Presbyterian Mission Agency Presbyterian Committee of the Self-Development of People Archives

An unsung ministry quietly changes lives

Posted April 29th, 2020

Last November, when they gathered in a park near downtown Detroit, folks from the Dexter-Linwood Cordon neighborhood could see spring. They could see a butterfly garden, kids getting lost in a black-eyed Susan maze, people relaxing in a gazebo and gathering fresh vegetables in a garden. They could see a new season filled with hope for a Detroit block that had seen better days.

One Great Hour of Sharing ministries provide support during the pandemic

Posted April 3rd, 2020

In a world beset by disaster, hunger, and oppression, One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is dedicated to aiding the millions of people who lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity. Never has this been more prescient than in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Self-Development of People celebrates its 50th anniversary

Posted March 16th, 2020

The early 1970s was a similar time of harsh political polarization, with issues of race and poverty a prominent part of our conversations and a Church wondering how to address them.

Self-Development of People committee member makes Essence’s ‘Woke 100’ list

Posted January 21st, 2020

A Washington activist with ties to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has received an honor from Essence magazine that puts her in company with former first lady Michelle Obama, gymnast Simone Biles and other “movers and shakers,” such as filmmaker Ava Marie DuVernay.

Self-Development of People will engage with Atlanta at next meeting

Posted July 30th, 2019

With its September meeting in Atlanta, the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP) aims to get to know the Georgia capital and its surrounding communities better with a series of workshops and meetings.

PC(USA) support helps people with criminal records find work in Michigan

Posted March 27th, 2019

Across the United States, one of the major struggles for people with criminal convictions is finding work. For many employers, having a criminal record ends the conversation with a prospective employee. After funding a pair of initiatives that helped ex-offenders in Lansing, Michigan, return to the workforce, the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP) has funded a program that is helping those people take their work to the next level.

SDOP disburses over $150k for 10 self-help projects

Posted February 20th, 2019

The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP) has approved grants totaling $155,000 to fund 10 self-help projects in the United States and abroad.

‘When you know you’re walking alongside something that’s really powerful’

Posted January 2nd, 2019

If Luis Ramos Salgado had tried to ride the storm out in his home, he wouldn’t be able to walk down his street on this sunny morning. “I’d be dead,” he says through a translator, standing in the kitchen of the only home he’s ever known in San Juan’s Caño Martín Peña area.

Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People visits Marigold Women’s Cooperative

Posted May 17th, 2018

PLACENCIA, Belize — A little more than six years ago, the families living in remote villages in the Toledo region of Belize were facing some serious problems. Children were undernourished, barely attending school, and there was little income to be made.

Community Tenant Association makes inroads for low-income housing residents

Posted January 15th, 2018

Norman Fong grew up in a housing project. Coming from a low-income family he learned early in life what it was like to be evicted and to not know where to go.