ABOUT US

MISSION STATEMENT

Our Mission is to be a witness for Christ among the poor and homeless, serve their needs, and advocate their cause to the community at large.

Our Core Values

  • Everyone gets respect

  • Bring your best every day

  • There is
    no box!

  • Stay faithful
    to God

People's City Mission was started in 1907 by local churches, offering food and shelter for transient and impoverished men, women and children.

 

Today, the People's City Mission is Lincoln's primary homeless shelter housing 350 men, women, and children on an average day. PCM provides emergency and transitional housing to both men and families (including single mothers).

 

The Help Center, opened in 1990, takes the donations our community gives us and distributes them to low-income families within the community for no cost. Here we collect and then distribute food, clothing, household items, furniture, toys, and personal care items.

 

The PCM Free Medical Clinic opened in July 2009 to provide free medical, dental, chiropractic, and behavioral health care to low-income Lincoln residents without medical insurance.

OUR HISTORY

The People's City Mission (PCM) has been a vital part of the Lincoln community for over 100 years.
We were founded in 1907 by a number of local churches in the city.

 

We wanted to demonstrate Christ's love to people who were impoverished and homeless by providing them with emergency assistance of food, shelter, and clothing.

 

Through the years, our purpose has remained the same: bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the poor and homeless, and demonstrate His love for them by meeting basic human needs. Over the years, more than one million people have been assisted by our ministry.

1909

We purchased our first facility in downtown Lincoln near N and 9th Street. This building had been a well-known house of prostitution called Lydia's House. It proved to be a great location for Christian outreach. Our first program focused on providing food and shelter to transient men. Many of them were German-Russian immigrants, and PCM assisted these early settlers of Lincoln with English classes and a German Sunday School.


1928

Our services were significantly expanded during the Great Depression when many people in the city sought help with food and shelter. There were few government programs in place to deal with this crisis, and we became the primary provider of emergency assistance to the city. Thousands of individuals were helped by PCM through this difficult period.

1960s

We added a number of new programs, including Advocacy and support of Native Americans, family housing for women with children, rehabilitation program for alcoholics and drug addicts, and a Lincoln Police Chaplaincy program.

1987

We relocated to a larger facility at 110 "Q" Street. As a result, the number of beds available at PCM increased from 60 to 110. Over $1 million dollars in community support was raised, which completely paid for this expansion.

1990

We opened the Mission's Homeless Prevention Center to distribute groceries, clothing and household items to needy families in the community.

2002

We expanded our primarily facilities at 110 Q Street to accommodate more people and house a longer-term rehabilitation program for women. This expansion increased our bed count from 110 to 210.

2004

We opened the HIS Center (Homeless Intervention Service) to provide overnight shelter for chronically homeless men. This increased our total number of beds from 210 to 260. We also took over the operations of DayWatch, a day housing program for transient men. Our services include shelter, lunch, dinner, laundry and mail services.

2007

We formed People's City Mission Housing Corporation (502(c)(4)) and Curtis Center Limited Partnership.

2008

We opened the Curtis Transitional Housing Center, which has 60 single-occupancy rental units for men and is staffed to offer training, counseling, and education to the tenants. A smaller transitional living space was opened within the Family Shelter area to house up to 12 women. The number of people staying at our 110 Q Street campus now exceeds 300 per night.

2008

We also moved the HIS Center (bunk space for 101 men) to the west side of the Mission Home building located at 110 Q Street and a special day area known as the Agape Cafe was opened for the use of the HIS Center guests and men who need a place to go during the day

2008

Mission Bean Coffee Corporation was established as a for-profit entity with all profits, after taxes, going to People's City Mission operating budget.

2009

The PCM Medical Clinic opened, providing free medical, dental, vision, and counseling care to uninsured Lincoln residents. Most staff members are volunteers from the community, from medical professionals to receptionists to greeters.

2010

We opened the Curtis Transitional Housing Center, which has 60 single-occupancy rental units for men and is staffed to offer training, counseling, and education to the tenants. A smaller transitional living space was opened within the Family Shelter area to house up to 12 women. The number of people staying at our 110 Q Street campus now exceeds 300 per night.

2010

Veterans Program. In conjunction with the VA started a specialized program for vets recovering from military service-related issues

2011

Starry Nights Began. Annual Christmas celebration for the Lincoln community with decorated trees and various activities.

2012

Safe Place. Set up safe place sites around Lincoln where kids can go whenever they feel like they are in danger.

2013

Women's Transitional Housing Program. Started transitional housing program for women using 7 private rooms in the family shelter.

Started the Toss Box program to collect textile donations from the community.

2014

Church Plant. Started a church at the Mission for guests wanting to attend Sunday services and not having a church congregation of their own. Has grown to over 100 people.

2015

Haulers Helping the Homeless. A partnership between People's City Mission and the city¹s trash haulers to pick up bags of clothing while they make their garbage runs.

2016

Memorial Garden dedicated. We built a memorial garden where homeless men and women who have passed away can be remembered on a memorial wall, and have their ashes scattered if so desired.

2017

Launched Only251 initiative to feed one person one meal, once a month, for $2.51. Also launched the Only251 shuttle to provide transportation for guests and lunches/waters for the homeless around Lincoln.

2017

Moved the Homeless Prevention Center to it's new location at 68th & P, renaming it the Help Center.

OUR TEAM

Management Staff

Pastor Tom Barber - Chief Executive Officer

 

Amy Pappas - Senior Vice President

 

Bryan Davis - Vice President of Operations

 

Alex Snavely - Human Resources Officer

 

Danny Dakan - Facilities Director

 

Tim Harlan - Men's Temporary Housing Director

 

Julie Korell - Women's Temporary Housing Director

 

Earl Richardson - Curtis Center Director

 

Brian Korell - Help Center Director

 

Randy Hand - Food Services Director

 

Michele Dakan - Community Relations Director

 

Josh Burkey - Volunteer Services Director

 

Wayne Smith - Recycling Director

 

Board of Directors

Pastor Tom Barber

 

Mark Rouse

 

Pat Timmer

 

Al Riskowski

 

Robb Linafelter

 

Joni Cover

 

Matthew Scheef

 

Bill Misko

 

Jessica Flanagain

 

Barry Lockard

 

Heath Stukenholtz

 

Sam Gifford

 

Doug Peterson

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

Community Partners are vitally important to the success of the Mission and the life of our guests. We partner with like-minded organizations, who are doing good in our community.

PCM's partners-including corporations and organizations-are crucial to our work meeting the basic needs of the homeless and less fortunate in Lincoln. This is accomplished by providing shelter, food, clothing, medical and spiritual care, and life skills training.

WHERE WE WORK

PCM is the largest homeless shelter per capita in the United States.

People's City Mission's Homeless Shelter, Free Medical clinic, Help Center and administrative offices are located in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the heartland of America. Since 1907, People's City Mission has served as the primary facility in the city for people needing immediate emergency shelter. In this capacity we act as our community's safety net for the homeless.

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The population of the city of Lincoln (2022)
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Estimated number of people who are homeless each night in Lincoln
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Estimated percentage of kids in Lincoln living in poverty