Campaigns by: Christina Mendez
Inspire Sports Camps
Inspire Sports Camps goal is to provide youth from underserved communities with the most exciting and fun camp experience possible while creating meaningful opportunities to be transformed into who God has created them to be. Servant's Heart is partnering with Inspire Sports Camps to renovate a basement office in Allendale so their team can finally have their own space to meet and collaborate.
The Rock Christian Fellowship
The Rock is located in the inner city of Newark where drugs, gang violence and crime attract the interest of the youth. For over a year the kids and teens in their community have not had adequate space for their classes and recreation. Servant's Heart is helping to rebuild their teen center to provide a safe alternative for them to gather and the church's kitchen which will be used to serve meals to their community every Saturday.
North Reformed Church
North Reformed Church has been witnessing to their community in Newark for 166 years. After re-envisioning how God may best use them in their next season of ministry; they began to host the Bessie Green Community (BGC) on their facility. BGC is a non-profit organization who provides "food, shelter and support programs to men, women, and children experiencing homelessness and hunger with compassion and dignity in Newark, NJ." Their ministries and missions rely on safe and secure surroundings; but their facilities are in need of repair and upgrades. Servant's Heart has decided to partner with the church to renovate their bathrooms to make them wheelchair/handicap accessible so they are more suitable for the people of their church and the people they serve in their community.
Evangel Christian Church
During the pandemic Evangel Christian Church began to engage the community in a food distribution program. Since then, the program has skyrocketed. However, their 100-year-old building has a tiny kitchen that desperately needs expansion for them to meet the ever-expanding needs of the food insecure. Servant's Heart is stepping onto the property to finish the demo and renovate their new kitchen and other spaces so that they can get their programs up and running once again.
Promised Land Missionary Baptist Church
Promised Land Missionary Baptist Church operates a food pantry that feeds over 300 families a week and is launching a new youth ministry that would provide mentoring and growth development for the children in the neighborhood. Servant's Heart is coming in to replace all of the uneven flooring in the hallways and prep room and add proper ventilation in the bathrooms that are growing mold to insure the safety of their congregation as they continue to serve and be a beacon of light in their community.
Garden Chapel
In about 3 months, we’ve helped this small church finish their basement to house their Spanish-speaking Sunday service. This 600 sq.ft. room and small kitchen, has new tile floors and kitchen cabinets installed. Once the kitchen appliances are in, this site is complete.
Bethany Evangelical Free Church
We’re stepping in to renovate Bethany’s basement, which has suffered significant water damage from Hurricane Ida. We’ll be sheetrocking the whole space, adding new trim and flooring, and renovating 3 bathrooms. Upon completion, Bethany will continue to use the basement for their afterschool children’s programing.
Christ Church
We partnered with Christ Church to renovate their water-damaged basement caused by a flood. Our plan is to add new tile flooring and lighting, reframe the walls and install a mini split for heating and air condition. This basement renovation will enable the church to utilize their basement as their main fellowship hall as well as rent it out for additional income and bless their community with a brand-new, beautiful place to gather.
Madison Avenue Crossroads – Discipleship House #3
We’re in the process of a complete renovation on this dilapidated 3-story home, including kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc, and turning it into Discipleship House #3. We’ve already added a new steel beam to the basement, leveling out the first floor, have just finished renovating the exterior deck and stairway, and have begun renovations inside the home. This project will allow 9 more men to enter Crossroad’s discipleship program, providing them a safe place to live and grow.
Prophetic Church of God
Over the course of just 3 Saturdays, we were able to provide this church basement with brand new flooring. A project that would have cost $20K was pulled off with only $9K in materials, which was covered by a generous donor. We provided this church with an clean, upgraded space to facilitate their community outreach ministries.
Grace Gospel Church
In about two and a half months we renovated this church’s fellowship hall and kitchen including; lighting, trim, sheetrock and all new cabinets and appliances. This project has provided Grace Gospel a functional and comfortable space to host community events.
Gospel Mission Baptist Church
Gospel Mission Baptist Church strives to share God’s love and His Word in their community in Newark, NJ. We’ve come alongside this church to renovate the unfinished dining space they use to host community events. In a few months, our team framed out finished walls, installed a grid ceiling, added a tile floor, replaced weathered doors, and repaired significant cracks in their exterior wall. We’re excited to see how God blesses their newly finished space as they continue welcoming in their neighbors.
Hope Through Care
We partnered with Hope Through Care, a shelter for women and children, to renovate their water-damaged handi-accessible bathroom. It wasn’t until we ripped up the tile that we saw the severity of the situation, but in a week we managed to replace half the subfloor, install a new shower pan, and tile the floor, walls, and shower. This bathroom renovation has enabled them to continue providing a temporary and cozy home for homeless families. And it’s been a pleasure to come alongside a leader as passionate and dedicated to helping others as Lilliana is with the women and children she serves.
Debre Ganet Kidus Gabriel Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Servant’s Heart worked with professionals to complete St. Gabriel’s site work, plumbing, trim details, kitchen cabinets, sprinklers, and security system. While the pandemic stalled this project a bit, after just 5 months of our involvement, we got the building move-in ready, and the church was opened to the congregation on July 24th!
The Plant Church
The Plant Church is a community of faith committed to live out the love, truth and compassion reflected in Jesus Christ. Our name, The Plant, symbolizes a group of people rooted in love, growing in truth found in the Holy Scriptures and producing lives that share a desire to serve those who live in a place of oppression. As the Plant church launched a new location in West Milford, we stepped in to renovate the building’s mens and ladies bathrooms. We’re proud to support this growing church, as they stepped out to meet the needs of a new community.
Northside Christian Reformed Church
Northside Christian Reformed Church is called to express the good news of God’s kingdom that transforms lives and communities. They seek to carry out this calling individually and as congregations, in the firm belief that together we can do more. Northside Christian Reformed Church’s building needed an up-to-date renovation to offer space and security for its congregation. Servant’s Heart remodeled 3 bathrooms, including a new ADA standard bathroom, supervised a kitchen remodel, and installed new commercial windows throughout the building.
The New Horizon Christian Reformed Church
The New Horizon Christian Reformed Church is called to express the good news of God’s kingdom that transforms lives and communities. They seek to carry out this calling individually and as congregations, in the firm belief that together we can do more. Servant’s Heart remodeled the 2,200 sq. ft. water-damaged basement of New Horizon Church, by resolving the water issues, remodeling the bathrooms, and building a stage extension that included new lights, and upgrades to the electrical system.
New Hope Community Ministries
New Hope envisions a transformed community where individuals and families are safe, strong, self-sufficient, and experiencing God’s grace; where neighbors are reconciled racially, socially, and economically; and where people put aside their differences to work together to meet needs, affirm strengths, and develop leaders. Through the love of Christ, they build restorative relationships with individuals and families in our community, empowering them to move from crisis to self-sufficiency. New Hope’s growing ministry demanded a functional commercial space to facility their many programs. After 9 months, totaling in 42 volunteer Saturdays, Servant’s Heart transformed their 1,500 sq.ft., 2-floor, residential home into a 3,500 sq.ft., commercial headquarters, including the addition of a third floor and newly functional basement. This renovation has allowed for counseling rooms, a streamlined food pantry, and space for their growing teen program.
Midland Park Christian Reformed Church
Midland Park Christian Reformed Church seeks to provide a place for meaningful worship, education, and support, as God uses His church to strengthen the faith of those who have already accepted Christ as Savior and Lord and bring the message of salvation to those who do not know Jesus as their Savior and the Lord of their lives. No matter where people are on their spiritual journey, they hope to provide an environment that makes them feel like home. Midland Park Christian Reformed Church’s parsonage was in rough shape and in dire need of a remodel. Having a desire to see this building restored and put to good use for God’s kingdom, but having no specific ministry to use it, they’re partnered with Servant’s Heart, allowing us to fill it with our vision. In exchange for Servant’s Heart’s work in renovating the home, MPRC has graciously given us the opportunity to use it for Hesed House.
Inspire Sports Camps
Inspire Sports Camps’ vision is to see cities transformed one camper at a time, by creating unforgettable experiences for underserved youth that lead to life-changing encounters with Jesus Christ. Their goal is to provide underserved young people with the most exciting and fun camp experience possible, including meaningful opportunities to be transformed into who God has created them to be. As Inspire Sports Camps was growing, so was their need for office space. Servant’s Heart stepped in to build out new office space for their growing full time staff.
Humanity Baptist Church
Humanity serves all of the community, and claims the whole community as the space where our faith is demonstrated on a daily basis through prophetic witness, humble service, and sincere outreach. We believe that our calling is to be faithful to sharing the good news of Jesus’ sacrificial love with all persons, regardless of race, ethnicity, identity, socio-economic status, or faith tradition. Taking out the old and putting in the new, we were able to provide Humanity Baptist with a large, fully functioning kitchen just in time for their summer food ministry where they meet the needs of the community in Newark, NJ. This new kitchen will help them reach more people and offer a wider variety of food options.
House of Worship
The purpose of House of Worship Christian Church is to glorify God by bringing people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and membership in His family, developing them to Christ-like maturity, and equipping them for ministry in service in the church and world under the guidance of and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Their past, present, and future is centered on our vision to encounter God, love people, and change the world. House of Worship Christian Church had purchased a building that was formerly used for a bakery and was in serious need of renovation. Servant’s Heart came in to gut the building and construct spaces for a sanctuary, coffee shop, food pantry, and drop-in center for youth.
Gosén Iglesia de la Familia
In 2018, Servant’s heart partnered with House of Worship Christian Church and Gosén Iglesia de la Familia to bring relief to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Harvey left the island devastated. Our team had the opportunity to restore Gosén’s auditorium and rebuild offices that had been destroyed in their main building.
Goodwill Rescue Mission
For more than 120 years Goodwill Rescue Mission has been providing meals, shelter, and other life-saving services to homeless and hurting men, women, and children in Newark and Northern New Jersey. They offer free access to basic needs, emergency services, and faith-based residential recovery programs, where lives are restored to dignity and lasting productivity. Goodwill Rescue Mission’s thrift store was in need of renovation. Servant’s Heart stepped in to remodel the 2,400 sq. ft. space, where we drywalled, ran electrical, added shelving and counter space, and installed a new set of doors.
Fountain of Salvation Christian Church
Fountains of Salvation Christian Church seeks to edify and equip a holy people to execute the work of His ministry. Fountain of Salvation Christian Church has recently purchased a new building that was in critical need of repair. Servant’s Heart Ministry remodeled the sanctuary, updated two bathrooms, and rewired the main space.
Christian Community of Praise
Christian Community of Praise exists to make Jesus the center of everything, preach and teach the word of God, transform lives through worship, grow in knowledge and wisdom, and serve people. We remodeled the bathrooms of this growing Paterson church to empower their vision for their community. We upgraded both the men's and women's bathrooms to commercial standards, creating more stalls and accommodating for handicap use.
Christ United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church’s mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, striving to nurture followers of Christ who then reach out and teach others about the love of Jesus Christ United Methodist Church’s historic building was in need of major TLC. The stained glass windows and doors were in need of repair, and roofing. In addition, their parsonage had gone unused for years and was in need of major restoration in order to make it livable. Servant’s Heart helped complete the renovation of Christ Church’s parsonage in time for their new pastor to move in and be a part of the congregation’s community. SHM updated the entire house, including the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and living space, as well as installed a new boiler, improved the landscaping, painted, and partnered with Ashley Homestore to furnish the new home. Christ Church will be using this parsonage to church events that serve both its members and the community.
Bridgeway Community Church
Bridgeway Community Church’s mission is to go into Haledon, Prospect Park, and North Paterson to find and rescue those who are perishing. We renovated Bridgeway’s parsonage to better facilitate ministry. This parsonage currently houses the lead pastor and his family. We replaced a basement bar with a bull bathroom to enable greater functionality of the downstairs living space, allowing the pastor and his family to use the basement to serve others.
Lighthouse: Headquarters
Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center serves women, men and teens at-risk for or facing an unplanned pregnancy or related concern, caring for their physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Lighthouse offers free and confidential services, including pregnancy tests, medical confirmation of pregnancy via ultrasound, options education, limited STD screening, material resources and referrals, and post-abortion counseling. We’ve partnered with Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center four times before to build out their other locations, but this project is particularly exciting because they are officially owners of this facility. We will be renovating this 8,000 sq. ft. medical building into a headquarters fit for Lighthouse’s growing ministry. They will now not only have a central facility to store all of their donations and resources, which are currently spread out across 4+ locations, but this building will also offer space for offices, medical exam rooms, and meeting spaces. We’re thrilled to partner with Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center to help them grow and reach more people in pregnancy crisis.
Shiloh Bible Camp: Pool Building
Shiloh Bible Camp and Retreat Center serves groups both large and small for overnight stays or day trips. Their facilities offer fully equipped meeting rooms, comfortable lodging, delicious home cooked meals, a full gymnasium, athletic fields, a camp fire pit, game room, and an adventure program featuring a high ropes course, zip line, rock climbing wall, giant swing, low ropes course, and archery range. Our latest project at Camp Shiloh is an indoor pool building that will greatly impact their ministry in the summer months. An indoor pool is a first for us, but nothing is more exciting than the opportunity to learn and grow Servant’s Heart’s capabilities and build relationships with professionals.
Iglesia Bautista Central
In 2014, Iglesia Bautista Central suffered a fire that destroyed their building. The church began rebuilding as soon as possible, only to come to a screeching halt when the funds ran out. Over a year, the newly renovated frame had been left exposed to the elements, as the church tried to find solutions to continue renovation. We prioritized getting the roof closed off to protect the rest of the building, and we’ve managed to finish the roof, seal off the building, and begin framing the interior. We’re excited to see how God transforms this space as we continue to partner with Iglesia Bautista Central.
Bessie Green Community
Bessie Green Community, strives to improve the lives of our neighbors by giving them a helping hand. To accomplish this, we rely on donations from individuals, companies, and churches. We receive no funds from the government. Bessie Green Community functions out of North Reformed Church in Newark, and as their ministry has grown, they’ve seen the limitations of their historic building. We’ve stepped in to renovate their men’s and women’s bathrooms, replacing their unleveled and rotting floors and installing new fixtures.