Since 1983, Here’s Life Inner City - Los Angeles has come alongside hundreds of inner-city churches that are passionate about reaching the needs of their surrounding neighborhood by the transforming love of Christ.

We believe it is more strategic and more valuable to the Body of Christ to serve these dynamic (but under resourced) ministries then it is to start our own stand-alone program.We partner with over 300 inner-city churches and ministries in three broad areas — Connecting, Empowering and Developing to help realize the end goal of Community Transformation.

CONNECTING – [Short-Term Poverty Relief]

We help ministries connect with the poor through our strategy of "Compassionate Evangelism". These resources are designed to assist our partners in establishing relationships with the by meeting their crisis needs and introducing Christ to them.

• We provided our church partners with over 120,000 BOXES OF LOVE in the past decade, each containing a holiday dinner for an entire family to be eaten in their own home. This gift is used as an effective tool to share Christ's love with the needy.
• From 1998-2005, approximately 7,500 HOMELESS CAREKITS were provided to the homeless in the L.A. area, through existing ministries. Each kit includes a blanket, gloves, winter hat, socks, toiletry items, and more.
• Over 20,000 EASTER BAGS filled with treats and Scripture portions have been distributed to needy children city-wide.
• Thousands of pairs of BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOES have been given to children suffering with inadequate footwear...now with book bags!
• HLIC's RESOURCE CENTER provides on-going emergency products and food from our local warehouse in order to meet specific, sometimes urgent community needs. The Evangelistic Food Distribution program has been an increase to over 100,000 families/400,000 individuals being served each month by the food that passes through the Resource Center doors. This food is used an opportunity to share the Gospel and we are seeing upwards of 2000 people come to Christ each month!

EMPOWERING – [Intermediate Poverty Assistance]

Our method is to work continually to discover the needs of our partner ministries and then offer training, manpower and other resources to help empower these churches to be increasingly effective as they minister to their neighbors in need.

• The TechExchange program assists churches and ministries to develop their own technology ministry by providing tech classes in our traditional “train the trainer” approach.
• Compassion by Command is a video based curriculum designed to mobilize Christians to reach out to the poor in their communities. The study takes participants deep into Scripture to better understand God’s heart for the poor and the responsibility that Christians have in helping those in poverty.
• Our SUMMER IN THE CITY summer mission project provides significant ministry manpower. Since 1991, over 900 college students have worked alongside ministries where the needs are greatest. Many alumni were impacted so deeply that they are now investing their time in inner city communities across America.
• Spring Break projects, called URBAN IMMERSION, afford college students a "taste" of ministry in the city. Outreaches involving students draw thousands of community residents, especially children, into contact with urban churches and ministries. Annually, Urban Immersion draws hundreds of students from as close as UCLA, to as far away as Cornell University.
• OUTREACH AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT is a strategic resource that takes on many forms, including evangelism and discipleship training in both English and Spanish. We also offer organizational help, fund-raising, and time management seminars to increase ministries' effectiveness.
• Because the family structure is so important, URBAN FAMILY OUTREACH/COUNSELING services are provided through trained HLIC staff. We provide an intensive Lay Counselor Training as well as marriage and family seminars, all directly for the local urban churches.

DEVELOPING – [Long-Term Poverty Intervention]

We provide our partner ministries with long-term, church-centered developmental programs to bring deep and lasting transformation to their neighborhoods.THE CIRCLE OF HOPE would not be complete unless needy people who are trapped in a cycle of poverty can overcome the odds against them and develop into the fullness of God’s plan for their lives.

• S.A.Y. YES! CENTERS provide a safe haven during the hours of 3-7 when most inner city children are at risk. This extensive "discipleship" program involves tutoring, Bible study, computer training, leadership mentoring, and field trips. With this exciting and proven strategy, HLIC helps urban churches fulfill the vision of developing youth into godly adults. In the L.A. area alone, there are 14 centers. Each of these centers is initially building into 30-40 children from the community, with many on the "waiting list."
• Holistic Hardware is a video curriculum used in holistic life skill programs but can also serve as a stand alone life skills/discipleship resource.
• New Focus is a financial literacy program that inner-city churches can use to help develop their neighbors spiritually while focusing on their economic circumstances.
• The 10/100 (10 churches working with 10 families each totaling 100 families) Project addresses the need of getting food recipients out of the food line. Our church partners adopt these families and build into them for 9-12 months to help them develop financial, emotional, physical and spiritual stability.
• CAD (Construction & Discipleship) is a community development program where we train local churches to rehab homes in their neighborhood and to use that opportunity for discipleship and job skills training.