In 1960, Drs. John M. and Vera Mae Perkins began Mendenhall Ministries to help the poor in rural Mississippi meet their own needs. Seeking to show God’s love in action, their vision grew into a ministry known for providing progressive local leadership within the community to address poor housing, segregated education, lack of employment opportunities, and lack of capital.

To this day Mendenhall Ministries offers childcare, legal assistance, youth development programs, the Mendenhall Bible Church, adult education, a cooperative farm, a thrift store, housing development, Genesis One School, a health center and a senior citizen facility.

In 1972, the Perkins, along with two other families, moved to Jackson to focus on the needs of inner-city families. They founded Voice of Calvary Ministries (VOCM). Currently VOCM assists urban families in housing development, year-round youth programs, health care, and home ownership training programs.

In 1982, John and Vera Mae moved to Northwest Pasadena, a neighborhood which once had the highest daytime crime rates in California. While in Pasadena, they established the Harambee Christian Family Center. Harambee serves a 12-block target area, working with African-Americans and Latino children and families. Rudy Carrasco now heads Harambee Ministries.

In February 1983, John and Vera Mae, along with a few friends and other supporters, established the John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation & Development, a 501(c)(3) corporation organized for the sole purpose of supporting Drs. John and Vera Mae Perkins in their mission of advancing the principles of Christian community development and racial reconciliation throughout the world.

In 1989, while still in Pasadena, Dr. John M. Perkins called together a group of national Christian leaders bound by the one significant commitment of expressing the love of Christ in America’s urban communities, not at arms length, but at the grassroot level. The Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) was formed from the gathering and that year held its first annual conference in Chicago. Since then, CCDA has grown into a network of more than 700 organizations across the world.

In 1995, John and Vera Mae helped develop the Harambee Preparatory School in response to the Pasadena community’s need for children of poverty-level homes to receive a quality academic experience in a secure and loving environment.

In 1996, the Perkins moved back to Jackson, MS and brought the John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development with them. For the past 12 years they have been dedicated to helping the West Jackson community reflect the Kingdom of God through the families and children of the neighborhood.