Changing for the Better

A mission statement with meaning and a shared vision for the future helped fuel significant changes for Mecklenburg Ministries, a Charlotte based, interfaith and intercultural nonprofit. After attending Healthy Community Institute for Nonprofit Excellence (HCI) in 2005 and implementing lessons learned, the organization:

• Increased their board donations by 83 percent, with 100 percent now participating;
• Increased individual giving by one-third;
• And increased the number of member congregations by 60 percent, with 81 houses of faith now serving thousands instead of hundreds in the community.

Their vision has become their reality through events like the Interfaith Thanksgiving service and sponsorship of the first International and Interfaith Habitat for Humanity Build.

“With more than 100 faith leaders representing 11 faith traditions, we not only built a home for a deserving family, we also built a better community,” said Executive Director Dr. Maria Hanlin, “as rabbis, preachers, imams, priests and spiritual leaders built new relationships and served the community together.”

With the skills and awareness developed through HCI, Mecklenburg Ministries is quickly becoming the organization they envisioned being – the community’s leading interfaith, interracial and multi-ethnic organization that transforms human interactions and creates community across differences.

As Myers Park High student Brian Lee wrote as part of the group's International Day of Peace essay contest, “creating a culture of peace in on the shoulders of all of us...”

Mecklenburg Ministries attended Healthy Community Institute, part of our Community Impact through Nonprofit Excellence focus area. They received the HCI Award one year later, recognizing their achievement in strategic and operational improvements.