Mission, Values, History
Mission
Our mission is to meet emergency needs for food, clothing, and shelter; and to help those who are homeless secure a home and the resources to stay there.
Core values
Urban Ministries of Durham is committed to offering a service environment that is based on:
Respect
We value individual diversity and foster dignity through the belief in each person's abilities.
Support
We value supportive programs to advance education, establish more stable living situations, prepare for job-readiness, and strengthen recovery.
Collaboration
We build community partnerships to find long-term solutions toward the goal of eradicating extreme poverty.
We are committed to living out our core values in all our interactions with our clients, each other, and the community.
History
Urban Ministries of Durham has a long history in the downtown Durham Community. With leadership from area faith communities, the Urban Ministries Center was founded in 1983 as a host site for area service organizations. The Durham Community Shelter for HOPE was next door. In 2001, the Durham Community Shelter for HOPE, St. Philip’s Community Cafe, and the United Methodist Mission Society merged to form Urban Ministries of Durham.
Since 2001, UMD has operated using the entire Urban Ministries Center and the Community Shelter facility next to it, to comprehensively address the emergency needs of the poor, hungry, and homeless in Durham, North Carolina.
