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Baldwin Church and Center History
The Baldwin Avenue United Methodist Church was founded in 1917. For over 89 years it served as a beacon of hope to its neighbors and the residents of Pontiac. In 1981 faced with a tremendous human need in the neighborhood, the congregation and its Pastor,
Dr. Patricia Meyers
made a commitment to respond to the immediate needs of the community of Pontiac, MI.
In June of 1981, the church doors opened to provide food and recreation to area children and families on a daily basis. On December 15, 1982, the Family Kitchen opened. We served 15 meals that day (In 2007 the Family Kitchen served 45,071 meals). In 1983 an emergency shelter program was initiated.
In 1987, the day care wing was constructed. In 1991 additional property was purchased for a youth center, enabling Baldwin to carry year round programs and tutoring. In 1993, the homeless shower and breakfast program began. In 1995, the Baldwin Early Learning Center opened.
In 1997, the laundry and Healthy Living adult programs were initiated. In 1999, a warming center for the homeless opened serving men and women from January through March. In 2002, our adult and family services program was expanded to include a full-time licensed counselor.
In 2003, JOBSTART OLHSA, Dare To Be You parenting program, and the Baldwin Community Garden Project were initiated. Baldwin was also chosen in 2003 to be one of four Jesuit Volunteer Corps sites in Pontiac.
In 2006, the congregation of the Baldwin Avenue United Methodist Church merged with Grace and Peace Community Church of Pontiac; the Center became its own entity and is now known as The Baldwin Center.
The Baldwin Center currently runs 25 programs for families, youth, and senior citizens. The Center offers a safe place where people are respected and listened to, where children can play without fear of violence, broken glass, or drug needles.
The assistance the Center gives (food, meals, clothing, medicine), the tools for empowerment we share with others (tutoring, youth programming, educational, and skill building opportunities), and the gospel we model (community, not isolation; wholeness, not brokenness; life, not death) provide a vision of what can be, here in the Baldwin corridor.
Our mission is to feed, clothe, educate, and empower all disadvantaged men, women, and children in the community of Pontiac.
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The Baldwin Center has served the community of Pontiac, Michigan since 1981. We are a human services agency that provides over 25 programs for the surrounding neighborhood. 