TRANSFORMATIONS
TRANSFORMATIONS
Since 1995, our mission and vision have never changed. What has changed is the number of people we’ve been able to impact over the last 27+ years of ministry. Take a listen to some of these amazing stories!
Since 1995, our mission and vision have never changed. What has changed is the number of people we’ve been able to impact over the last 27+ years of ministry. Take a listen to some of these amazing stories!
Pastor Ed and Tammy Glover moved to the North Side of Pittsburgh on a street where four out of five homes were boarded up.
Outreach basketball with pizza was launched and became the foundation for Urban Impact’s robust Athletics programming.
Pastor Ed walked out of his home, and his car was stolen for the third time. While he was questioning if he could really make a difference in the community, God gave him the vision of impacting one person, one family, one block at a time.
Pastor Ed founded Urban Impact to help address the profound challenges facing the urban setting of the North Side.
Summer Day Camp was initiated to combat summer learning regression. Once just a classroom of students, camp now serves 220+ students in two locations and employ 67 interns to run classes and activities.
The first full-time Urban Missionary, Becky Boll, joined the Urban Impact staff.
Urban Impact consistently ministered to 500 kids of the North Side throughout the year.
A children’s choir began rehearsals in the Glover’s living room and became the foundation of Urban Impact’s Performing Arts Academy.
150 lives were changed for eternity.
Reaching 1,000 kids was a true milestone for the organization, but we will always strive to reach even more children in need.
This programming was designed to create post-secondary success and extend Urban Impact’s influence beyond high school.
ManUp became not only an event but also a movement to combat the effects of fatherlessness in Pittsburgh and Charlotte.
An in-school partnership was formed with King Elementary School for staff and volunteers to provide literacy support to struggling students. The partnership grew to multiple schools and became the foundation of Urban Impact’s Education programming.
More staff has translated to more programming as Urban Impact has continued to offer new ways to form relationships with students.
A fifty percent increase in just 3 years!
Urban Missionaries are people living among the students and families we serve. This milestone meant our missionaries outnumbered the distinct neighborhoods of the North Side.
High demand for our programming required an explosive growth in Urban Missionaries to maintain our standard 6:1 ratio.
Heaven rejoices as hundreds of people continue to receive the gift of eternal life.
Although Urban Impact has reached nearly 20% of the children and youth on the North Side, Urban Impact keeps a steady eye on positioning itself to reach those remaining.
In a very atypical year, Urban Impact rose to the occasion and met the needs of the community in incredible ways. The organization remains strong and will continue its mission in the years to come.
DJ CARTER
“When I first came to Urban Impact, it was just kind of a place where I came for sports and camp… but as I got older, I now see Urban Impact as my family.”
AISHA FRAZIER
“Urban Impact just shifted my life completely. To me, Urban Impact made me a whole other person, and if I wasn’t in this program, I wouldn’t be alive today.”
EVELYN RHONE
“I want my son to be able to grow up. A lot of young black men don’t get the chance to grow up — they don’t grow up at all. I want to do something in my life to make sure my son doesn’t fall behind in life or get on the wrong path. As early as I can, I want to introduce my son to God.”
GIDEON MANGES
“When you’re in Urban Impact, you feel the overwhelming love from the counselors and the people in charge who are pouring into you. Then you can turn around and think, ‘I felt that, and I want to give that right back…’ It comes from the love of God.”
QUENTIN JACKSON
“Urban Impact brought me up in life, in so many different ways… As long as I got Jesus with me, it’s going to be fine, no matter what I do in life.”
SHARLIE DIXON
“If I wasn’t at Urban Impact, I wouldn’t be the person I am. I met so many people and built so many relationships with people… Urban Impact is like a family.”
BRYAN MITCHELL
“Urban Impact was the main connection point between me and God. I was pretty clueless. I didn’t know who God was and what He offered to me… Growth, change, and difference: those are words that go hand in hand with Urban Impact.”
MYKEA ALLEN
“If you all didn’t ever introduce me to God, I don’t think I would have known who He was.”
CASEY PRICE
“Let’s go teach students about how good God is.”
BRYANNA LUSTER
“God is going to use me and use my gifts to help others… It’s always a joy to get to share what I’ve learned from Urban Impact about the things that God has done.”
BODEE VOLSTAD
“Urban Impact is a safe place where you can come to grow spiritually and grow in your friendships.”
CHIDOZIE OPARANOZIE
“Somebody was asking me the other day, ‘how do you think Urban Impact Summer Day Camp has changed from when you were a kid to today?’ Nothing’s really changed as far as the values of creating loving atmospheres, putting Jesus first, and making sure kids are safe… Today there’s a lot more access to resources to do the things of the Lord for the community.”
ISAIAH REEVES
“Urban Impact really changed my life because I saw how good I felt being able to serve… Knowing that our investment is much deeper than money, it’s in the hearts of these kids.”
GET INVOLVED
Become part of the Urban Impact story
VOLUNTEER
Without our team of over 400 volunteers, our programs and events would not be possible. Are you ready to impact people with the love of Christ and become part of the Urban Impact story?
SUPPORTER
Our supporters are the backbone of our ministry. The donations we receive are put to work equipping our missionaries, providing for those in need, and giving students opportunities to grow in Christ.