Mission, Values, History
The mission of Urban Ministries of Durham is to provide food, clothing, shelter and supportive services to our neighbors in need.
Our core values are to carry out this mission while providing a welcoming, caring and compassionate environment that affirms the dignity of our guests, volunteers and staff.
Urban Ministries of Durham has a long history in the downtown Durham Community. With leadership from area faith communities, the Urban Ministries Center was founded in 1983 as a host site for area service organizations. The Durham Community Shelter for HOPE was next door. In 2001, the Durham Community Shelter for HOPE, St. Philip’s Community Cafe, and the United Methodist Mission Society merged to form Urban Ministries of Durham.
Since 2001, UMD has operated using the entire Urban Ministries Center and the Community Shelter facility next to it, to comprehensively address the emergency needs of the poor, hungry, and homeless in Durham, North Carolina.
