HERE’S LIFE INNER CITY
In America’s most economically distressed communities, substandard housing, high unemployment, drugs and crime leave neighborhoods in ruin and people without hope.
Here’s Life Inner City has worked faithfully since 1983 to foster change and bring hope to America’s inner cities. The mission: to serve and mobilize the church to live out God’s heart for the poor and fulfill the Great Commission. Here’s Life is a ministry to the whole person, inspired not only by the Great Commission but also by the Great Commandment - to love your neighbor as yourself.
Begun in New York City, Here’s Life now ministers in 18 cities across the country. The strategy: a “circle of hope.” This circle involves connecting with compassion, empowering with resources, and developing for the long term, all in partnership with local churches.
Connecting: Evangelizing with Compassion
All of Here’s Life’s compassionate evangelistic efforts are designed to help establish relationships with the poor, meeting their crisis needs and introducing Christ to them.- Boxes of Love provide families with a holiday meal and more. Food and Scripture materials renew hope in children and adults.
- Homeless Care Kits bring the homeless comfort by providing a blanket, gloves, socks, a hat, toiletry items, Scripture portions, and more.
- Easter Bags filled with treats and children’s Scripture materials are distributed to needy children to reach them and their families with the love of Christ.
Empowering: Providing Resources
The inner-city church is strategically positioned to serve people in its community. Here’s Life offers training, manpower and other resources to help these churches be increasingly effective as they minister to men, women and children in need.- Summer in the City - College students assisting inner-city ministries in evangelistic and compassionate outreaches
- Urban Immersion - Spring break outreaches in the inner city for college students
- Prison Ministry - Helping inner-city churches minister to those most affected by the culture of crime
- Training for churches in evangelism and discipleship
- Compassion by Command -Innovative Bible study on God’s heart for the poor utilizing Scripture, a powerful movie and real-life stories; encourages involvement with the poor
Developing: Building for the Long Term
Changing people and communities does not happen overnight. Our developmental programs help equip inner-city churches to bring deep and lasting transformation to their neighborhoods.- Youth development - S.A.Y. Yes! Centers for Youth Development provide at-risk children a biblically based curriculum in an after-school setting. Children take part in Bible study, tutoring, computer training, mentoring and more. There is continuing curriculum as youth go through the crucial teen years.
- CareerStart is multi-faceted, with different resources in different cities. It includes Holistic Hardware, a biblically based life-skills course, and a job-readiness curriculum geared to those trapped in the lowest levels of poverty.
- Tech Bridges is one of Here’s Life Inner City’s newer programs which Matt is developing. Tech Bridges helps bridge the digital divide by providing inner-city churches with donated computers to be used by youth at after-school programs as well as other community outreaches.