Reaching Out to the Poor Because of Christ
Victory Ministries will celebrate 25 years of ministry on April 1, 2008. Founded in 1983, this outreach to the poor and needy in central Ohio provides food and clothing to the neediest among us. Since opening their doors; they have distributed over 5.5 million pounds of food. Their primary goal, however, is to minister the good news of Jesus Christ to each individual who comes through their doors. Lloyd and Janice Craycroft are the directors of Victory Ministries.
The driving force behind this ministry is the Old Testament admonition of Deut. 15:11, "The poor shall never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'" To this end, Victory Ministries sponsors a food and clothing pantry that reaches out to the poorest neighborhoods of Columbus. They have found that meeting a person's physical need does indeed open the door for the gospel of Jesus Christ in that person's heart. In 2007, Victory Ministries added the Hope Counseling Center providing pastoral clinical counseling for our clients traumatized by abuse and suffering from various addictions. The Mission also helped over 17,288 individuals through food, clothing and job assistance along with clinical counseling services last year. By God's grace, they distributed over 200,000 pounds of food, thousands of clothing and household items, and many received the Lord for the first time! This past December they held their 25th annual Christmas Family Outreach where 1,066 families (3,654 individuals) received a Christmas basket, Bible, and new toys. Most importantly, 169 people gave their hearts to the Lord.
Victory Mission's success lies in the cooperation of the Body of Christ at large. Working together, we can fulfill Jesus' call to "Preach the Gospel to the Poor." As a volunteer at the Mission, you may sort clothing, bag groceries, sign-in, work in the office or pray with a person in need. Victory Mission is privately funded by individuals, churches, and businesses that believe in what we do.
Prayer Targets
- Increase our volunteer base
- To impact more for Christ
- Secure grants for the Hope Counseling Center
- Increase the number of prayer & financial partners