Community Development Contacts

Rhema Christian Center is a large and growing predominantly African-American church in east Columbus. The senior pastor is Lafayette Scales. The church is a vibrant center of worship and also community outreach as an integral part of its local ministry. The church has launched Dayspring Corporation, a Christian community development center, that partners with other churches, local civic organizations, community recreation centers, social service agencies, government agencies and private businesses to bring community change to the local area. The Corporation has been instrumental in initiating Safe Neighborhood Action Program (SNAP), a crime prevention effort; also, it has been instrumental in helping with local welfare-to-work programs. 

E-mail:  www.xenos.org/ministries/urbanconcern/uc.htm

Urban Concern is a Christian urban ministry to predominantly African-American neighborhoods in the South Linden community—including the Rose Wind housing area—of Columbus, Ohio. It focuses on leadership development and education training which includes the following: Harambee Christian School, after-school program, teen program, Summer Enrichment Program (including summer camps), and one-on-one mentoring program. It includes an evangelistic neighborhood Bible study for grades pre-school through high school. It focuses also on economic development and employment assistance for youth, career development, summer job development, and a Young Entrepreneurs Program. It also runs a low-income housing ownership program. Jim Swearingen and James Brown have visited Mount Vernon Nazarene College classes in cultural diversity to talk about the Biblical basis for racial reconciliation and community development. Urban Concern is open to having college students work in their programs. It has also collaborated with Rhema Christian Center in community development.

Ms. Newland is an African-American who has had over 25 years experience as counselor and consumer consultant with low-income families in Columbus, Ohio. She has been active in local social service and community organizations that help low-income families. A member of Rhema Christian Fellowship, she is active in her church, which has been a major catalyst for community development and social justice in local neighborhoods. She is interested in informing African-American and whites, particularly children, of the African-American heritage. Ms. Newland has been a regular guest speaker in cultural diversity classes at Mount Vernon Nazarene College and has assisted in providing Mount Vernon Nazarene College students with opportunities for field trips to African-American worship and cultural events.

Creative Clowns Under Construction, Incorporated
Richland County, Ohio
419-526-4254 (Home)
877-860-2100 (PIN 203719)

E-mail: mstamb1995@aol.com

For more information, contact Dr. Ronald Bolender.

The Way Station
202 East Park Avenue
Columbiana, Ohio 44408
330-482-5072

E-mail: PatTWS@aol.com

Who is served?

• The High-risk
• Those in poverty
• Those in chemical addiction
• The abused
• "New" Citizens
• The unchurched
• Those deficient in life skills
• Those addicted to pride and culture
• Single parent families

For more information, contact Dr. Ronald Bolender.

Agriculture, community & natural resources development, 4-H Family and consumer services, Amos Innovative programs in agriculture, court ordered youth intervention program, 4-H School age program (before and after school care), CARTEENS, shooting reports.

Proyecto Luz (Project Light)
2226 West 89th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44102
(216)651-1128
(216)651-8236
(216)651-8235 (Fax)

E-mail: nazarenes1@msn.com

A faith based holistic health ministry of the Spanish Church of the Nazarene.

Mission Statement  Though a faith-based, culturally competent partnership, Proyecto Luz/Project Light will reduce the negative impact of HIV/AIDS in the Greater Cleveland Latino community. This will be accomplished through spiritual counseling, outreach, testing, prevention and supportive services in a safe, compassionate environment.

Services

• Case Management
• Education
• Counseling
• Support Groups

Case Management

Proyecto Luz/Project Light provides case management services to the Latino community infected and affected by the HIV/AIDS virus.

This program will assist underserved individuals in creating a support system for coping with the complex demands of HIV/AIDS. Proyecto Luz case management performs:

• Outreach
• Assessments
• Referrals
• Home visits
• Advocacy

Services are provided by a bi-lingual case manager in a culturally appropriate manner.

Education
Women United

Women United is an HIV/AIDS education/prevention program for Latina women targeting primarily the Near West Side of Cleveland. This program provides a variety of interventions for women who are at risk. Program interventions include:

• Educating hairstylists
• Club outreach
• Workshops
• Presentations
• Testing referrals
• Peer Group Training

For more information, contact Dr. Ronald Bolender.

Criminal Justice Contacts

Home Address:
P. O. Box 522
Galloway, Ohio 43119
(614) 870-3845 (home)
(740) 852-9777; Ext. 2465 (office)

Rev. Opata is originally from the West African Country of Ghana. He is ordained in the Wesleyan Church and is currently a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He has served for many years as a prison chaplain counseling incarcerated men to help break the cycle of destructive criminal behavior. He is currently at work on a book about the spiritual needs of inmates and has been an advocate of religious freedom for the incarcerated. He has served as an advisor for various prisoner reform and post-parole programs, including Prison Fellowship. Rev. Opata welcomes students who wish to do internships in prison settings. He has been a regular guest lecturer in sociology classes at Mount Vernon Nazarene College.

2120 Fyffe Road, Room 204
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1067
(614) 292-1067 (office)
(614) 292-9167 (fax)

Dr. Donnermeyer has been director of the Rural Crime Center at the Ohio State University. He has done extensive studies and demographic trends of crime in non-metropolitan areas of the United States, particularly with respect to substance use among adolescents in smaller places. He has been a guest lecturer in the delinquency class (SOC313) at Mount Vernon Nazarene College. Dr. Donnermeyer has also authored several works about the Amish in Holmes County, Ohio.

State Office of Rehabilitation of Corrections
(614) 752-1739

Gary Sims is a former director of Prison Fellowship for the State of Ohio. He has had extensive experience in working with paroled prisoners, especially concerning the emotional, social and spiritual issues regarding the integration of paroled prisoners into society.

Community Connections
P. O. Box 341347
Columbus, Ohio 43234-1347

Community Connections is a post prison release center, which facilitates the re-integration of released offenders into the community through employment, life and social skills, academic and support services. The goal is for released offenders to improve their lives and reduce the chances of recidivism. Mr. Zendt will be visiting a sociology class this coming spring (2001) at Mount Vernon Nazarene College.

The Fountain of Hope
967 E. Livingston Ave.
P. O. Box 6392
Columbus, Ohio 43206
(614) 258-6526
Fax: (614) 258-5428

E-mail: jafestela @aol.com

A former offender, Rev. Foster has a ministry in Columbus to low income persons, focusing on men who have been in crime.

Ohio Department of Youth Services
Office of Policy and Communications
51 N. High Street, Suite 341
Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 466-4314
Fax: (614) 752-9078

Podville
Knox County Alternative School
105 East Chestnut Street
Mt. Vernon, Ohio 43050
(740) 393-6831 or (740) 393-6769

Golden Dogs Academy
609 Wooster Road
Mt. Vernon, Ohio 43050
(740) 393-0758

Golden Dogs Academy is a rehabilitation program for juveniles who are given responsibility for training golden retrievers as special needs dogs. It builds self-esteem, positive self-image, and other skills in the children as they create a service that helps others.

Cross Cultural Contacts

Office of Student Affairs
Student Affairs Center
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio 43022-9623
(740) 427-5160
Fax: (740) 427-5413

E-mail: kennerly@kenyon.edu

E-mail: andreb0129@aol.com

Mr. Ballard was at Mount Vernon Nazarene College for Martin Luther King Day (2001). He is doing a campus ministry at Kenyon College and focusing on rural reconstruction.

Human Resources

Knox County Department of Health and Human Services
117 E. High Street
Mt. Vernon, Ohio 43050
(740) 397-7177
Fax: 397-2017

Salvation Army
206 East Ohio Avenue
P. O. Box 1204
Mt. Vernon, Ohio 43050
(740) 392-8716
Fax: 393-0960

Services provided by New Hope Early Education Center help children meet developmental milestones. Early intervention is for children birth through two with home and center-based programs. NHEEC also provides full-time preschool education, family support services, supported living, and service coordination with area schools.

Derek Fisher provides small group counseling at the Mt. Vernon Alternative School, which is for children who are not achieving in school due to behavioral and social problems. Students work in small groups learning such things as self-esteem, self-respect, and self-control. Small groups are often involved in local service projects, which help to achieve these goals. Many students enrolled in the Alternative School are involved with a mentoring program provided by Mt. Vernon Nazarene College students. Mr. Fisher is a recent graduate of MVNC.

Provides alcoholism/ drug abuse services: Prevention (school classes, speakers); EAP’s & parent education; special programs for women, teens and concerned family members; consultation for business, the courts, schools, parent groups and others; outpatient counseling.