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Victoria and her daughters are in their 2nd year volunteering at Jackson Park Ministries, first establishing Valorie and Vanessa as "reading buddies" and mentors to a handful of the underprivileged children there. After January of 2005, Victoria will be branching out into this bigger challenge offered to all the children desiring to participate.
Victoria's church, Steele Creek Church of Charlotte, is a multi-cultural church representing 41 nations around the world. This spectacular church, which incorporates all ethnic, social class, age and cultural backgrounds, gets it's mission focus from it's foundational roots with Jackson Park Ministries. Though the church has evolved into what it is today and still growing, it's link to Jackson Park has remained solidly established and still growing, as well.
Jackson Park Ministries, located on 5415 Airport Dr. in the Jackson Park Community on Charlotte's West Side, was established in 1985.
Kelvin Smith, the pastor of Steele Creek Church of Charlotte, felt a “calling” to community ministry at a very young age. Through a miraculous weaving that only God could create, Jackson Park Ministries went from a small volunteer team effort to feed the neighborhood children on Wednesday nights to the amazing ministry it is today. There is now a gymnasium to bring the neighboring children and youth into a wholesome environment where Christian Discipline and values are taught
Apartments were acquired adjacent to the JPM property which are completely and beautifully remodeled and now serve to house families and single mothers with children. This housing is offered in a "Tough Love" program which heals their lives spiritually as well as preparing them for productive lives by learning to become good employees, good parents, and wise stewards of their finances. However,
from the beginning, the ministry has sought to help people based on Biblical principles by giving them a "Hand up and Not A Hand Out" and demonstrating to them that Christ is the answer to all of their needs.
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