First Baptist Church > Community Ministries > Harrelson Center

Campus Crusade for Christ
Drug Court
Habitat for Humanity
Phoenix Employment Ministry

Communities in Schools of Cape Fear

Christian Women's Job Corps Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry

Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center
Partners in Service and Ministry

Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ is committed to reaching out to all of UNCW and CFCC. For the last 10 years, God has built a strong group of UNCW students committed to winning, building and sending for Christ. Their next step is to reach out to every professor with the gospel. Faculty Commons is the name of this effort to win, build and send university professors as they make a difference on the college campus and the world.
Life Builders is a separate initiative, under the umbrella of Campus Crusade, which reaches out in the wider community to equip believers to reach and disciple others into a relationship with God. This is accomplished through evangelism, discipleship and partnerships.
Shane Hartley, Director of Faculty Commons, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ can be reached at (910) 352-5253. Charles Greer, Director of Life Builders, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Life can be reached at (704) 975-2744.

Drug Court
This North Carolina Court directed initiative is designed to assist in the identification and rehabilitation of individuals with recognized non-violent offenses related to substance abuse. Treatment includes the placement in counseling, continuous case management, and introducing structure into their lives. Eligible clients sign an 18 month Drug Treatment contract which includes bi-weekly court appearances, intensive out-patient treatment, attendance of a minimum of 4 AA or NA meetings per week, three drug screenings per week, an 8:15 p.m. curfew, meetings with a case manager and probation officer, and either full-time employment or school attendance. This program is reducing recidivism and saving lives.

Penny Craver, Drug Treatment Court Coordinator, can be reached at (910) 341-1501.

Habitat for Humanity
The administrative offices of Cape Fear Habitat are housed in the Harrelson Center and direct a Christian housing ministry

serving the Cape Fear Area including New Hanover, Pender, and northeastern Brunswick counties. Under God’s leadership and in partnership with the local community, their mission is to empower families through home ownership. As one of 76 affiliates in North Carolina, Cape Fear Habitat is motivated by the desire to end substandard housing in by providing simple, decent housing to families earning 25% - 60% below the median income for our area. Participants purchase the houses after working the sweat equity hours required to help build the Habitat houses.

Barbara Birkenheuer, Executive Director, can be reached at (910) 762-4744.

Phoenix Employment Ministry
Their mission is to empower the sheltered homeless and nearly homeless by helping them to build self-confidence, by instilling hope, by providing resources for job hunting, by teaching job-hunting skills, and by helping them to find and keep satisfying work. This year 51 have found employment and record numbers of job-hunters have come seeking assistance. So many in fact, that on occasion, it has been necessary to put up a table and chairs in the Phoenix foyer in order to accommodate everyone. The Phoenix staff looks forward to finding funds to remodel adjacent space for their increasing number of clients.

Don Skinner, Executive Director, can be reached (910) 343-8469.

Communities in Schools of Cape Fear (CISCF)
CISCF is a community teen based dropout prevention program and more. Their goals are to champion the connection between

community resources and the public schools for the purpose of helping young people learn successfully, stay in school and prepare for life. These efforts include homework help, tutoring, and mentoring. Programming includes after school programs, a Suspension Alternative Program, and GED/High School Diploma Program in conjunction with Cape Fear Community College at WIRE, as well as on-site in several New Hanover and Pender County schools. Networking with other agencies includes Wilmington Health Access for Teens, Coastal Horizons, DREAMS and more.

Louise Hicks, Executive Director of Communities in Schools, can be reached at (910) 343-1901.

Christian Women's Job Corps
Christian Women's Job Corps (CWJC) provides a Christian holistic approach in which women in need are empowered and equipped for life and employment, moving from dependency to self-sufficiency; and a missions context in which women help women. We began on October 9, 2001 and have a success rate of 65%. We are non-denominational and tax-exempt. We are a HandUP, not a handout agency. We have four goals for each of our participants:
* Begin and/or grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ
* Complete job-readiness and life-skills classes
* Attain self-sufficiency in her culture
Mary Ellen Bowman, Director, can be reached at 910-799-1160.

Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM)
The purpose of the Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, Inc. (WARM, Inc.) is to assist people living in substandard housing, including elderly and disabled. By upgrading their housing, we hope to alleviate some of their problems and create a safe and healthy environment for them. WARM works with individuals, organizations, and businesses in Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender Counties. Every year, WARM, Inc. organizes over 500 local and out-of-town volunteers to complete vital repairs for an average of 40-50 very low income homeowners, whose income falls 50% below the median for their county. In many cases, we help the residents stay in their homes. The average cost of repairs is $2000 per home. Over 80% of our homeowners are elderly widows and over 30% are disabled. Founded in 1996 by the Wilmington District United Methodist Church, WARM, Inc. is a local, grassroots movement built on the Christian values of service, compassion, and unity. Contact Jeannie Skane, Executive Director, at 910-339-7563



* Give back to our community.