![]() ![]() ![]() Over the years, Chris learned that “you don’t need to see blatant poverty in your community to do social work. Participants who enroll in the Outreach program come with challenges such as 50% unemployment rate, 20% involved in the justice system, 65% of violence survivors, 75% with medical needs, and 70% on public benefit. An estimated 62,873 of 910,997 people live in poverty. The percentage of children in poverty increased by 66% from 2006 to 2011. There has been a significant increase in poverty since 2000. While this may be a perceived reality, DuPage County ranks second in Illinois for the number of people living in poverty. Historically, DuPage County in the Western suburbs was recognized as an affluent neighborhood, ranking as the third most affluent county in Illinois. Looking back: Daring to step into the unknown With a Christ-centered approach to ministry, we can care for those in crisis and provide opportunities for spiritual growth, character development, and discovery of each person’s future potential. Outreach has had a long-term commitment to transformation that allows people to take responsibility for their own lives. He has provided thought leadership for over 45 years and believes the motivation for Outreach is to bring glory to God with a mission of showing compassion for others through strategies based on scriptural principles. Mark Taylor, former CEO of Tyndale, serves as the Trustee of Outreach. In fact, Chris and Carlene Ellis Ellerman were recently awarded the 2023 Distinguished Service to Society Award from Wheaton College for their faithful service to the most vulnerable, and for their Christlike care for their community. His life of serving, mentoring, and leading the community have earned him numerous awards. His desire is to see “people respected, valued, as an image bearer of God.” He believes people can reach their potential. A Wheaton College graduate and a trained social worker, his vocation has been guided by scripture and his faith in Christ.Īs he sensed unmet social and spiritual needs and lack of support system in the Western suburbs, he had a burden to reach out and build healthy communities. He and his wife Carlene began a street outreach ministry caring for families, and have fostered over 60 children. Overall Ministry Goal: Leadership InsightsĬhris Ellerman’s passion for ministry began in his own home. The fruit of prayer, vision and backyard meetings led to the birth of Outreach in 1973, and was later led by Chris Ellerman, who became CEO in 1977. The initial focus was supporting single moms and families, offering counseling, case management, and children’s ministries for elementary and middle school students (with an emphasis on Christian education). In 1971, a group of twenty-five churches in the Western suburbs came together to form a committee, conducted a needs assessment of the community, and designed an outreach ministry model to help youth and families. They wondered how they could take tangible steps and mobilize resources to combat complex issues such as poverty, homelessness, mental health needs, and substance abuse. In the early 1970s, local churches, pastors and corporate leaders were deeply concerned about what they saw in the communities they lived in. History: Local churches provide foundational support One of Outreach’s core values is partnering with the local church, and the organization bridges the evangelism and discipleship opportunities of churches in the area, prayerfully and thoughtfully creating the platform for the churches to engage in compassion ministries. The mission of Outreach is to restore hope and provide opportunities for individuals and families to become all that God intends them to be, serving the most vulnerable in the western suburbs through comprehensive community services. Outreach has had 50 years of service in the Western suburbs of Chicago. This is exactly true of the ministry of Outreach Community Ministries, now rebranded as Outreach. “Service is wherever you are and where God calls you to be”. ![]()
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