Community Missions

Eighteen ordained church members divided into three-year classes serve as Community Mission Deacons. At the beginning of the year, they analyze funding requests from various local agencies to determine their commitment to do Christ’s work, the agency organization, needs, and other available funding. The requests are then prioritized. Because of limited funds, we prioritize our selection so that we can provide meaningful financial support. The Deacons attention is focused upon the agencies that can be helped best. During the year, a Deacon is assigned to each agency as we work in partnership with them. Periodic discussions are held to determine special or unique needs that we may provide. The Deacons also look for unique community opportunities where the church membership can be involved in a more meaningful way. Such is the case when we joined Canaan Baptist church a few years ago to co-sponsor the SAFE House.

A Woman’s Fund

Their mission is “to eliminate violence against women and children and until that happens, to provide safety and support to survivors of that violence as they take control of their own lives.” They sponsor three programs: A Women’s Place, which provides advocacy and support to help victims of domestic violence take control of their own lives; Rape Crisis Services, which provides crisis intervention and support to victims of sexual assault, helping them regain control and (Continue Reading...)

Center for Women in Transition

Center for Women in Transition (CWIT) is the community's shelter for homeless women—both with and without children. CWIT has three homes that can accommodate 19 women and 25 children (The third home was added in September 2006). Their mission is “to provide homeless women and children support services and safe transitional housing to foster and sustain self sufficiency.” Women can stay up to two years, but the average stay is about nine months while they (Continue Reading...)

Crisis Nursery

The Crisis Nursery is a child abuse and neglect prevention program that provides short-term emergency services 24 hours a day, seven days a week for families and children five years of age and younger. When parents have an emergency or crisis, or parental responsibilities become overwhelming and no other resources are available, children may be brought to the nursery for up to 72 hours. Crisis intervention, parenting support and education groups for clients served are (Continue Reading...)

Eastern Illinois Food Bank

The Eastern Illinois Foodbank (EIF) is a non-profit food warehouse and distribution facility working with a network of 180 agencies and programs to better serve the needs of the food-insecure throughout a 14-county, 8,000 square mile area in the eastern Illinois. Last year, the Foodbank distributed 5 millions pounds of food and is currently serving approximately 31,000 people each month through these member agencies and programs, whose clients include the working poor, the elderly, children, (Continue Reading...)

ECIRMAC

East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center (ECIRMAC) is an important agency that helps people from other countries meet the challenges of moving to a new country with its new language and culture. It has played a vital role in the lives of hundreds of families over the past 20 years. Their mission is to help refugees and their families meet all legal requirements, find housing, make appointments for physical examinations, work closely with local (Continue Reading...)

Empty Tomb

Empty tomb is a Christian service and research organization that offers discipleship opportunities, assist people in need free in Jesus’ name, and promotes oneness in the body of Christ. Their mission is to serve the Church in reaching out in Jesus’ name to a hurting world. Some of the services provided by Empty tomb:  Clothing, food, and basic furniture to people in need. Health services by employing a registered nurse plus financial support for prescriptions (Continue Reading...)

First Call For Help

For many local residents, First Call for Help is their last resort—where they go when no else is available or willing to help. It is the place that our church sends funds and then directs walk-in people at our church who are seeking assistance. We keep no cash in our building to help walk-ins, because we believe this agency is in a better position to evaluate and respond to the needs of individuals seeking assistance.  (Continue Reading...)

Jesus is the Way Prison Ministries

This Christian based aftercare facility for released state and county prisoners and is located in Rantoul. They can house approximately 20 men at a time and provide services other than housing for 40 men from the 600 men that the Illinois Department of Corrections and Champaign County Corrections release annually. The statistics tell much of the story. At the price of $500 per month per resident utilizing this after care, approximately 85%-90% of the clients (Continue Reading...)

Restoration/Urban Ministries

Restoration Urban Ministries (RUM) is located at 1213 Parkland Court near Mattis and Bradley Avenues in Champaign. It is the only facility in Champaign-Urbana that serves as a transition space for homeless families. Other facilities in our area serve men, or women and children, but not families. Residents are expected to conform to a strict discipline of behavior and abstain from the use of drugs or alcohol. RUM is a totally private program based on (Continue Reading...)

Roundhouse

Roundhouse is a temporary 24-hour, crisis shelter for children between the ages of 11 and 17 years who are runaways, and/or homeless. The agency operates under the guidance of the Mental Health Center of Champaign County Inc.. Services include temporary shelter for up to 15 days, which includes 24-hour professional supervised shelter services, individual and group counseling, individual and group rehabilitative services, continued education linkage, recreational activities and case management services.

SAFE House

The mission of the SAFE House is to provide a “substance abuse free environment” (SAFE) in which a person can be delivered from the throes of alcohol and drug abuse by a rigorous re-parenting process and by instilling a spiritual foundation to break the cycle of addiction. The philosophy of the program is based on the premise that an inadequate spiritual condition is one of the fundamental causes of addiction. Co-founded by our church and (Continue Reading...)

TIMES Center

The Transitional Initiatives and Men’s empowerment Services Center (TIMES Center) provides a transitional living program for men who are homeless and operates a community soup kitchen open to anyone in need for both lunch and supper. The mission of the transitional living program is to empower men through a structured program of support services to achieve independent living as well as to prepare “men who are homeless to re-enter society as contributing community members.” Services (Continue Reading...)

Stratton Partnership

Stratton Elementary School has become a rising star within our community during the past four years of our partnership with them. From a school that was failing to meet minimal standards in many areas, it is now receiving awards of excellence. To say that our partnership may have been a deciding factor would be a stretch, but through the efforts of the excellent administration, professional staff, innovative curriculum and help from the community, it is (Continue Reading...)

Emergency Shelter Annex

The Emergency Shelter Annex is an extension of the TIMES Center. At times, particularly in the winter, the TIMES Center overflows. Our church, with other organizations, provides temporary overnight accommodations for the individuals who need to be turned away from the TIMES Center for lack of space.  Presently, we provide transportation to and from the TIMES Center to the Annex and staff the Emergency Shelter Annex one week each month January through March. (Continue Reading...)