Shama Ministries

Shama Ministries is a 501(c)(3) Charitable organization whose sole purpose is service to the communities that it serves to add to the quality of life of those communities. Shama Ministries' efforts have been realized since 1998, but officially recognized as a not-for-profit organization in January 2005. All of its efforts are completely free to the communities and its residents. It is supported solely through private donations. At the present time it does not have any compensated officers. Some of the outreach that Shama Ministries undertakes, but is not limited to for the past ten years are outdoor community gospel festivals which are held in parks throughout the inner city and supported by the City of Chicago. This annual event provides the inner city communities with one full day of family fun, food, gospel entertainment, information booths, games for kids, and various other actitivites. Shama Ministries' vision is to go into the deepest and distressed inner city communities -- the forgotten communities and bring life back to those communities through its activities and support. Shama Ministries' President is from those communities and certainly realizes the needs of the youth, as well as the adults that it serves. Shama Ministries also supports incarcerated moms and dads through an annual program - the Angel Tree Program -- it services children of incarcerated parents during the holiday seasons. Gifts and a wonderful Christmas Program is provided to those kids and their caregivers on behalf of the incarcerated parent. This event has been provided for the last ten years. Although Shama Ministries supports various shelters and senior programs in the community, throughout the year through donations and other means, it has extended its efforts to include yet another outreach - the House of Refuge - which is a transitional living facility whose population is persons released from incarceration, treatment centers and the homeless. The House of Refuge is a Christian -- Faith Based residential facility. It opened its doors in September 2008 and is supported primarily through private donations. The House of Refuge proudly recognizes the success of the many individuals who have benefited from its efforts through their gaining employment, some returning to school to further their education, reunited children with their estranged parents. This program and its efforts is absolutely the joy of shama Ministries and is hoping to expand this ministry to include a greater population because of the need for the love that it offers and the resources. The Vision of Shama Ministries continues to broaden which is why volunteers are needed.