Our mission at Decatur Cooperative Ministry is to help families facing homelessness settle into safe, stable homes and build healthy lives filled with peace, hope and opportunity.

We have a long history of working towards this goal.

Founded in 1969, Decatur Cooperative Ministry was originally a “seed-planting” organization: DCM identified gaps in local needs, started programs to address them, and then handed these programs off to local churches.

By the early 1980s, DCM had shifted its focus from incubating several programs to nurturing just a few. These services—which eventually became our current transitional housing, shelter, and homelessness prevention programs—helped families prevent, endure, and overcome homelessness.

DCM has continued to expand upon its programs since the development of the core three in the 1980s; now also offering rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing programs, our programs span the entire spectrum of currently recognized homelessness interventions.

To accomplish this, DCM partners with 35 congregations from 14 denominations as well as private foundations, universities and schools, government agencies, community groups, and local businesses.

View a detailed history of DCM here.