Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Franklin.
Exactly 15 years ago, Edward Franklin was handed the keys to Voice of Hope, tasked with harnessing the potential of out-of-school time to serve a generation of West Dallas students through both education and the Gospel.
Ed’s story begins in a Philadelphia neighborhood not unlike one you might find in West Dallas. Although he acknowledges the distress and blight in the community he saw on a daily basis, he attributes his own robust childhood to the fact that he was raised by both a mother and a father in the home. Both of his parents modeled the Christan faith and high educational attainment, setting a standard for him that was not mirrored by most in his surroundings. “I grew up in an underserved community and lived around folks like those I serve and live alongside now,” he shares. “I can identify with many of the hopes, dreams, concerns and fears they have.”
After earning two Master’s Degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary, Ed worked as a Behavior Specialist and Mobile Therapist for children. He was praying and planning to plant a church in his home neighborhood – that is, until a “214” phone number rang and asked him to consider moving to Dallas, Texas. The invitation was to enter into what God was doing with a ministry in an underserved part of town called West Dallas. He, his wife, and their one-week-old daughter, Hannah, accepted the invitation and on August 31st, 2004, Ed began serving as Voice of Hope’s new President and Chief Executive Officer.
Now serving over 300 students in three locations in three cities in Dallas County, Ed has spent the last fifteen years learning and serving in the community, perfecting their ASPIRE after-school and SOAR summer camp programs. “When the school bell rings, we have an opportunity to come alongside the school, the parent, and the community to reinforce what happens in the school day and prevent summer learning loss,” Ed shares. He cites curriculum, school partnerships, and parent support as the best targets for innovation. “Our ASPIRE after-school curriculum must be customized and contextual for it to resonate with our children,” he explains. Within the public school space, Voice of Hope seeks to walk alongside the school as an extended learning partner. He also lauds parents for their irreplaceable role in a child’s academic and spiritual development and is continually finding ways to support the family unit.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road and there is much more to be done in the next fifteen years and beyond. “The jobs of tomorrow will not look like the jobs of today,” Ed forecasts. Voice of Hope aims to instill fundamental skills around social-emotional learning, critical thinking, and team building. Most of all, the staff, teachers, and volunteers of Voice of Hope are teaching students to value education.
Just like the students of Voice of Hope, Ed Franklin is on his own journey of learning. He is completing his Doctor of Ministry degree from Knox Theological Seminary and has been accepted to participate in the National After School Matters Fellowship, Leadership Dallas, and the Christian Community Development Leadership Cohort 8. In his words,
“I am working on being a better leader in the home as a husband and father and being a better leader for Voice of Hope. I have been serving for 15 years, but I feel like I am just getting started. I am still excited to wake up each day and know that I am a small part of what God is doing in the lives of children and families in underserved communities. I look forward to continually learning about urban ministry, Christian community development, extended learning and children’s spiritual formation.”
We’d love to hear more about the organization.
Voice of Hope Ministries exists to extend the love of Jesus Christ by nurturing and training children through Biblical teaching, Christian character models, life skills coaching and educational support.
We consider ourselves specialists in out-of-school time programming for children and youth in underserved communities.
What sets us apart from other OST programs is our excellent customer service to the children, families and schools we serve and our deliberate desire to leverage the power of after-school programs to share the power of the gospel. All our sites are state licensed and two are Dallas Afterschool certified with a third in progress.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
God and his son Jesus deserves all the credit for everything and anything that Voice of Hope has accomplished over the 37 years we have been in existence. The many men and women who have served on the board and as staff throughout our history deserve credit as well.
And heartfelt thank-you to the donors who have supported Voice of Hope for the last fifteen years and even the 37 years that Voice of Hope’s doors have been open. We cannot do what we do without faithful folks who believe in what we are doing in the community and the lives of children and their families.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4120 Gentry Drive
Dallas, Tx 75212 - Website: www.voiceofhope.org
- Phone: 214-631-7027 x 151
- Email: efranklin@voiceofhope.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VOHDallas/
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