In every neighborhood, there are moments when a single open door can change everything.
A door to food when a paycheck falls short.
A door to tutoring when a child needs support in school.
A door to housing stability when rent or utility bills threaten a family’s home.
At Broad Street Presbyterian Church, Neighborhood Ministries exists to help open those doors.
One of the most critical ways we do that is through COMPASS, our program that provides emergency rent and utility assistance to neighbors facing crisis. Sometimes a single bill or unexpected setback can threaten someone’s housing. COMPASS helps bridge that moment—keeping families safely in their homes and connecting them to additional community resources.
As one of our COMPASS Committee members from Covenant Presbyterian Church, Martin Spencer, recently shared:
COMPASS has been recognized as worthy recipients of corporate, local and federal support (though declining). Congregants at Covenant PC are wondrous when I describe Neighborhood Ministries’ successes stemming from your compassionate generosity.
Neighborhood Ministries is built on the belief that care in our community is interconnected. A neighbor may arrive needing one kind of support, but often their needs are layered and complex. That’s why the work extends beyond any single program.
Neighborhood Ministries ‘opens all the doors’ to fund a Food Pantry, community garden, child tutoring, artist support, and housing stability/utility assistance (COMPASS). It provides referrals to other local service organizations, as a community member may not have the key to unlock their particular door of need. Many other keys are provided by BSPC staff and volunteers who are educated and dedicated to service offering. The extent of our effectiveness is primarily determined by your financial support.
This is the heart of the work: making sure neighbors can find the right door and helping unlock it.
And right now, those doors matter more than ever.
Across Columbus, housing costs are rising, community resources are stretched, and more families are facing difficult decisions about how to meet basic needs. In moments like this, the presence of compassionate community support becomes essential.
As our Martin reminds us:
Now is the ‘time’ for Neighborhood Ministries because the needs of our Columbus community are real and urgent. The ‘place’ is here in the midst of our vibrant city. The key to opening a ‘door of access’ that increases community health is your generous financial support during the current Neighborhood Ministry Campaign.
Your generosity fuels this work. It keeps food on tables, lights on in homes, and learning opportunities open for children. It equips staff and volunteers to walk alongside neighbors and help them find the support they need.
And it reminds us that compassion is something we live out together.
As we continue this campaign, we hold this prayer close:
Lord, thank you for the opportunity to witness compassionate generosity and the many community benefits provided by the Neighborhood Ministries at Broad Street Presbyterian Church.
Every gift helps open another door → bspc.org/donate
