Please join our Community of Givers as we aim to reach our goal of raising $50,000 that will serve the hundreds of children and their families.
Red Door Urban Missions (RDUM) is a nonprofit organization that holistically serves those that have been marginalized, neglected, and ignored by meeting their unmet needs in love with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Since its inception in 2017, RDUM desires to seek the welfare of the city (Jer. 29:7) by marrying the Great Commandment (Mt. 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20) in living out the gospel. It is our aim to inspire vision and hope for how God can use people of all ages and different people groups to reach out to the hurting, hungry, homeless, and lost in our city. This year, we have decided to officially name our centers within multi-housing communities our Enrichment Resource Center (ERC).
At our ERC, we serve through community events, S.T.A.R. After-School Club & Summer Literacy Camp, Kidz Ministry Club, Community Bible Study for all ages, Door-to-Door Evangelism/Discipleship, DA SPOT (Drama, Arts, Sports, Production, Opportunities, and Technology) Teen & Young Adult Development Center, Recreational Ministry, by providing Year-Round Meals through a partnership with YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South, spiritual counseling, structured youth activities, general referrals, social services, including mental health counseling, mentoring, workforce development, drug abuse referrals, adult literacy classes for English Language Learners (ELL), domestic violence counseling referrals, and emergency food and clothing as needed. These services and programs are offered at New Horizon, Peppertree, and Creekside Meadows Apartments. Our programs are designed to comprehensively address the needs of families within these communities.
We designed our organization around Jesus, education, and family by creating programs that encourages adults and children to participate together. Far too often, many families feel isolated and helpless, yearning for a way to build the world they wish to see and make an impact on important issues of family, community, education, building foundation. While there are often challenges to creating a strong family and center partnerships with the families we serve, we face them head on. We make it our mission to make parents feel more comfortable when it comes to getting more involved in their children's education and their journey. In the spirit of family, we would like to spotlight a family that has been with our program in New Horizon Apartments.
GROWTH AMONGST FAMILY
We first met the Holt/Milam family back in 2019 and within this one family, we gained five RDUM family member - the parents, Aja and Torrie, and their three wonderful children, Arianna, Chelsea, and Matthew. When we first met the parents, we knew we instantly felt that family connection. Through the years, this family has faced a number of challenges meant to destroy them and destroy their faith, but together they face them and come back better than ever each time. Even with everything going on, they have continued to stay involved in their children’s education and they make sure they attend every event and activity. More importantly, they make sure their children are present in all youth clubs, camps, sports, and events taking place at Red Door. The children on the other hand, there were initially all very shy when we met them. It took a little while, but after warming up to our staff, they have grown and blossomed throughout the years.
In a two-question survey, we asked parents how they felt about Red Door and what impact the center has had on their family. This is what Ms. Aja had to say:
In a two-question survey, we asked parents how they felt about Red Door and what impact the center has had on their family. This is what Ms. Aja had to say:
“Well, first I would like to start off by saying I am very blessed and grateful to having the Red Door in me and my children's life. My family has been through so many difficult times and hardships and without you guys I don’t know where we would be. My kids love being there and I love the fact that Red Door helps with the teachings of the bible and also helps stimulate my babies’ minds by always having activities for them. It's really needed in our community especially seeing our youth being manipulated by drugs and gangs and violence. I'm happy they have a safe haven.”
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Reading Ms. Aja’s response, it shows us that we are really making a difference. It makes us feel that we are extremely grateful for the presence of RDUM in her family’s life. The Red Door team may have walked hand in hand with Ms. Holt and her family on their growth journey, but the credit is not ours to own. They are an incredible family and they continue to inspire us all through their dedication, hard work, and determination. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to engage in life-on-life support with them through their journey so stay tuned as their pathway to success is still unfolding.
WHAT YOUR GIFT WILL ACCOMPLISH
As you think about where to donate this holiday season, we urge you to consider Red Door Urban Missions (RDUM). The families we are blessed with the privilege of serving are all plagued with a community filled with criminal activity, gang violence, drug abuse, high rates of unemployment, low levels of literacy, and single parent lead homes. All factors that continue to the cycle of poverty for generations of families. With your support, more mothers like Aja Holt and her family will have the opportunity to thrive and break generational curses. As the saying goes: many hands make the work light. Together we can help to shape the upcoming generations of families and build a better tomorrow. With your secure, online, tax-deductible gift helps us to address the plight of these precious souls. To learn more about the free programs we offer, click here.
Thank you in advance for joining our community of givers to double our impact on those who need it most. This year, we focus of families like Aja Holt and her family who have been with RDUM since our inception in 2017. To read more about Ms. Holt and her family and how they have been able to grow with the programs offered at RDUM.