Dignity & Opportunities Through Rail//Line Coffee

Dignity & Opportunities Through Rail//Line Coffee

Part #2 of Promise’s Story of Healing. Read Part #1 “Healing Her Broken Belief” here.   When Promise first moved into the Hannah House, it felt like she had nothing to offer.She had little job experience and very few skills, but the staff encouraged and supported...

CLDI Member Story:  Fruitful Growth

CLDI Member Story: Fruitful Growth

Mentorship is an essential component of the fourth principle of Christian Community Development: Leadership Development. Through our holistic, gospel-centered approach to mentorship, we encourage and equip individuals to grow and become empowered. As we invest in...

My Call Into Vulnerability

My Call Into Vulnerability

Words by Jackie Patten In light of Valentine's Day, our office has a “heart attack” game going around where we have to essentially bomb each other's work desks with goodies, candy and words of affirmation. The individual who chose me wrote words of encouragement that...

Engaging the Marginalized

Engaging the Marginalized

Ministry Partner Encouragement: By Nate Poetzl We love partnering with the church. The relationships we’ve built with local bodies have been integral to the work that we do in the South Side community. In November, Faith Chapel Pastor, Nate Poetzl, spoke about the...

Changing My Longings

Changing My Longings

Internship Update: From Alex Streeter Change has become a recurring theme in my life over the last six months. There have been apparent changes, such as my occupation and living situation, as well as deeper inner changes regarding my worldview and life goals. One day,...

Sold Out Christmas Store!

Sold Out Christmas Store!

2022 Christmas Store Update: From Jacki Patten The Christmas Store is a one-of-a-kind event that truly captures the love, joy, and hope of the Christmas season. Each year, the community comes together to serve neighbors by donating toys and Christmas gifts to be sold...

The Impact of Mentorship

The Impact of Mentorship

Volunteer Highlight by Eddy Welch Before becoming an apprentice mentor through Rail//Line Coffee, I was looking for a ministry to partner with. I wanted to help people not only to grow in their walk with Christ but to further themselves in the professional world as...

Calvin’s Story

Calvin’s Story

Calvin Warren, a 53-year-old former PTA president, and little guy football coach, recently became a CLDI tenant. A devoted father, Calvin has a degree in Psychology and was gifted in working with children. He spent 18 years working in residential treatment programs...

This is My Neighborhood

This is My Neighborhood

*The following is part of a series called “A Changed Perspective” to challenge the way in which we view the world, culture, people, and places from a biblical perspective. Undoubtedly, for Christ followers to live in the world but not be of the world is a challenging...

How NOT to Love Your Neighbor

How NOT to Love Your Neighbor

*The following blog was written 8 years ago in the fall of 2010. Today I was confronted with one of the most basic, yet comprehensive teachings of Jesus – love God and love your neighbor as yourself.  One would think that after years of studying His Word and trying to...