City Gospel Mission opened its doors for the first time on August 3, 1924. Twenty-nine people attended the first service. Mr. James N. Gamble of Procter and Gamble was the first President of the Board.

Originally at 1314 Vine Street in downtown Cincinnati, the Mission provided food and clothing to the needy, care for the sick, and a ministry of hope and Good News to those in jail and on the streets.

Work with children has always been important to the Mission's ministry and continues today. In the years that followed, the work grew and the need for more space became evident.

In 1943, the Mission purchased a church building at the corner of Elm and Magnolia in the Over-The-Rhine area of Cincinnati. It is still in the same location today. Renovations were completed to the former church building in 1963.

A new building was built in 1969 alongside the existing one, to create a complex in which to better address the needs of the homeless. This additional building allowed the Mission to expand its services. Room to house overnight guests increased, and the drug and alcohol rehabilitation program expanded.

In 1998, Having the Courage to Change, a discipleship/treatment program, became a ministry of City Gospel Mission and is continuing to further the Mission's goals of renewing hope and rebuilding lives.

The Birth of City Ministries

In 2001, City Gospel Mission merged with CityCURE, an organization fruitfully serving Greater Cincinnati's urban youth through various ministries since 1969. This was the birth of City Ministries.

This strategic alliance has amplified the skills and capabilities of both organizations, creating a dynamic entity whose sum is indeed greater than its parts. CityCURE (www.citycure.com) offers proven ability to reach out to and provide hope for urban youth while City Gospel Mission brings faithful service in feeding, sheltering, and rehabilitating homeless and hurting men and women, providing physical and spiritual help to those in need for more than 80 years.

With the merger, City Gospel Mission is now part of a multi-faceted ministry dedicated to:

• empowering the urban poor to move from poverty to productivity
• breaking the destructive cycle of unhealthy dependency upon others
• developing personal responsibility and accountability in those served
• supporting churches in their efforts to serve the urban poor
• applying biblical truth to the entire helping process.