Our Ministries
Community Care began in 2013 when several area pastors saw the need for better benevolence help, and connecting people to community resources. The vision for Community Care was shared with area pastors, many churches embraced it and began sending funds along with people to serve, and people in need. A building in the downtown Bluffton area was acquired through strategic partnerships of office space with Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army. The journey began for the organization by serving families who were in need of assistance in their daily lives, taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to hurting people.
The ‘Connecting Center’ opened doors to local families with resource assistance and a small room for overnight emergency housing. Over time, the upstairs apartments one by one became available for Community Care to lease expanding the emergency housing into a men’s addiction rehabilitation program. Soon, the volunteer base turned into paid staff along with a relaunch of the housing addiction program into a transitional housing program for first women and then men only. In 2022 the Transitional Housing Program for men closed as the center relocated into a new building with a new name, Resource Center. Today, we serve over 400 individuals yearly through rent & utility financial assistance, home or car repairs, vouchers for clothing & home goods through our thrift store, along with financial and budgeting assistance. Our team meets the personal and emotional needs of families, encouraging them forward to engage with community resources and local churches for long lasting success.
In 2017 Community Care was gifted the ‘A Friend’s House’ property, building and contents. Prayers had been answered, but the communal living arrangements meant we had to staff it 7 days a week, 24 hours a day almost quadrupling our annual budget. Through partnerships with churches, organizations, businesses and local grant funding, a new roof, playground equipment along with secure fencing and resident room improvements were underway. Since December 2019, Grace & Mercy Transition Housing has offered safe and secure housing to over 60 women including 88 children. The faith-based transitional living program equips women of all ages with job & life skill development, recovery workshops, financial training, group & individual counseling, mentorships and case management. Today, women and their children are regaining confidence to live out their God given dreams and HOPE is restored.
Encouraging women through a 3-6 month focused recovery program to remove barriers & obstacles that substance use and life-controlling issues present. Empowering women to rise out of past hurts and hangups, equipping them to heal emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, attaining new mindsets for future living. Hahhah’s House is for women desiring a focused recovery-based programming along with safe housing. Our home equips up to 7 women along with a house manager for 24/7 care. Women who live in our home are coming from detox centers, addiction rehabs, incarceration, and those looking for personal recovery and support systems. There is hope to heal…Hannah’s House.
Life Church donated their thrift store ‘Reach Room’ to Community Care in 2016 which was then renamed Change up Thrift Store. With the increase in donated goods, and community engagement for resale merchandise, Change Up was renamed to Community Thrift and moved locations into a larger building on S. Main Street in Bluffton. Community Thrift shares office space with the Resource Center as both ministries today are located side-by-side. The thrift store creates an enjoyable working environment for community service projects with organizations, the public, youth involvement and community volunteerism. It’s providing work opportunities for job skill development for our Resource Center Clients, Transitional Housing Residents, vouchers for families in need of clothing and goods, along with revenue for Community Care’s ministries.