Community Outreach Ministries
Bringing transformation and hope
The gifts he gave were … to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. —Ephesians 4:11-12
ABHMS Community Outreach Ministries supports a network of Christian Centers to address the specific needs of their respective communities. These Christian centers are the heart of American Baptist home mission, as onsite mission staff work in partnership with local congregations and regional ministries to provide practical assistance that helps people identify and overcome barriers that prevent them from becoming all that God intended them to be. This assistance may be as simple as offering friendship or an encouraging hand. Or, it may include meeting basic needs for food, shelter, clothing, health care, job training or counseling. These centers vary the ways they touch people’s lives.
The image above is from a mural created by Ms. Tia Richardson — an integrative community artist, in partnership with youth from Milwaukee Christian Center — a ministry partner of ABHMS.
| Centers | Staff |
|---|---|
| Bethel Neighborhood Center 14 S Seventh St. Kansas City, KS 66101 | Executive Director: Mang Sonna |
| Bob Burdette Center, Inc. 1401 Washington St., W Charleston, WV 25387 304.342.1158 | Interim Executive Director: Dianna Graves Program Director: Erin Martin |
| Cameron Community Ministries 48 Cameron St. Rochester, NY 14606 | Executive Director: Olivia Kassoum-Amadou |
| Columbia Street Project 63 Columbia St. Bangor, ME 04401 | Executive Director: Rev. Stan Moody |
| Corporacion Milagros del Amor PO Box 6445 Caguas, PR 00726 787.745.4605 | Executive Director: Gladys Rodriguez |
| Dayton Christian Center 1352 W Riverview Ave. Dayton, OH 45407 | Executive Director: Yvonne Watkins |
| Edna Martin Christian Center 2605 E 25th St. Indianapolis, IN 46218 | President & CEO: Barato Britt |
| Detroit Friendship House 9540 Conant St. Hamtramck, MI 48212 | Executive Director: Cathy Maher |
| Friendship House Peoria 800 NE Madison Ave. Peoria, IL 61603 | CEO: Marcellus Sommerville |
| Friendship House of Christian Service 3123 Eighth Ave., S Billings, MT 59101 | Executive Director: Matt Lundgren |
| Global Health Connections International PO Box 80234 Raleigh, NC 27623 | President & CEO: Enrico Copeland |
| Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries PO Box 778 Youngstown, OH 44501 | Executive Director: Mark Samuel |
| JOYA Scholars PO Box 1457 Fullerton, CA 92836 | Interim Executive Director: Giselle Monterrosas |
| Milwaukee Christian Center 807 S 14th St. Milwaukee, WI 53204 | Executive Director: Karen Higgins |
| Mount Olive Development Corporation 1530 NW 6th St. Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311 | President & CEO: Rosalind Osgood |
| Neighborhoods Focused on African- American Youth, Inc. 995 Roswall St. Marietta, GA 30060 | Executive Director: Cheryl Bursh |
| New Life Center for Recovery 1323 Worcester St. Indian Orchard, MA 01151 | Executive Director: Rev. Brenda Lammie |
| Pathways to Promise PO Box 63273 St. Louis, MO 63163 314.810.2234 | Executive Director: Dr. George Williams |
| Preston Taylor Ministries 4014 Indiana Ave. Nashville, TN 37209 | Executive Director: Dwight Johnson |
| Rankin Christian Center 230 Third Ave. (Rankin) Braddock, PA 15104 | Executive Director: Darlene McGregor |
| Salama Urban Ministries 1205 8th Ave., S Nashville, TN 37203 | CEO: Dawana Wade |
| Shores of Hope 110 Sixth St. W Sacramento, CA 95605 | Executive Director: Nanette Fowler |
| Somerset Academy Early Learning Center 719 W Girard Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19123 | Executive Director: Tiffany Chavous |
| The Place PO Box 509 20 E Main St. Norwich, NY 13815 | Executive Director: Sharon Vesely |
| Weirton Christian Center 117 Ivy St. Weirton, WV 26062 | Executive Director: Kim Weaver |
| The Youth Enrichment Program of Greater Cleveland c/o The Cleveland Baptist Association 12200 Fairhill Ave., Room C440 Cleveland, OH 44120 | Executive Director: Rev. Yvonne Carter |
Become a Community Outreach Ministries partner!
Experience the joy that comes from sharing the love and power of Christ:
PRAY in your home and church for the ministries of hope at ABHMS’ Community Outreach Ministries. Pray also for the centers’ staff, along with the people they serve.
VOLUNTEER for individuals and group work opportunities at Community Outreach Ministries centers through ABHMS’ Volunteer Ministries; call 610-768-2422.
GIVE needed supplies through Operation Planting Hope (formerly White Cross), the American Baptist Home Mission Societies support program for churches, youth groups, women’s and men’s ministries, and Sunday school classes. All items can be donated directly to the ministry/organization. For more information, please call Rev. Lisa Harris Lee at 610.768.2158 or email at Lisa.Harris-Lee@abhms.org.
