Project URGE, Inc. & what you should know!
Who benefits from our work? The entire Community!
Project URGE has been a Community Builder and catalyst for involvement since the beginning of 2002!
In brief, what have we done?
- Brought urban/suburban/rural churches and organizations together to work on challenges facing our community
- Encouraged churches to tie into ministries and organizations that already exist in the city's "poverty crescent" and to be a partner physically, financially and prayerfully
- Promote collaboration between urban/suburban/rural organizations and churches (meetings, teams & events w/shared responsibility)
- Bread Run Team - Deliver bread & baked goods on Saturdays and some Sundays to homeless shelters and soup kitchens since 2004
- Volunteer Coordination - plugged in volunteers to organizations from church groups, high schools, colleges and individuals (over 400 in 2008)
- Helped with technical assistance with Capital Compassion Grant with FACT (Faith and Communities Together)
- Provide valuable information about serving opportunities to lead others toward involvement in organizations serving the under-resourced and in various ministry efforts
- URGEnt Presentation and Tour - meet organization leaders & learn how one can be involved in being part of the solution for community challenges
- Youth Mission - bringing urban/suburban/rural youth from churches together to help with service projects, Bible Study and entertaining activities
- Help partner churches with city summer camps
- Collect and distribute winter ware and food to organizations serving the under-resourced
- Jacob's Ladder Team - helping maintain and renovate facilities or URGE affiliates and others - saving them over $10,000 in labor in 2007, which enables these organizations to keep more of the investment dollars in the people of need and their programs
- Building relationships across lines of denominations, race and class, by working in teams toward a common goal
- Offer workshops on community development, youth, economic development and sending people to important educational conferences in conjunction with CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) and numerous other local organizations.
- F.O.R.T.H. (Faith Organizations Restoring & Transitioning Homeless) Developed a plan to transition homeless families to through mentoring and housing support
- Hearts In Homes - a plan to help low-income families work toward home ownership, which helps them with equity and contributes to a more invested and stable neighborhood
- Distribute & mail newsletters and e-mail E-briefs, which help keep people informed about what is developing, special events and keeps volunteering options in the forefront.