United States

Country Overview

The United States is one of the world’s largest countries in both size and population. It has the world’s largest economy and the highest mean household income. However, in 2011, 46.2 million Americans were living in poverty. Children who live in poverty are more likely to have a higher rate of absenteeism—or leave school completely—in order to work or care for family members. It was out of this need that UrbanPromise was born in Camden, NJ 30 years ago—to help our nation's children succeed despite their negative environments. We now have sites in 6 urban centers across the U.S.

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We provide our children with the academic supports necessary for success.

Our model of holistic ministry helps mitigate the devastating effects of poverty on children.

Our Ministries in the USA

The original UrbanPromise is located in Camden, NJ. However there are also other sites in the USA. Our domestic sites are located in Trenton, NJ; Miami, FL; Wilmington, DE; Charlotte, NC and Little Rock, AR. 

Thirty years ago the vision and mission of UrbanPromise was conceived in a dusty church basement in East Camden, NJ. A small group of college missionaries created a summer camp for neighborhood children--providing a safe, loving, fun, and creative place for local youth to escape dangerous city streets.

UrbanPromise Wilmington was initiated in 1998 and has grown to include six AfterSchool Programs, six Summer Camps, a StreetLeader program, an international intern program, and two UrbanPromise schools.

UrbanPromise Trenton was launched in July 2011 under the leadership of Carl Clark Jr, one of the first camp kids of UrbanPromise in Camden in 1988. UP Trenton works to develop Christian leaders who will transform the city of Trenton by providing free AfterSchool and Summer Camp programs--preparing disadvantaged inner-city children for the real world through spiritual, personal, physical, and educational development. 

UrbanPromise Charlotte, since its inception in 2013, has worked to develop Charlotte’s children and youth into Christian leaders determined to restore their communities. Our vision is three-fold: Reach a Child, Raise a Leader, Restore Community. UrbanPromise Charlotte reaches younger children through our AfterSchool Programs and Summer Camps and raises high school leaders who are employed as mentors and counselors in these programs. Our ultimate goal is to restore community as a new generation of young leaders affects social, economic, and spiritual revitalization in their neighborhoods and the city of Charlotte.

UrbanPromise Arkansas was launched in May 2016 under the leadership of Kristin Walker with it's first summer camp program in the high-need neighborhood of Baring Cross in North Little Rock, AR. The vision of UrbanPromise Arkansas is to be a community in Christ of servant leadership and transformation, seeking a full life for all involved: urban youth, families, volunteers, and staff in the neighborhoods of our cities.

 

Nashville is an emerging multi-ethnic city that is home to over 60,000 refugees. More than 100 different languages are spoken and if trends hold, by 2040, Nashville will be a majority minority city, meaning no one ethnic group will make up the majority.  We believe that people currently on the fringes of society will be the future leaders of Nashville.  We believe that education is a powerful lever that God uses to raise up leaders to do His work. Much like He did with Moses, Daniel, and Paul (all who were minorities in their city), God uses formative education to prepare individuals to lead and shape nations that were not their own. We see this happening in Nashville.

UrbanPromise Los Angeles launched it’s pilot year in 2019 with the ultimate goal of disciple a generation in LA into Christian leaders determined to restore their communities.
We aim to reach the children of LA in under-resourced communities and support them spiritually, academically and socially to enable their growth into capable and inspired StreetLeaders who are able to look beyond their situations, are prepared for leadership on their college campuses, and are able to spread love, hope, and contagious joy to the people around them. Ultimately earning their degrees and returning to their neighborhoods to restore community in the most influential city in our nation through prolonged servant leadership. Together, we rise!