner-Community
The Alliance provides CCA with volunteers who willingly serve in a myriad of ways: assist in the Quest After School Program, distribute milk during snack and lunch, assist in the classroom, give special career presentations, provide snacks for special events, direct traffic during drop-off/pick-up times, help with building maintenance and clean up, drive to field trips and sporting events… the list is truly endless.
Investing in the Outer-Community
The vision for the Alliance has yet to be fully realized. However, we are beginning to see it materialize into the outer-community in small ways. This year for instance we invited CCA families to serve at the local Tobey Family Shelter. The increased need for housing for families in the winter months opened the door for CCA leadership to engage with the needs of the Tobey Shelter. Parents who were a part of the Alliance who chose to serve at the shelter could log their time spent as Alliance hours. We were thrilled to be a part of the movement to eliminate homelessness in our area.
Additionally, we see the opportunity to share the facility and property resources as an extension of the Alliance as it testifies to the students that we as a school (as their models) hold things like buildings and land loosely, recognizing the difference between Him who owns them, and we who steward them. We want the students to see parents and staff working alongside people in the community, having fun, serving one another, providing opportunities to intersect with those who see themselves as outside of the community of Christ: to show His love, to share their burdens, to connect in a way that Christ would if He were on earth today. Where the temptation would be to isolate within a beautiful facility, CCA is called to branch out, to become indispensable as an Inner-community, to the priceless Outer-community of people for whom Jesus died.
Practically Speaking
The Alliance is unique in its formation and has already proven to be a rich blessing to the Academy. Without a doubt, the Alliance members have helped meet the functional needs of CCA, saving the school in operating expenses. The intended partnership between CCA and the Alliance is realized when these savings are passed on through tuition discounts and acquired scholarship funds to member families. For example, families who decide to participate in the Alliance receive a 20% member discount off their tuition. Wow! How does it work?
At the point of registration, our Volunteer Coordinator collects data from every Alliance member (1) determining areas of personal interest for serving, (2) aligning interests with opportunities by providing the data to Faculty and Staff via our school data system, (3) conducting background checks, and confirming safe driving records, (4) daily sustaining the program on the campus. As needs arise, Alliance members are called upon to assist. Members simply log their service hours into CCA’s Veracross database system. This allows accurate tabulation of hours which our Volunteer Coordinator monitors throughout the week.
Membership in the Alliance requires each family engage the following three ways:
(1) Submit legal documents/forms to register (as noted above)
(2) Donate $720 annually, or $60/month
(paid monthly through automatic withdrawal)
(3) Contribute 10 hours per month service-hours - 5 hours to CCA (logged on our database) and 5 to a local church or community organization (not monitored by CCA, but entrusted to the honor system)
“When can I get started?”
Once the registration process is complete, members may begin serving. Not surprisingly the types of viable activities for Alliance volunteer hours are ever increasing. In fact, as CCA’s reach toward the Outer-community expands, they will increase even more so. Donated hours are recorded via our school data system, and validated periodically by our Alliance Board. If you are interested in joining the Alliance, please indicate this on your student's application. Our Volunteer Coordinator will follow up with you. We look forward to engaging in the Alliance with you, side-by-side!
