Dear Brookside,
In the 40 years of Brookside’s ministry, and by God’s complete grace, we’ve had the privilege to help people find and follow Jesus in so many ways. In 2008, we intentionally focused our attention outside of our church walls and worked to show compassion to those in need. A new phrase arose that began to mark our character more than ever: FOR THE CITY.
Our Clothing Care Center was built, and though it allowed us to serve the under-resourced well, our heart FOR THE CITY wasn’t just about meeting people’s physical needs. We also opened the Elkhorn and Bilingual campuses, and expanded into jail, which gave us the opportunity to meet people’s most important need - the opportunity to hear the Gospel and grow in Christ.
And now, we see the opportunity to provide for two basic necessities often taken for granted: food and transportation. We’ve learned that meeting practical needs while forming intentional relationships leads to an openness to us meeting spiritual needs. We want to see peoples’ lives changed by God’s love and the gospel of Jesus Christ, and ask you to pray about joining us in these new ways of helping people find and follow Jesus. We are COMPELLED TO CARE for the city of Omaha!
Thank you for joining us in prayer,
- Jeff Dart, Lead Pastor
Join Us AS WE ARE
for the city!
Ready to make a commitment?
here are some ways
you can get involved Now
Watch online vision cast
Interested in serving with these ministries? - Click here!
What does the name mean?
Compelled to Care comes from 2 Cor 5:14-15 “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” Because of Christ’s love, we are compelled to care for our neighbors, and we get to make his gospel message clear to them as well in the process. As we minister to the physical needs of those around us we will build the trust to address their spiritual needs as well.
Why food and transportation?
Our neighboring school partners have confirmed sharply rising poverty rates in our area, and thousands of kids are taking home backpacks of food on the weekends to get by without their regular school meal plan. The Food Bank for the Heartland has told us they are anxious to have more west Omaha partners since most food resources are more available further east in our city. Unreliable transportation becomes crippling for low income families who are not near city bus lines and can’t afford expensive vehicle repairs. Lack of transportation quickly leads to lost employment for adults and excessive school absences for kids.
Where will the food come from?
By becoming a Food Bank for the Heartland partner, we will have access to about 75% of the food we would need to meet the demands around our campuses. We will do regular pickups of excess food from local retail partners and stock that food into our pantry. In addition, we will ask Brookside attenders to partner by regularly donating key items not available through the retail partnerships.
How will the auto center work?
We will look to grow our team of specialized volunteers who will provide troubleshooting and maintenance for those in need. Our guests will be able to get an honest assessment of their vehicle’s needs and a highly discounted rate for any repairs that fit in our scope of work. We will also actively pursue vehicle donations that we will either repair and give away or sell for market value to underwrite the costs of the ministry.
Who will be helped, and how will they hear about the Care Center?
We will get the word out through the community partnerships we’ve already built by running the clothing care center for the past 5 years. Schools, nonprofits and government agencies are happy to have referral sources for those in need. When guests arrive at the new Brookside Care Center, they will walk through a very hospitable needs assessment process with trained volunteers and begin building relationships to guide them in a holistic care process. We trust that this model will lead to not only meeting practical needs but also helping people find and follow Jesus.
Is the new Brookside Care Center model sustainable?
Yes…based on our research and site visits at other churches around the country, it works! A combination of food bank supplies and community donations sustain the food pantry. A skilled volunteer labor force and a supply of donated vehicles sustain the auto center. The new three-pronged model of clothing, food, and transportation will be a powerful tool in the lives of those in need in our community. A very engaged core of volunteers from Brookside will be essential as we move forward, and we are praying for that!
Are there any other ways to give to Compelled to Care?
Are there any other ways to give to Compelled to Care? One option is to donate appreciated stock as it yields tax benefits to the donor. Donating a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from a retirement account to Brookside is also advantageous for tax reasons. If you have questions about these options email .
