Richmond, Texas – Nery’s Promise started with a promise to God. When she was a teenager, Nery Salazar left her home in Honduras in her search for a better life. Her journey wasn’t easy … she was separated from her group and found herself in a survival mode, eating bugs and worms and drinking cactus juice – she did whatever it took to survive. She pleaded with God: “Please get me through this alive and I will share Jesus’ love with everyone!”
God heard her cries and after traveling hundreds of miles through Mexico, Nery arrived safely in the United States. To this day, she has been working to fulfill her promise of sharing “Jesus’ Love” by spreading the word of God with her community through Bible study. She also shares her survival story and gives back to her community in numerous ways, including providing meals to meet her goal of never letting any child go hungry.
“It’s beautiful when you connect with God,” Nery says. “Nery’s Promise is a comfortable place for neighborhood kids to come for Bible study with a well-balanced meal, to complete schoolwork with wi-fi, and to feel safe and loved. My kids’ ages range from babies to 18-years-old. We want the children in our neighborhood to have hope. Many of our kids don’t have confidence. They don’t realize they can do anything, and it’s our mission to teach them they can succeed.”
Nery always has dozens of projects in the works. She has around 100 volunteers who come to help, but when an organization has taken on as many projects as Nery’s Promise, there are never enough volunteers. “During Hurricane Beryl, many homes were without power and air conditioning,” Nery says. “We fed 800 kids for a week. Everyone around Nery’s Promise was without electricity for days, but we only lost power for five hours. I believe this was a miracle.”
Some of the Nery’s Promise current projects:
- They host reading classes, computer classes, ESL classes for parents, and Bible studies accompanied by home-cooked meals, all on their property every week.
- They are in the process of providing 80 beds for kids who don’t have one of their own and are either sleeping on the floor or sharing a bed with several other children. “We will deliver single and bunk beds to families’ homes, assemble them and top them with new mattresses, mattress covers, bed sheets, comforters, and pillows,” Nery says..
- They are taking applications for 350 Thanksgiving baskets filled with turkeys and other food to feed local families.
- They recently provided 750 backpacks full of school supplies, and took 30 middle and high school kids shopping for school clothes, “Many of these kids have never shopped for themselves. They didn’t even know their own shoe size or clothing size,” Nery says.
All of this great work requires multiple sponsors to make it all happen. Some generous sponsors who have made a significant impact on the lives of so many underprivileged children and families include River Pointe Church in Richmond, Grand Parkway Baptist Church in Richmond, St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land, and the First Baptist Church in Richmond.
The organization is also hosting a fundraising golf tournament on October 7th at the Riverbend Country Club. For more information on opportunities to participate or become a sponsor, visit https://neryspromise.com/golf-tournament.
“Nery has a tremendous workforce that supports all her charitable activities, but we’re always in need of volunteers. Every day there’s something new to do and we need the support of a host of volunteers to make it all happen,” says Doug Goff, president of the Nery’s Promise Board of Directors. “And although we are blessed to have received significant gifts from several generous and dedicated organizations, such as the George Foundation, CEO Foundation, Child Welfare Board, and other anonymous donors, we are still in need of contributions that will help us fund additional life-changing services for underprivileged families in the Richmond/Rosenberg and Fort Bend County area. We are sincerely appreciative of the generous support of our community. With their help, we can meet our goal of expanding our reach and increasing the number of community members we serve with food, clothing, shelter, and the message of our savior, Jesus Christ.”
“We’re real,” Ms Nery says. “If we say we’re going to do something to help those in need, we do it. And our families and their children trust us to do it. We are blessed to be able to support our kids in need. They give me as much joy as I give them!”
About Nery’s Promise
Nery’s Promise is a 501(c)(3) organization with a supportive and active 15-member board. Founded in 2009, Nery’s Promise supports families in the Richmond/Rosenberg area through free meals, classes, Bible studies, and more. With the love of Jesus, they joyfully serve the children of the community by creating a safe and nurturing environment for them to learn and grow.