Pastor Vivan Tan is Director of KidsAlley, the main program of One Accord Inc., a non-profit faith-based organization reaching out to the inner-city children and their families of Camden, NJ and Philadelphia.

Pastor Tan started KidsAlley a decade ago. She began by providing Saturday morning programs for children ages 3-12 and their families. The high energy program blends games, music, drama, puppetry, illustrated Bible lessons, and art activities. After the program, each child leaves with a nutritious bagged lunch. 

KidsAlley has expanded to encompass an after-school program for grades Kindergarten through 7th. The after-school program provides homework help and individual tutoring. KidsAlley also offers regular programming for adolescents, focusing on music, choir, organized choreography, drama, puppetry skills and technical arts as well as Bible study, worship, prayer, and leadership discussions. The goal of these programs is to teach the youth to “live above the temptations of the streets, to achieve their own dreams and influence their community with hands-on involvement.”

With 23 years of full-time experience in children’s ministry, Pastor Tan has been director of children’s and youth ministry in the church and has also spent time developing her own approach to inner city and community outreach. She has received numerous awards, including the 1998 NJ State Child Assault Prevention Award, recognizing her contribution to children and the prevention of their abuse and for the advocacy of their rights; the West Jersey Reading Council’s Mary Cudemo Literacy 2001 Award, in recognition of her work in promoting literacy among the children; and the Martin Luther King Freedom Medal in Camden County for 2002. 

Pastor Tan also conducts workshops that give the hands on experience and confidence to children’s ministry workers to effectively reach the children of today in their church and community.