Community Developers Program
Lives have been turned around, communities revitalized, and the gospel proclaimed! This is the legacy of the Community Developers Program.
The Community Developers Program is a network of racial-ethnic congregations and communities throughout the country that demonstrates a commitment to systemic change through:
- Advocacy;
- Community organizing and development;
- Economic development;
- Youth organizing and social action;
- Creating an awareness of national and international causes and effects;
- Identifying and addressing local needs, conditions and resources.
Through the CDP, congregation's partner with the community to raise awareness, take action and heal social ills such as the lack of affordable housing, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, child & senior abandonment, transitional housing, and economic development opportunities.
The CDP Network understands that now is the time to be more Christ-like by empowering our churches and communities through relevant Christian education. This is the time to stir up the gifts that God has given us according to His purpose and grace {II Timothy 1:6-9}.
The work of the CDP Network is funded through the receipts of the Human Relations Day Offering, one of six 'Special Sundays' in the United Methodist Church. Observed since 1972, Human Relations Day occurs during Epiphany, which is the season of manifesting God's light to the world. Human Relations Day is annually observed the Sunday before the birth of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a humanitarian who consistently struggled for justice.
Here are some examples of the work in which CDP projects are presently engaged:
Jurisdiction - Project Name - Project Emphases
North Central - NCDC Inc., Steubenville, OH - Health Issues & Housing Development
North Eastern - Emory UMC, Washington, DC - Economic Development & Youth Organizing
North Eastern - Grace Community Village, Inc., Rochester, NY - Youth Development & Technological Youth Empowerment
South Central - Hoover, BCD Inc., Little Rock, AR - Substance Abuse/Rehabilitation, Job Re-entry, Housing Development & Youth Organizing
South Eastern - Haven UMC / Community Enabler, Anniston, AL - Conflict management w/youth, Domestic Hunger & Poverty and Parental Education
Western - Buena Vista UMC, Alameda, CA - Educational Issues, Youth Development & Advocates of Affordable Housing
Western - Faith UMC, Los Angeles, CA - HIV/AIDS, Housing Development
