Ministries Making a Difference

Ministries with boots on the ground, helping neighbors

This week, we’re visiting with some ministries in our community development sector—Christians with boots on the ground in challenging areas who are spreading “the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere” (2 Cor. 2:14). They are providing legal services to people in low-income neighborhoods, fostering community in apartment complexes, walking alongside and educating children with trauma, and equipping missions teams with clean water filters to give to villages that need them.

Administer Justice received the Elgin Township service agreement, which included a financial donation to continue providing legal assistance to neighbors who can’t afford it. The ministry is celebrating 25 years this year. Administer Justice has 5 stars, an A transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100—the highest in each of MinistryWatch’s three categories.

Apartment Life fosters community amongst neighbors in apartment complexes, in part by organizing small-scale events to bring residents together. Some examples from Apartment Life’s Facebook page include a continental breakfast, a flower bar, and the delivery of small birthday gifts. Sometimes coordinators help with safety issues during a storm. Other times, they do small unseen deeds like taking out a neighbor’s trash. Apartment Life has 5 stars and a C transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 90.

Cedar Ridge Ministries Founding Board Member Harold Henry passed away in April at 95. Cedar Ridge Ministries, started 60 years ago in 1965, runs a home and school for at-risk boys in Maryland, working to meet the mental, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs of each youth. It also produces a broadcast. Cedar Ridge Ministries has 5 stars and an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 95.

Summer missions trips are in full swing, and Filter of Hope is partnering with missionaries and church-led missions teams to deliver water filters to people around the world with limited access to clean water. Filters are being distributed in Ecuador, Honduras, Pakistan, Cuba, and Nepal. Filter of Hope has 5 stars, an A transparency grade and a donor confidence score of 100—the highest scores in each of MinistryWatch’s three rating categories.

Access to MinistryWatch content is free. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. To make a donation, click here.