The ZIP code project ministry with the poor
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december 2013 update
the
ZIP code
project
ministry with the poor
the
ZIP code
project
ministry with the poor
the ZIP code project | lynn parsons, director | 214.931.6254 | lynn@ntcumc.org
center for missional outreach | north texas conference of the united methodist churchBackground Our Mission and End Goal
In 2008, the United Methodist Church Our mission is to eradicate poverty in two
adopted Ministry with the Poor as one of ZIP codes—75215 and 75426—by 2025. 75215
four areas designed to focus the work of is in a densely populated urban area in south
United Methodists around the world. This Dallas. 75426 is in a sparsely populated rural
year, the North Texas Conference of the area of Northeast Texas with the town of
United Methodist Church has launched the Clarksville in its center. We will know we
ZIP Code Project to further focus the work have accomplished our mission when our
in this region on two ZIP codes—75215, an neighbors in these communities become so
urban area in South Dallas, and 75426, a self-sufficient that they no longer need our
rural area in Red River County in Northeast partnership and can in turn become effective
Texas. The North Texas Conference includes partners in transforming other communities.
300 churches and 160,000 members in a We will do this through transformational
twenty-county region. Bishop Mike McKee is support for improvements in education,
the Bishop assigned for specific oversight of health care, employment, wages, personal
Ministry with the Poor at the national level. A finance, neighborhood development, racial
full-time staff member, Dr. Lynn Parsons, was equity, and political power, beginning with
employed by the Conference in August 2013 the education and transformation of our own
to define and direct the project. churches and structures.
Our Context: Ministry With the Poor
We are committed
Ministry with the poor—referred to as
“ministry with”—is different from ministry to transforming the
to or for the poor. Ministry with is about
answering Jesus’ call to discipleship in God’s community in each
mission of love and justice. Following Jesus’
example of servant leadership, those who ZIP code by helping
enjoy greater privilege are called to listen to,
learn from, walk humbly with, and empower neighbors who live
those at society’s margins. We are called to
work as partners with the marginalized to there leverage their
eradicate poverty and transform this world
into a just and caring Kingdom of God. assets to create a
We believe that ministry with requires productive, sustainable
humility, listening, learning, sharing,
mutuality, dignity, respect, and equality. It future for themselves
requires recognizing and breaking down
class, racial, and ethnic barriers that are and their children.
obstacles to self-empowerment, self-
determination, leadership development, and We are not focused solely or even primarily
equal opportunity. We believe that ministry on urban economic development if a primary
with is mutually transformative. outcome might be uprooting or replacing
the current neighbors.
Finally, as we think about how we can best be
in ministry with the poor, we believe that the A major component of the action plan for 2014
language we use is important and significant. is the clarification and evaluation of metrics and
Just as Jesus asked—and answered—the possible targets for measuring the impact of
question “Who is my neighbor?” we will use our mission. Possible metrics and targets to be
the term “neighbors” to refer to the people considered by neighbors and community leaders
with whom we are ministering. are identified in Table 1.
3Table 1: Possible Metrics and Targets for Measuring the Impact of Our Mission
Metric Possible target
Median household income 2 X the Federal Poverty Level
Rate of extreme asset poverty* 0%
Community networks All neighbors participate in at least one
neighborhood or community group
Rating and learning outcomes of Above average state rating; no achievement gaps
neighborhood schools for any student group; high graduation level
Access to and acquisition of health care All neighbors insured; high-quality services
within 30 miles of each resident
Unemployment rate Below the state average
Median wage Sufficient to provide income 2 X FPL
Individual/family financial stability United Way Dallas metrics
Housing stability All neighbors can access affordable, livable
housing
Religiosity** % of neighbors with no religious preference
decreases
Aspirational fusion** % of households with “Hope for Tomorrow”
increases
Systemic racial equity Racial equity present in all areas above plus
law enforcement and criminal justice
Political power Neighborhood equitably represented in the
city, county, state, and nation
*Households in extreme asset poverty are those that have zero or negative net worth. A household with negative net
worth owes more than it owns; its household debt is greater than its financial assets; it has no financial cushion to
help weather a financial crisis. **As measured and reported by Mission Insite, a national church demographic service.
What We’ve Learned So Far that they are not always aware of each
other’s work and individual neighbors in the
The two ZIP codes are similar but different. community are sometimes confused about
where to go for specific types of assistance.
Our two ZIP codes have very different Many services in 75215—both large-scale and
characteristics in terms of density and small-scale—are addressing the immediate
demographics. While both ZIP codes have basic needs of our neighbors for food,
higher rates of poverty than the state of clothing, housing, and health care. However,
Texas, 75215 has a higher rate of poverty there are also significant efforts under
than 75426. (See Table 2 for comparisons.) way to address the root causes that have
contributed to and perpetuated poverty. The
Current services are different in the two ZIP United Way’s Financial Stability Initiative was
codes. launched this year and is funding programs
by three organizations (including City Square
The availability of support services is which directly impacts our neighbors in
significantly greater in 75215 than in 75426. 75215) which are trying to address multiple
75215 appears to have so many organizations core issues associated with poverty. Groups
and agencies working in the community such as the Revitalize South Dallas Coalition
4support economic development and job sites in 75215. The Dallas Bethlehem Center
creation. Organizations such as Dallas Area is Methodist-supported and provides a
Interfaith trains individuals and groups channel for volunteers from United Methodist
to become more effective advocates for churches. Individual Methodist churches have
changes in specific issues that impact the additional small volunteer programs that
neighbors. Others address neighborhood impact neighborhood children and families
improvement in more specific ways. in 75215, although they are not generally
connected to each other. In 75426, McKenzie
The services in 75426 are significantly Memorial UMC established a food pantry that
sparser although there seems to be a greater has now become an independent non-profit
awareness of services available on the part organization serving a significant portion of
of both the providers and our neighbors the qualifying neighbors in that area.
accessing the services. Most of the services
available in 75426 address the immediate Churches across the North Texas Conference—
basic needs of our neighbors for food, and particularly in areas adjacent to the two
clothing, housing, and health care. One major focus ZIP codes—are asking how they can help.
non-profit food pantry serves Clarksville
and its surrounding communities, and a
non-profit foundation established a health However, the requests
resource center there. Otherwise, there
are small, independent outreach activities they are making
provided by a number of churches and
individuals, and limited services available indicate many clergy
through governmental agencies and some
for-profit organizations like the hospital and and lay members
home health care agencies. Transportation
is a major issue in this sparsely populated hold notions about
area, with available services often more than
30 miles away and many people—especially poverty that assume
the elderly—only have access to limited
transportation provided by family, friends, our response will be
or churches.
“in-and-out” missions
Current responses of United Methodist
churches and members are disjointed and rather than a sustained,
focus on immediate needs rather than
systemic community transformation. systemic process.
There are no systematic data collected
about the mission and outreach activities of Furthermore, we recognize that there are
individual churches. Anecdotal information individual Methodists in our Conference who
about United Methodist responses to have positions of political and economic
poverty in 75215 and 75426 indicates that power and influence whose decisions
attention has been focused primarily on are not always consistent with United
food distribution through food and clothing Methodist teachings about social justice.
drives, support for established food pantry There appears to be a significant need for
systems, and short-term volunteer missions educating our own members about poverty
for activities such as housing renovation. and the most promising practices for
eradicating it.
Crossroads Community Services is based
at First United Methodist Church Dallas Another area of need for education and
and distributes 2 million pounds of food study is the continuing racial divide. 75215 is
each year, including 65,000 pounds to predominantly African-American and there
5Table 2: Comparisons of Data* about 75215 and 75426
75215 75426
Geographic South Dallas—8.41 square miles bound Northeast Texas, Red River
Location by Interstate 30 to the north; Cullum County—326.91 square miles bound by
Boulevard and S. 2nd Avenue to the east; the Red River and Oklahoma to the north;
the Trinity River to the south; and S. Lamar
Clarksville, the center of 75426, is 31
Street to the west.
miles east of Paris, TX, 63 miles west of
Texarkana, and 8 miles from the southern
edge of 75426
Number of 15,231 people 5,374 people
people
6,237 households (people living in the same 2,279 households (people living in the
housing regardless of relationship) same housing regardless of relationship)
3,136 families (people living in the same 1,475 families (people living in the same
housing who are related) housing who are related)
1,811 people per square mile 16 people per square mile
Income level $23,550 = Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for $23,550 = Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for
a family of four a family of four
$23,322 = median household income in $32,605 = median household income in
75215 75426
$38,540 = mean (average) household $40,306 = mean (average) household
income in 75215 Income in 75426
27.8% of families are below poverty level 18.2% of families are below poverty level
Race/Ethnicity 79% African-American 32% African-American
and Age
12% Hispanic 8% Hispanic
7% White 58% White
39 = median age 45 = median age
21% age 17 or under 21% age 17 or under
14% age 65 or older 22% age 65 or older
Education 9% of adults less than 9 grade
th
14% of adults less than 9th grade
35% HS graduate or GED 39% HS graduate or GED
13% Bachelor’s degree or higher 6% Bachelor’s degree or higher
Employment 49% of age 16+ not in the labor force 47% of age 16+ not in the labor force
44% in the labor force and employed 48% in the labor force and employed
7% in the labor force but not employed (4% 5% in the labor force but not employed
in Texas) (4% in Texas)
Housing 7738 housing units 2824 housing units
37% occupied by owners 68% occupied by owners
63% occupied by renters 32% occupied by renters
72% of housing 40+ years old 49% of housing 40+ years old
Transportation 20% of owner households have no vehicle 2% of owner households have no vehicle
available available
37% of renter households have no vehicle 20% of renter households have no vehicle
available available
2% of workers walk to work 4% of workers walk to work
20 % take public transportation to workis considerable distrust of white churches’ Strategies, Actions, and Metrics
commitment and motivation for service in
that area. In 75426, the African-American ZIP Code Project Model
churches—including Methodists as well
as other denominations—and the white Our end goal is to eradicate poverty in two
churches have not collaborated or generally ZIP codes by 2025. In order to move toward
interacted on any regular basis. The entire that goal, we propose three strategies
area continues to reflect a community that for the 2014 calendar year that will help
is divided between black and white, and us clarify the needs and discern how we
the political and economic power is held by can best accomplish it. The strategies are
largely white individuals and organizations. consistent with we have learned within the
context of our understanding of ministry
Eradication of poverty requires systemic with the poor.
community transformation.
1. Convene neighbors and churches,
If we are going to eradicate poverty, organizations, and individuals currently
we must work to transform the entire working in the ZIP codes that are
community, addressing the systemic causes aligned with our mission; assess how
and effects of poverty in education, health we can support existing services and
care, employment, wages, personal finance, what additional initiatives should be
neighborhood development, racial equity, and developed.
political power. While feeding and clothing
our neighbors in poverty and attending to 2. Educate our congregations—and the
other basic, immediate needs is necessary at public in general—about poverty, and
the most basic level, we must move beyond what is needed to help individuals
temporary aid to reduce immediate suffering. and families move out of poverty
There are already organizations at work in permanently; and about racism,
both ZIP codes at a deeper level of support, especially the inequitable opportunities
training and equipping individuals and and impacts resulting from institutional
families with tools that will help them provide and structural racism.
for their own needs. However, we believe that
if we are going to eradicate poverty, we must 3. Leverage the political and economic
focus on an even deeper level, supporting influence of our members and the
interventions that further self-sufficiency collective power of the neighbors to
and support our neighbors who then create advocate for changes in the systems that
opportunities for others. currently discourage or prevent families
from moving out of poverty permanently.
Neighbors must participate in all decisions.
These three core strategies are undergirded
The individual neighbors of the ZIP code by a set of supporting conditions for
must be an integral part of all activities, and governance, work groups, and project
their individual and collective voice must be management.
a significant driver of all decisions. All actions
must be characterized by mutual respect and The proposed action steps required in year 1
employment of the assets everyone brings to (2014) to begin implementing the strategies
the table. This may necessitate creating new toward accomplishing the goal follow on
forms of participation and new spaces within pages 8–12.
which voices can be heard. Middle class—and
particularly Methodist—notions of committee
structures and leadership identification may
be challenged as new forms of collaboration
and leadership emerge from the neighbors
themselves.
7the
ZIP code
project
ministry with the poor
Mission Support Strategies
Our goal is to eradicate Governance CONVENE neighbors and
poverty in two ZIP • Bishop and Cabinet churches, organizations,
codes—75215 and 75426— • Board of the Center for and individuals currently
by 2025. Missional Outreach working in the ZIP codes
that are aligned with
We will know we have Work Groups our mission and assess
accomplished it when • Steering Committee how we can support
our neighbors in these • Data Collection and existing services and what
communities become Analysis additional initiatives should
so self-sufficient that be developed.
they no longer need our Project Management
partnership and can in turn • Director of the ZIP Code
affect transformation in Project EDUCATE our
other communities. • Church and Community
congregations—and the
Worker for 75215
general public about
We will do this through • Church and Community
poverty, and what is
transformational support Worker for 75426
needed to help individuals
for improvements
and families move out
in education, health
of poverty permanently
care, employment,
wages, personal and racism, especially the
finance, neighborhood inequitable opportunities
development, racial and impacts resulting from
equity, and political institutional and structural
power, beginning with racism.
the education and
transformation of our own
churches and structures. LEVERAGE the political
and economic influence
of our members and the
collective power of the
neighbors to advocate for
changes in the systems
that currently discourage
or prevent families from
moving out of poverty
permanently.
the ZIP code project | lynn parsons, director | 214.931.6254 | lynn@ntcumc.org
center for missional outreach | north texas conference of the united methodist church2014 Action Plan » SUPPORT
Action Step How will we know How will we know
it was implemented? it was effective?
Create a steering committee Steering Committee Steering Committee records
to work with the project established; mission and demonstrate the impact of
director to develop and operating procedures created their guidance and feedback
implement the action plan and and implemented on project direction and
provide on-going guidance implementation
and feedback
Convene regional meetings Regional meetings held a. More than half of all
of Methodist churches in the and all 300 churches in the churches participate in a
North Texas Conference to Conference invited; summary meeting
identify current outreach of outreach activities and
activities and interest in the interest is developed b. Data are used to inform
two ZIP codes the long-term planning,
implementation and
evaluation process for the
project
Collect and analyze data a. Experts identified to a. Report and
from multiple sources for design data collection and recommendations are
a summary report and evaluation plans widely read and accepted
recommendations about as valid
both ZIP codes, needs of the b. Data identified and
75215 neighbors, support services aggregated; report b. Report is used to inform
and available, and best practices developed and validated the long-term planning,
75426 for community transformation. by community neighbors implementation and
and agencies evaluation process for the
project
Place a full-time Church and CCWs are identified, housing a. CCWs are known and
Community Worker (CCW) procured, and work begins trusted by community
in each ZIP code—to live neighbors
and work there and support
community transformation. b. CCWs develop and
accomplish work plans to
support ZIP Code project
goals
Clarify and finalize metrics a. Project management and a. Metrics and targets
and targets for measuring the work groups work with validated by the
impact of our mission by 2025. data experts, neighbors, neighbors, community
and community leaders leaders, and national
to define final metrics and experts
targets
b. Metrics and targets are
b. Governing bodies adopt disseminated across the
metrics and targets Conference and to key
national groups
92014 Action Plan » CONVENE
Action Step How will we know How will we know
it was implemented? it was effective?
Create a resource map and Resource map designed and Surveys of agencies indicate
listing of agencies involved in available on line; web statistics that it is known and used to
serving the neighbors of 75215 indicate increasing usage make connections among
and south Dallas agencies and on behalf of
neighbors
Provide training and a. Multiple meetings are held a. Neighbors express
community development in each area satisfaction at their
for neighbors identified and level of community
invited by neighborhood b. The number of involvement and
leaders to assess individual participants increases at confidence in
and community needs and each successive meeting the likelihood of
develop action plans transformative
75215 c. Action plans are improvement
developed in each
neighborhood b. Implementation of action
plans is begun
Convene meetings of “like” Initial meetings held and on- a. Agencies indicate
agencies providing service in going process established awareness of other
the ZIP code and create an agencies doing similar
on-going networking process work
b. Agencies report new
collaborations for service
delivery
Unite the Black Ministerial a. Unification accomplished Plans are implemented and
Alliance and the Red River and regular meeting community development is in
County Ministerial Alliance schedule established progress
as a single group to provide
direction for community de- b. New group establishes
velopment projects and plans for
community development
Create an alliance of agencies Initial meetings held and reg- Group develops and imple-
and individuals providing sup- ular meeting schedule estab- ments collaborative service
port services to the commu- lished delivery models
75426 nity
Provide training and commu- a. Meetings held that include a. Neighbors express sat-
nity development for small neighbors from all geo- isfaction at their level of
groups of neighbors—some in graphic areas of the ZIP community involvement
churches and some as “town code and confidence in the like-
hall” meetings-- to assess lihood of transformative
individual and community b. Council of neighborhoods improvement
needs and develop action established
plans; identify representatives b. Implementation of action
from geographic areas to form c. Action plans developed plans is begun
“council of neighbors” for each neighborhood
102014 Action Plan » EDUCATE
Action Step How will we know How will we know
it was implemented? it was effective?
Provide training about poverty Training is provided in multiple a. Initial post-training
and what is needed to move sessions across the North evaluations indicate new
families out of poverty Texas Conference knowledge and attitudes
permanently to churches, as a result of the training
church leaders, church
organizations, and to the b. Individuals and churches
general public. begin to develop new
missions aimed at the root
causes of poverty
Provide training about Training was provided and key a. Initial post-training
institutional and structural leaders participated evaluations indicate new
racism and how to correct it knowledge and attitudes
for governmental, community, as a result of the training
and church leaders in each ZIP
code. b. Leaders begin analyzing
past, present and
future structural and
75215
institutional policies and
and
decisions in terms of
75426
racial equityCommunity
organizations and
individuals begin meeting
across racial lines and
are focused on proactive
action to benefit the
whole community
Connect NTC churches and a. Information about a. UMC churches members in
members to agencies already volunteer and support the NTC report increased
working in 75215 and 75426 needs is collected satisfaction about the ZIP
who are in need of volunteers Code Project and their
and support. b. Information about own contributions
volunteer and support
needs is sent to all NTC b. Targeted agencies report
churches in a variety of increase in volunteers
media and support from NTC
churches and members
112014 Action Plan » LEVERAGE
Action Step How will we know How will we know
it was implemented? it was effective?
Identify elected officials in a. Officials and church a. Voting and decision-
the NTC who are Methodists affiliation are identified making practices of
and convene meetings identified Methodists
with the Bishop and other b. Meetings with the Bishop are more reflective of
church leaders to align and other church leaders the Social Principles and
public practices with the are held church teachings.
United Methodist Church
Social Principles and church c. An on-going process for b. Identified Methodists
teachings. continued conversation begin to reach out to non-
and collaboration is Methodist colleagues.
established
Identify laws, policies, and a. Experts identified and a. Targeted practices and
institutional structures that seminars convened to strategies for change
discourage or prevent our identify potential barriers are validated by the
neighbors from moving out neighbors, community
of poverty permanently b. Laws, policies, and leaders, and national
and develop strategies for institutional structures experts
attacking them. are ranked according
to potential impact and b. Implementation is begun
probability of change
75215
and c. Strategies for change are
75426 developed
Facilitate community a. Resources for community a. Strategic plans are
organization and advocacy development and political validated by the
to correct laws, policies and organization are identified neighbors, community
institutional structures that leaders, and national
discriminate against people in b. Strategic plans are experts
poverty. developed
b. Neighbor groups begin
to advocate for change in
their own neighborhoods
Advocate for the neighbors a. High-impact laws and a. Strategic plans are
directly with city, county, policies are targeted for validated by the
state, and federal agencies. organizational political neighbors, community
action leaders, and national
experts
b. Strategic plans are
developed b. The North Texas
Conference begins to
advocate for change in
targeted laws and policies
References and Resources
Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian When Helping Hurts: Phillips, Michael White Metropolis: Race, Ethnicity, and
How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . Religion in Dallas 1841-2001. University of Texas Press,
and Yourself. Moody Publishers, 2012 2006
James, Larry M. The Wealth of the Poor: How Valuing Schutze, Jim The Accommodation: The Politics of Race in
Every Neighbor Restores Hope in Our Cities. Abilene an American City. Citadel Press, 1986
Christian University Press, 2013 Shipler, David The Working Poor: Invisible in America.
Payne, Ruby K. A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Vintage, 2005
aha Process, Inc., 2005 Shore, Bill The Cathedral Within: Transforming Your Life
Perkins, Dr. John Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian By Giving Something Back. Random House, 2001
Community Development. Baker Books, 1993
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