Mercy Street History

Mercy Street grew out of the desire to see a small pocket of poverty in Dallas-called West Dallas--transformed by the gospel. Believing that that best occurs in the context of relationship, Mercy Street started a mentoring program to address the tragedy happening in the children's lives. (Highlighting the tragedy is the academic outcomes in the community. The high school graduation rate was alarming. Of 394 students who entered Pinkston High School in the fall of 1999, only 85 were in the senior class in 2003. Only 20% of those passed the TAKS test--now required for graduation. The average SAT score was 758.)

Mercy Street believes that true and lasting change is brought about by the residents of the community. Sometimes all that is needed is an infusion of hope from the outside. Following the pattern Christ established by dwelling among those he ministered to, Mercy Street seeks to be "incarnational" in its ministry efforts. Therefore, many of the employees and the Executive Director of the ministry live in the community.

Mercy Street's hope is to raise children from the community to be the leaders of tomorrow. We determined that the schools needed help and that the best and only way to help the schools was to work directly with the children and reinforce the parent's efforts by engaging a caring Christian adult in the life of every child in West Dallas. The mentor is tasked with being an encourager, friend, and advisor to the child over the course of many years.

In the spring of 2003, Mercy Street placed its first Mentor Coordinator at George Washington Carver and mentors were recruited from churches around the city to shepherd every child in the 4^th and 5^th grades of that school. At first it started slowly as the parents began to sign releases for their children to enter the program. By the end of that year 90% of the students in the 4th and 5th grades enrolled in the program. Our commitment to each school is to take on every incoming fourth grade class.

To do that, Mercy Street partners with area churches who provide mentors. Park Cities Presbyterian Church birthed the ministry and remains an indispensable partner. Many other churches have since joined the effort, including Highland Park Presbyterian, Watermark Community Church, Northwest Bible Church, West Dallas Community Church, Highland Park Methodist, Grace Bible Church, and many others. We are hungry for more urban churches to help as we desire to represent the Kingdom in all of its diversity of ethnicity and socio-economic groups.

Another key to our beginnings was the building the Dallas Housing Authority graciously leased to Mercy Street for $1 per year. We are proud to call the old Edgar Ward Community Center, a 25,000 square foot facility from the historic old projects, our home. The now renovated building is centrally located within 1 mile of the 5 schools that we seek to minister to. This building is now used as office and meeting space for the ministry, a church, a meeting place for the mentors and students, office space for West Dallas Young Life, and space for the Dallas Pregnancy Resource Center.