About Us
Our Father’s Project is a Christian non-profit organization based in Columbus, Ohio. We have been serving low-income children, teens, young adults, and families for over a decade through our main program, The Project.
Fact sheet
- Location
- Columbus, Ohio
- Founded
- 1999
- Official mission statement
- To develop Christ-centered programs to address the needs of low-income inner-city Columbus persons.
- Main Program
- The Project provides mentorship for urban teens to break the cycle of poverty and substance abuse.
- Mailing address
-
Our Father’s Project
P.O. Box 82145
Columbus, Ohio 43202
Our Father’s Project has tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, and your donations made to our organization are fully tax-deductable.
History
Our Father’s Project already has a history that has touched many lives across Columbus, Ohio, and many hands have shaped it to become the organization that it is now.
U-Rev and the Garden Church
It all started with a program called U-Rev at the Garden Church in the Short North neighborhood. Brian Fraley and several leaders of the church started this program to form relationships and minister to children and teens at the Sullivant Gardens Recreation Center in South Columbus.
The Project
After several years, the Garden Church decided to focus its efforts on the Short North, and Brian and his wife, Cheryl, decided to instead keep the ministry alive in South Columbus. This refreshed program became known as The Project.
Children and teens in the area continued to attend The Project regularly at the recreation center, play sports together, build friendships through fellowship, and learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Project has since moved back to meeting at The Garden Church and enjoys the recreational and learning facilities generously provided by the church.
The Project also uses its resources to help fulfill unmet needs like clothing, winter wear, medical treatments, and Christmas gifts. The program also provides some experiences that a father would normally provide for his son: taking them to sporting events, the State Fair, bowling, and other fun events.
Fostering a second generation
The story doesn't end there though. Through longevity, some of the original youths who have been around for a dozen years are now adults, and they are starting to mentor the next generation of younger kids. The Project has also had the opportunity to network with other organizations to assist these young men and women with the following:
- Gaining skills from job mentoring
- Earning GEDs
- Enrolling in college
- Seeking extra help through Christian counseling
Our Father’s Project non-profit organization
In the midst of all of this, Our Father’s Project was formed as a non-profit organization to govern these programs and explore opportunities for growth and expansion. A board of directors has formed and has received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS.
Future of the organization
Our Father’s Project seeks to build programs and empower its staff and members to expand the Kingdom of God. The organzation searches for opportunities to provide a loving, fatherly relationship for those in need.
An additional goal of Our Father’s Project is to be able to extend its experience and resources to other local non-profits who are seeking to fight poverty and spread the Gospel.