Andrew Mann	Ashley Emmert
Kelsey Townsell	"Proof"

 

Andrew Mann

Born and raised in Poplar Bluff, MO, Andrew always had a fascination with New York City.  Entering college, Andrew attended New York University.  Over the course of that year, Andrew became involved with East 7^th Baptist Church/Graffiti Community Ministries.  Transferring to Wheaton College, he graduated with a Bachelors of Music Education degree in December 2004.  Despite the change of venue from New York to Chicago, during his collegiate years, Andrew plugged into ministry with Betty Cherry and the ARMS ministry of Armitage Baptist Church.  Over those three and a half years, Andrew helped to develop and lead a Bible study with boys from the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago.  These years of ministry were formational for his sense of calling and philosophy towards meeting the needs of urban children.  In February of 2005, Andrew joined the staff of East 7^th Baptist Church/Graffiti Community ministries to assist with youth programs and begin preparing for the new ministry plant of Graffiti 2 Community Ministries.  In August of 2005, Andrew moved to Mott Haven and currently oversees the mission, vision, strategy and implementation of Graffiti 2 Community Ministries.

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Ashley Emmert

Ashley was born in San Antonio, TX and moved to Georgetown, TX when she was 8. Her first experience with New York City was the summer after she graduated from high school in 2004. She went on a mission trip with First Baptist Church Georgetown to work with Graffiti Community Ministries/East 7th Baptist Church in Manhattan. Through the partnership between First Baptist Church Georgetown and Graffiti Community Ministries, Ashley kept in touch with Graffiti. Ashley went to college at Baylor University in Waco, TX to get a degree in Child and Family Studies. As part of her degree requirements, she needed a practicum working with children and families in some capacity. Ashley decided that she wanted to do her practicum in New York and served as a summer missionary with Graffiti 2 Community Ministries in the Bronx. Within the first few days working with Graffiti 2, Ashley began to feel that God was calling her to come back to Graffiti 2 after she finished school. Throughout the course of that summer, God continued to confirm that calling. Ashley had to leave at the end of the summer to finish one more year of school, but still came to visit during Christmas and Easter. Upon graduating from Baylor University in May of 2008, Ashley moved to New York to serve full time with Graffiti 2 Community Ministries.  Ashley Emmert joins Graffiti 2 as the Director of Women's Ministry and Child/Youth Development.  Her addition will allow Graffiti 2 to expand its programs and potential for ministry to the women and teenage girls of Mott Haven.

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Kelsey Townsell

Kelsey grew up in Huntsville, Texas and moved to Denton in 2005 to attend the University of North Texas College of Visual Art and Design.  She quickly became very active in OverFlow Ministries, the college ministry at First Baptist Denton.  During her second semester in Denton, she joined the staff of FBCD working in the front office and then later the Youth Ministries office.  Kelsey first came to New York and Graffiti 2 in January of 2007.  It was a struggle to leave and she knew that she would eventually be back to serve with Graffiti 2 in some capacity.  Kelsey visited the city two more times after that and had the opportunity to work with Graffiti 2 again in March of 2009.  It was during this visit that God begin to speak to her and she felt the call to come back.  Shortly after leaving, Kelsey called Andrew and they began to work out the plans for her to join the Graffiti 2 staff.  Kelsey joins G2 as the Associate Director of Youth Ministries.

 

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"Proof"

"Proof" is a canine assistance animal trained as a professional therapy dog.  A highly trained animal, "Proof" serves as a de-escalation tool, reading incentive, and source of unconditional love for our children.  Following, are a few of the numerous benefits from a program of this kind.

1.   The reward of working with an animal that can give unconditional acceptance, regardless of academic grades, social abilities, or happenings with family or friends.

2.   Physically and emotionally challenged students have an added form of therapy humans cannot provide.

3.   Students learn appropriate behavior around animals and how to care and train them.

4.   Students with special needs have more to talk to peers about when they are wanting to build positive social relationships. 

5.   Children who have difficulty reading benefit from reading out loud to Proof.  No embarrassment is felt by the children for the difficulties they face when reading to Proof.

Proof was obtained through CARES, Inc. out of Concordia, Kansas and is a purebred Yellow Labrador Retriever.  Beginning training at 7 weeks of age, Proof was raised and trained by inmates at the Huerfano County Correctional Facility in Colorado.  Upon completion of training at 15 months of age, Proof met her new owner at a week long training session in Kansas.  Over the course of that week, the new team learned how to work with each other.  Upon conclusion of training both the dog and owner passed a public access test which allows access to all public facilities and travel (useful since Proof's primary mode of transportation in New York is via subway). 

Before leaving Kansas, Proof and her owner were browsing in a bookstore in a mall.  Interrupted by an obviously disheveled woman on whom one could read her pain and struggle across the wrinkled lines of her face, Proof began wiggling her tail as is so characteristic of her.  Abandoning any sense of public decorum, the lady gathered her dress, sat on the floor, and began sharing her affection with a willing canine companion.  As Proof began licking the woman's calloused and hardened hands, tears flowed from her eyes.  No words needed to be said.

After five or six minutes, the lady arose like a phoenix from ashes, and began to walk away.  Pausing for a brief moment, she turned and said, "That dog is PROOF that God exists."

From her days in the Huerfano Correctional Facility, to her first week with her new owner, to walking the streets of Mott Haven, it is impossible to count the number of lives encouraged by the ministry that God has provided through Proof.

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