First Fruit Ministries (FFM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to feeding, sheltering, and caring for those in need. Our goal is to nurture the talents of each individual in order that they may accomplish their calling, mature in their faith, develop sustainable living habits and progress toward their fullest potential. This vision is based on Isaiah 58: 6-12.
Our main activities are as follows:
- Outreach through
- Mobile Street Feeding
- Food Box Distribution
- Adopt-a-Block
- Thursday Night Street Church
- First Fruit Medical Clinic
- Wilmington Dream Center: Transitional Housing program for women and families, including emergency foster care
- Urban Ministry Training Program including
- men’s mentorship
- internships
- missionary service
- civic projects
- volunteering
- social enterprises such as our Laundro-Mat business, etc.
Our services can be accessed through our outreaches or by becoming a resident in Wilmington Dream Center: Transitional Housing. Services provided include food, clothing, medical care, mental health care, mentorship, case management, and life-skills tutoring. Training to serve in these areas is provided to volunteers, interns, missions groups, and service teams through our Urban Ministry Training Program.
The homeless population of southeastern North Carolina is familiar with First Fruit Ministries through First Fruit’s continued outreach and service within the community. The trust in these relationships overcomes the fears many homeless people have regarding accessing professional services. Outreaches such as street feeding, food distribution, and Adopt-A-Block become vehicles for delivery of care on the street and in low-wealth neighborhoods. Through this contact with the homeless and low-income community we are able to assess individuals’ emergency needs and deliver services from the very beginning of our relationship. We build on each successful interaction to deliver further supportive services.
First Fruit Ministries provides transitional housing and supportive services such as mental health care, case management, and jobs assistance to 12 homeless women and 2 families through our Wilmington Dream Center: Transitional Housing program. Wilmington Dream Center: Transitional Housing (WDC:TH) is one to two year transitional living designed to support and encourage homeless women and families in achieving their dreams. Residents are empowered to gain sustainable permanent housing, increase their income and/or education, and progress toward their fullest potential.
We also have an outreach program that includes mobile street feeding, on-site food box distribution, Thursday Night Street Church, and Adopt-A-Block, which provides household assistance, and assessment/referral services for families in low-wealth neighborhoods. Mobile outreaches providing food, clothing, and supplies on the street are done every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. These are staffed by volunteers with intern or Ministry personnel leaders. Volunteers meet at the Ministry facility and load the van with catering containers that have been filled with a complete meal. The team leader, a First Fruit staff member or intern, drives the van along an established route making stops at designated sites. Staff members meet with homeless clients assessing needs, making and following up on referrals, planning for transportation to be provided to appointments when necessary, and building trust with new members of the homeless community. Encouragement and emotional support are also key “emergency needs” to be filled on First Fruit’s mobile feeding outreach. Street outreaches are the daily hand extended to the homeless community to educate them about where to locate specific types of assistance.
Adopt-A-Block is a strategy where teams go out to assigned, low-wealth neighborhood areas to meet with families to assess their needs, make referrals, and serve through clean-up, repair, or any other form possible. They publicize the initiative and then knock on doors offering to serve however needed by each family in each house within the specified area. Adopt-A-block is repeated on a regular schedule to show commitment and build relationships. This service model builds trust with family members and encourages use of the ministry facilities and access of other community and mainstream resources. Adopt-A-Block has the potential to grow to serve neighborhoods all over the tri-county area. As we develop our volunteer base and build relationships over the next three to five years we plan to expand our coverage to more households in Long Leaf Park and more neighborhoods in the tri-county.
We train interns, volunteers, and missions teams through our Urban Ministry Training Program. Groups can come for a few days to a month to join our outreach teams, minister through prayer and service, and learn how to effectively reach the homeless and broken in their home towns. I invite you to tour our campus at 2750 Vance St., Wilmington, North Carolina. You are always welcome to participate in outreaches to the homeless community or serve in other ways. Thank you for your interest in First Fruit Ministries.