OUR STORY
Timoteo draws its inspiration from the life of Timothy in the Bible, whom the apostle Paul mentored as a next-generation leader of the church. Just as Paul believed in modeling the love and power of the gospel to young Timothy, Timoteo seeks to mentor and disciple the youth of Philadelphia using sports as a mutual passion and playing field for lessons to emerge. The Spanish version of Timothy’s name, Timoteo, only seemed appropriate in representing the strong Latino community present in Kensington, where Timoteo was birthed.
Bill Campbell, an elder at Bethel Temple Community Church, founded Timoteo as a ministry of the church, with a vision to impact the lives of youth in the community through mentorship and faith. The first season of Timoteo Flag Football began with twelve leaders from three churches—Bethel Temple, Lighthouse, and Urban Hope—coming together to form six teams, with twelve coaches and over 40 youth participants. This marked the beginning of what would grow into a transformative movement for youth in the area.
WHO WE ARE
Our Misson
As the Body of Christ we partner with others to mentor youth.
Our Vision
Timoteo seeks to impact the hearts of youth to bring transformation to our city.
OUR CORE VALUES
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We are bold followers of Jesus Christ, who seek to live out His teachings in all that we do. Jesus spent his time teaching about the “Kingdom of God,” which was a lifestyle reflecting God’s original intentions for His creation, the way things ought to be. Through Timoteo we seek to model this value in every neighborhood we are connected to. Practically, we live this out by creating a culture of non-violence and brotherhood (and sisterhood), teaching kids the Scripture, imitating a posture of prayer, seeking justice through empowerment, creating jobs, providing opportunities for academic excellence, and encouraging others to serve in their communities.
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Timoteo works on a model of empowerment. We choose to see the potential in others and provide opportunities for people to live out that potential. Through leadership development, coach training, and mentoring we empower youth to transform their lives. Timoteo creates an environment where “each one teaches one,” as players become coaches, and coaches become staff. Empowerment also happens on the field of play, through skill and confidence building, to prepare youth to accomplish great things in life.
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Timoteo is built on love, integrity, trust and accountability in order to ensure our organizational excellence. We believe everything should be done well; from the lines making up the fields, to the coaching, to our business practices. Excellence is part of the culture and expectation that we create, which empowers people.
What initially starts on a football field can translate into positive impact in academia, the workforce, the community and the church. Timoteo is not interested in simply getting bigger for bigger’s sake; rather we desire to grow slowly, making sure that everything we do is highly sustainable.
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Timoteo does not act alone, rather our strength is found in being in relationship with others. Timoteo seeks to strengthen the community through partnerships with churches and other local organizations. We desire to be a blessing to others so we view partnerships as a mutually beneficial relationship with the purpose of bringing glory to God.
IMPACTING THROUGH…
Sports
Sports have proven to be a powerful tool for reaching youth in our community. Through flag football, basketball, and volleyball leagues, we’ve cultivated a sense of community among players, coaches, and fans. By striving for excellence in our sports programs, we set a standard for excellence in all areas of life. Transformation is happening, and it’s happening through the growth of our youth! Building Leaders, Inspiring Hope, Transforming Communities.
Beyond Sports
At our core, we are a mentoring and youth discipleship program. While coaching and player interactions on the field remain central to our mission, we’ve developed several key initiatives to provide additional support. Our “More Than Sports” initiatives reflect our belief that youth need more than just trophies and highlight reels—they need holistic support that nurtures their academic, physical, emotional, spiritual, and career growth. We partner with organizations that share our commitment to young people. Additionally, we offer Coaching Huddles, a weekly training program for our coaches, helping them grow as mentors and leaders during the seasons.
Through camps, coaching, friendship, training, and more, we are seeing the positive impact of our efforts. Youth are transitioning into coaching roles, entering the workforce, and pursuing higher education—all because of the support and mentorship they’ve received.
Community
Timoteo impacts hundreds of youth annually through our programs, drawing participants from diverse neighborhoods across the city. Our leagues represent 73 schools, including public, charter, and private institutions. There is an unmistakable sense of hope in our community, and we are witnessing the development of future leaders.
