Opening its doors in 1980 in Brooklyn’s inner-city, METRO MINISTRIES is celebrating its 30th Anniversary of serving children throughout the five boroughs of New York City and in various urban centers around the world. Its founder, PASTOR BILL WILSON, travels weekly to speak across America and around the world as a pioneer in children’s ministry. With over 120 full-time members on staff and over 42,000 children helped worldwide each week by the incredible nonprofit, Metro Ministries has grown into a staple of New York City and a pioneer of altruistic spirit.
Based in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn, one of Brooklyn’s roughest neighborhoods most commonly known for its history of gang violence, crime, drugs, and poverty, Metro Ministries has now grown to be an organization ministering to communities around the world. With the growth of the ministry and a desire for greater community outreach in 2008, Metro purchased a nearby facility, a former hospital, encompassing an entire city block. Today, that building is the 156,000 square foot complex named the Metro World Ministries Center.
The organization was founded by Bill Wilson. As a child, Pastor Bill experienced the pain and hopelessness of abandonment. One day, as he walked down a street with his mother, they stopped to sit for a while. She instructed him to sit there and wait for her to return. He sat and waited for three days straight. She never returned. A gentleman who had seen Bill stranded and alone stopped and picked him up. Pastor Bill is a well-known preacher, speaker, author and champion for disadvantaged children all over the world. Each week, Pastor Bill travels the globe speaking in churches nationally and internationally.
The charity provides multiple missionary-staff programs such as:
* Sidewalk Sunday School – their “after school” program that goes into the 5 boroughs and reaches over 17,000 kids a week.
* Revolution – their teen-building youth service with almost 400 attending each week, and
* Won by One Child Sponsorship Program – which helps to raise just $23/month per child providing that child with regular Sunday School attendance, weekly visits and opportunities to witness to the child’s family, rides to and from Sunday School, church services during the week, weekly treats given to the child when they get off the bus, and the funds needed to provide food and clothing when necessary.
Along with the aforementioned, there are several other programs and services that Metro Ministries has been proud to provide to youth over the past thirty years. With successful fundraising, an incredibly loyal and philanthropic staff, and the support of New Yorkers and people worldwide, Metro Ministries will continue to give back to the children of this city for many, many years to come.