Community Mission
Our partner agencies provide shelter, food, clothing and other support services to individuals and families struggling with hunger, homelessness, poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse and incarceration. Please review our partner agencies’ websites to learn more about their programs and services. There are many ways for you to get involved and serve Christ in Champaign County through Community Mission. If you are interested in making a difference, please email missions@firstpres.church.
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Community Mission Partner Agencies
In an effort to help people break free from controlling addictions, Canaan Missionary Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church of Champaign joined together in the creation of SAFE House (Substance Abuse Free Environment) in 1992. Now run by Canaan and supported in part by First Pres, SAFE House offers separate 12-month live-in Men’s SAFE House and Women’s SAFE House programs that incorporate a structured daily regimen of G.E.D., and/or adult education, devotions, group therapy, personal counseling, volunteer work projects, evening community-wide personal enrichment courses and weekly worship services.
The Champaign-Urbana Canteen Run is a joint effort between Partnering Against Homelessness, the Salvation Army, Council Provider for the Homeless and local churches. Their mission is to unite in the body of Christ to live out their faith by serving those who are in need. Using the Salvation Army canteen truck, volunteers travel throughout downtown Champaign-Urbana with the sole purpose of offering the homeless food, drinks, shirts, underwear, blankets, information about agencies that can help them and prayers to all that need them.
Courage Connection exists to empower women and their children. The agency provides housing and supportive services for families experiencing homelessness or who are victims of domestic violence. Some programs they offer include counseling, support groups, court advocacy, and safety planning.
Empty Tomb provides food, clothing, furniture, health and financial assistance for Christians in need. Volunteers are Christians from historically Christian congregations in the Champaign-Urbana area.
The Refugee Center (formerly known as ECIRMAC) exists to provide services essential to refugees and immigrants in East-Central Illinois. The Refugee Center provides many social services, including emergency food and supply assistance, translation services and tutoring services for children of immigrants and refugees.
Faith in Action is an interfaith volunteer program led by the mission of “Inspired by the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. The goal of this program is to enhance the quality of life for individuals aged 55+ by decreasing isolation, increasing socialization, providing access to medical care and the necessities of life, such as food and medicine. Volunteers are recruited from the faith congregations and community at-large to provide practical services to program participants. Faith in Action provides volunteer transport services, volunteers run errands, perform home repairs, offer friendly visiting and respite services at no charge to the clients. This program fills in the gaps between services for seniors and works cooperatively with other existing social service agencies on behalf of program clients.
Jesus is the Way Prison Ministry’s mission is to go into prisons and other correctional institutions to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to inmates. Upon their release, Jesus is the Way helps the former inmates with housing, food, clothing, spiritual guidance and counseling, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, job skills training, and job placement, thus enabling them to become productive and responsible citizens.
Restoration Urban Ministries provides temporary, comprehensive services to individuals, families and single parents to help them rebuild lives and livelihoods. Their programs include temporary housing, classes and workshops, case management, employment and spiritual guidance and counseling, substance abuse recovery, food and clothing pantries and skills training.
Salt & Light uses a model of ministry that strives to help without hurting. Their model focuses on the strengths and dignity of each individual served. Individuals can volunteer at their or any other nonprofit, and earn store credit for each hour worked. The store credit can then be used in their grocery store and thrift shop to purchase items families need and want. Salt & Light also offers job searches, job training, financial counseling and education that teaches important budgeting concepts.
Formerly the TIMES Center, Rosecrance was granted $500 to use in a new prevention/early intervention counseling program for at-risk teens.