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Our History
A Ministry of Help and Hope.
Serve City has been serving our neighbors for over two and a half decades in this community offering life-saving, destiny-changing help and hope to those who are in need. Our organic roots have given birth to a powerful ministry that serves hundreds of people each year.
1 John 3:17 gives us a very strict charge when it says, “Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help them. If he doesn’t take pity on them, how can the love of God be in him?”
A group of church members took this charge seriously. Our Food Pantry began over 25 years ago in the basement of a local church. The needs continued to increase. Many of the people coming for food were from our inner city.
With no transportation, the families were unable to access our pantry. With much prayer and determination, the pantry moved to downtown Hamilton giving us the opportunity to meet the people where they are.
Serve City was founded on a simple, powerful belief: no single organization can battle housing instability alone, it takes an entire community standing together.
Back in 2001, facing an extreme shortage of local shelter space, a group of faith leaders and advocates refused to look away from our unhoused neighbors. They asked a critical question: Why leave buildings empty at night when people are sleeping on the street?
To solve the crisis, "The CHOSEN Shelter" was launched as a mobile network of hope. Local churches took turns hosting the shelter, moving the entire operation week by week to keep people safe. By 2002, this collaborative effort found a permanent home at 622 East Avenue.
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Decades later, that same spirit of community partnership drives us forward. We have continuously expanded our frontline services beyond a temporary bed, restoring dignity and providing vital shelter for 39 men and 13 women every night as they rebuild their paths to independence.
When a breakdown in the local housing system left too many Butler County residents stranded in emergency shelters with nowhere else to go, Serve City launched CHOICES Shared Transitional Housing Apartments.
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CHOICES provides 48 beds across 12
apartments, offering short term housing for neighbors who need extra time to get back on their feet. CHOICES operates on a unique, tenant focused framework.
Ending housing instability requires permanent, deeply supportive solutions.
That is exactly the mission behind Shekinah Place Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), our 25 efficiency unit apartment community located at 522 East Avenue in Hamilton.
Meaning "the presence of God on earth," Shekinah Place is a living manifestation of God's love reflected in our community's compassion.
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Launched in 2011, this vital housing program was built on a foundation of deep community collaboration. It represents the collective heartbeat of local churches, dedicated individuals, and the City of Hamilton, whose crucial funding partnership made this space possible.
Through Shekinah Place, we continue to deliver high-quality, permanent housing that wraps around our neighbors, helping them secure long-lasting self-sufficiency and the dignity they deserve.
Looking back at how far we’ve come reminds us that our story is still being written, and Serve City is excited to lean into the future with faith, hope, and expectation.
The battle to end housing instability and restore personal dignity in Butler County cannot be won alone. If you want to be a part of the next chapter of the Serve City mission, we invite you to step into the gap and connect with us today.
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Whether you represent a church, a local business, or a family ready to make a difference, we would love to talk with you about the endless possibilities and connection points waiting for you here.
Join us, and let's move our community forward, together.
