Restoring Hope and Providing Opportunities

Michelle Kelley

Restoring hope and providing opportunities for people to become all that God intends them to be sums up Outreach Community Ministries. College Church has partnered with Outreach Community Ministries for many years. You may remember just a few months ago promotion for the Outreach Community Center’s Christmas Store. Many of you donated new toys, games or fun items that become discounted gifts for kids in Carol Stream. This store blesses nearly a thousand kids every Christmas.

The Christmas Store is only one small sliver of the work of this amazing organization. At the Outreach Community Center in Carol Stream, the halls buzz with activity.

After school programs including tutoring are a regular part of the Center’s programs for elementary, middle, and high school students as well as mentoring, life skills activities and Christian education. And, during the summer, OCC hosts an all-day, eight-week program with educational activities, recreation and faith development. Graduating high school students can apply for college scholarships and remove barriers for the students to pursue their dreams. OCC’s College and Career Opportunity Program also helps prepare students for what college will be like and includes opportunities to grow their faith.

Outreach Community Center doesn’t limit its programs and services to children and teenagers. They serve older adults, too, encouraging and supporting the wellbeing of those who want to stay independent for as long as possible through transportation, social visits, faith development and financial assistance

Outreach staff also provide family stabilization services though counseling and assisting people with financial struggles, housing needs, legal issues, childcare needs, navigating public systems, budget counseling and employment opportunities.

And this is just at the site in Carol Stream! Outreach also has locations in Warrenville, Wheaton, West Chicago and Villa Park. Here’s a taste of what happens at each of those locations:

Warrenville Youth & Family Services (Warrenville)

▸ After school and Summer programs provide homework assistance, tutoring, life-skills training, recreation, and community service and Christian education.

▸ Family Stabilization: Counseling and assistance with basaic needs with housig, food and financial issues.

▸ Hispanic Outreach in partnership with Warrenville churches.

Wheaton Youth Outreach (Wheaton/Glen Ellyn)

▸ Crisis Intervention, Counseling and Case Management services for parents, teens, young adults and children.

▸ Transitional Housing Supports young adult homeless women and single mothers, ages 18-24, through housing, employment, life skills and opportunitites for faith development.

Puente Del Pueblo (West Chicago- in partnership with Wheaton Bible Church)

▸ After school and Summer school for first grade through high school students, recreational activities and faith development.

▸ Spanish and English Literacy.

▸ Family Stabilization: Assistance with financial issues, public benefits, immigration issues, employment.

York Community Resource Center (Villa Park/Lombard)

▸ After school and summer school programs for elementary and middle school includes tutoring, recreation and Christian education.+

Twice is Nice (Carol Stream), which is owned and operated by College Church, sends all its proceeds to support the Outreach Community Center. Outreach Community Ministries has a few other resale stores which help to fund their sites and programs:

Discoveries Resale Store & Furniture Annex (Warrenville)Jubilee Furniture (Carol Stream)

Jubilee Cars - provides vehicles for the residents of Jubilee Village and also sells vehicles. The proceeds from the sales benefit Outreach’s programs.

Visit Outreach Community Ministries website and consider volunteering! outreachcommunityministries.org