FAITH
Bridging the Gap The Community Care Development Network connects underserved areas with resources to succeed
PHOTO COURTESY OF TAMIKA HOLMES
Students from the Inspire Program.
BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE After years spent doing community volunteer work, Tamika Holmes founded a youth mentoring program—Precious Pearls of Promise—in 2014 for girls between the ages of 11 and 18. During the natural course of developing those relationships, she and others learned of pressing physical, environmental, and emotional needs impacting the homes where these girls lived: financial stress over rent and utility bills, unemployment concerns, and lack of food and clothing. The preteen and teen girls were stressed, helping to raise younger siblings because single moms were working two or three jobs. After much listening to these families’ voices, Precious Pearls of Promise knew they needed to do more, and they expanded to include mentoring, education, and life services, thus forming the Community Care Development Network (CCDN). “During 2019 alone,” says Tamika, founder and director, “CCDN served approximately 2,400 individuals ranging in age from newborn to 95.” Q: Tell us about CCDN’s mission and purpose. TH: Community Care Development Network (CCDN) is a faith-based 501c3 community development organization located in the East Lake community engaging underserved areas in metro Birmingham by meeting individuals’ immediate 28 Bham Family August 2021
basic needs, mentoring (youth, adult, and family), connecting to resources—including stable housing and affordable health care, education (financial literacy, math, and reading tutoring), and workforce development courses. Q: What programs do you offer and to whom? TH: Our Life Services Program includes: Community Food Hubs—Providing emergency food to community members in need. CCDN operates four community food hubs for convenience. Families may pick up at any location two times per month and can receive 40 to 80 pounds of food. The four locations are: • Monthly on 1st Thursdays at 139 54th Street N., 35212 (in partnership with Woodlawn UMC) • Monthly on 2nd & 4th Thursdays at 1920 Old Springville Rd., 35215 • Monthly on 3rd Thursdays at 7753 1st Avenue S., 35206 (in partnership with East Lake UMC) • Monthly on 3rd Thursdays at 2600 Fairfax Avenue, 35020 (in partnership with Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church) Life Services Resource Assistance—Providing resources for emergency needs such as financial, clothing, housing, job loss, medication assistance, CONTINUED ON PAGE 29
