The mission of United Methodist Urban Ministries of Richmond (UMUMR), a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit Virginia corporation, is to facilitate collaborative partnerships among individuals, congregations, and organizations to assure food security, educational supports, affordable housing, and access to healthcare, in Greater Richmond: Connecting Greater Richmond for Community.
United Methodist Urban Ministries of Richmond strategic foci:
- Feeding And Food Security
- Education of Children and Families
- Development of Affordable Housing
- Use of the Shalom Development Model
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Organizational History:
United Methodist Urban Ministries of Richmond (UMUMR), formerly Bethlehem Wilson Communities, has supported children and families from low-income neighborhoods in Richmond, Virginia since 1937. Founded as a neighborhood center to provide relief and assistance to the children of Fulton community, Bethlehem Wilson relocated to the underserved neighborhood of Highland Park in 1975 when the entire Fulton neighborhood was razed.
In Highland Park, the agency became an integral part of the community, providing services to over 1,500 individuals and families that included: pre-school and after-school programs; seniors programming; and emergency relief services. In 2005, the agency reorganized under the name United Methodist Urban Ministries of Richmond (UMUMR) and transitioned from a neighborhood center and provider of direct services to an organization engaged in community/neighborhood development (community-building) that addresses social, economic, and spiritual justice issues.
Completing a strategic plan in 2008, UMUMR focuses its resources in three urban issues identified as critically important to community well-being: 1) food security; 2) education of children and families, and 3) affordable housing in which neighborhood centers are essential.
In response to the current economic crises, in 2009 the organization is, along with an extensive array of partners, systemically addressing the issues of food security and education through the Shalom Farms and the Shalom Farms Network.
