Our History

500 families sought help from The Christian Sharing Center in 1986;
in 2005, we assisted 7,151 families

In 1985 a group of church leaders and social workers met to discuss how they could work together to serve the needs of the poor in the community. They recognized that their staffs did not have the training, time or resources to do the job effectively and that many services were being duplicated, others not provided at all. With 16 churches pledging to provide food, financial assistance and volunteers, South Seminole Christian Sharing Center opened in May, 1986. Today, approximately 60 congregations participate. In our 20-year history, we have grown rapidly, necessitating two moves. In 1997 we changed our name to The Christian Sharing Center, Inc. to better reflect who we are. We have added staff members and opened stores to raise operating money. And at every juncture the Lord has blessed our work and provided the resources to serve His poor.

DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS A Board of Directors oversees operation of The Sharing Center, reviews policies, assists in fund development, and coordinates with churches they represent. Care is taken to ensure that varying denominations & congregations, as well as expertise in various business & civic areas, are represented.

SERVICES A wide range of services is offered to those in need, and anything "outside the norm" is considered to help keep a family functioning. The majority of our clients are among the "working poor" whose paychecks won't stretch to cover emergencies. A total of 6,496 of the 7,151 families helped during this reporting period reflects families with documented "Very Low" income; 523 with "Low" income.

STAFF Our President, Angie Romagosa, has served from the beginning, and for many years was the only paid staff person. Today she is assisted by 21 full- or part-time staff members. Over 250 dedicated volunteers gave 29,688 hours of service to Seminole County through their work with The Christian Sharing Center in 2005.

FUNDING Financial backing comes from churches, businesses, civic groups, individuals, grants, and The Sharing Center Thrift Store, which opened in 1995 dba Values Reborn Thrift Store. In 1995, “Values Reborn” was dropped from the name. The store now is known as The Sharing Center Thrift Store to clearly show that 100% of its proceeds funds The Sharing Center. Other fundraisers include a golf tournament, “Stock Options” pledge drive, CROPWalk, penny drives and America’s Charities workplace giving program. In order to provide additional assistance in emergency situations, we have accepted funds from Seminole County Government, EFSP and Progress Energy’s Energy Neighbor Fund, none of which compromise our identity as Christians or prohibit us from endorsing Christianity.

INCOME AND EXPENSES A growing client base has forced us to look at additional sources of revenue. The Sharing Center Thrift Store provides the income that we need to keep our finances in the black. The CSC is committed to keeping our expenses down so that we have the funds to accomplish our mission of serving those in need.

SPIRITUALITY The Sharing Center mission is to demonstrate Christ’s love to others. As Christians, we would like to have the gospel message delivered to all people, and we strive to provide for the physical needs of the hurting so that they are more receptive to a spiritual experience.