His Place is GOD'S Place in Pittsburgh, PA

Overview:

Since the early 1970s, "His Place" Contact Center has been providing a positive alternative to life on the streets of the inner-city.  Originally conceived as a "drop in" center for the growing number of street people in Pittsburgh, "His Place" has touched the lives of countless children and teens who have come looking for a safe, friendly place where they are welcomed.

Over the years, programs at "His Place" have grown from weekend youth group meetings and Bible studies to a full schedule of activities.

History and Mission:

His Place is the urban outreach project of the Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ of the Greater Pittsburgh region.  It was established in 1975, and has operated continuously on the North Side of Pittsburgh since that time. 

For the first 28 years of its operation, His Place operated out of a storefront located at 945 Western Avenue in the West Allegheny neighborhood on the north side of Pittsburgh.  Since 1976, it has had only two Directors: Rick Weiss (1976-1993), who is now Associate Pastor at West Hills Christian Church, and his wife, Debe (1993-present). 

In 1998, on the occasion of the dissolution of the old First Christian Church of Pittsburgh (formerly First Christian Church of Allegheny), His Place received, pursuant to the Bylaws of that Church, 50% of the sales price of the old church building, amounting to about $145,000.  This amount was earmarked by the His Place Board of Directors for the purchase of a new facility, since the Western Avenue property was no longer large enough to accommodate the programs of the Center. 

It was not until 2003, however, that the Board found a suitable property in the area served by the Center.  In that year, His Place purchased its current operating location, a three-story building at 1911 Rhine Street, in the Spring Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, just two blocks from a major housing project in which a substantial number of children participating in the programs of His Place reside. 

The basic mission of His Place is to reach children and families in the inner city of Pittsburgh, with of view to promoting character development and instilling Christian values through Bible classes, abstinence education, remedial reading and other educational support programs, and the development of skills that can result in employment opportunities in the marketplace.