BRIDGETON (MBCH) – At their first meeting of 2023, the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home (MBCH) board of trustees voted unanimously to rename the Coleman House to the Martin Youth Center, named after current MBCH President Russell Martin. The board came to this decision as a way of honoring Martin’s passion for this project.
“If you ask Russell (Martin) about the repurposing going on, you’ll see his eyes light up and a big smile; he can hardly contain himself to talk about it,” Ron Baker, chair of the MBCH properties board, said.
Russell Martin
Martin has long held an interest in serving insecure youth from several nearby school districts. Currently being remodeled with funds from the recently-awarded Children’s Trust Fund grant, the Martin Youth Center will allow space for students to hang out, wash clothes, play games, read, and interact with other students.
Students will also have access to a medical clinic in the same building – serviced by an area health facility – to meet needs that otherwise might go unattended. All of this is under the caring supervision of trained MBCH staff. One added benefit, the Martin Youth Center is situated on the Lowe-Frillman Campus here in such a way as to provide for discrete access, allowing drop-in users to utilize facilities and services with a reasonable level of privacy.
Baker said, “After the tour [of the renovations] one of our members suggested that we might name this building in honor of our president. Russ definitely has a heart for children and he is excited about how this facility can touch the lives of young people who have no place to call home.”
A thorough work was done to uncover the history of the Coleman House donation and to track down descendants. Convinced that MBCH has fully honored that historical gift, the way is now clear to rename it the Martin Youth Center just in time for the building’s new mission as a drop-in center.
The MBCH asks for prayer for the ongoing renovation work, for the students who will soon be dropping-in, and for those who will be serving them.
For more information about this and other ongoing work at MBCH or for general inquiries about our mission and ministry, call 1-800-264-6224 or visit our website at www.MBCH.org.