Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry has been serving vulnerable residents of Northwest Philadelphia responding directly and compassionately to the basic needs of clients.  In 1997, GACM was founded by a consortium of local churches to address the growing need for emergency services by residents in their community. The clergy from these Northwest congregations noticed an increase in the number of people who came to their doors requesting emergency assistance. They determined that the most effective way to handle this trend was to establish a centralized ministry. This ministry was built upon:

• A common faith in God shared by the interfaith network of congregations;

• Recognition of each person’s right to be treated with compassion, dignity, and respect;

• A shared commitment to promoting the physical and spiritual well-being of people;

• The establishment of effective linkages within the community.

They targeted zip code areas 19118, 19119, 19138, 19144 and 19150 and combined their financial resources to fund a part-time social work staff position and to provide money for emergency grants and direct service. In 2006, the ministry expanded to include zip code area 19126.