An anonymous donor has given St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Church in Mililani a challenge grant of $1 million toward the construction of One Community Center, a 7,000-square-foot multipurpose facility to be used by social service organizations in central Oahu.
According to an Aug. 25 news release, the parish needs to raise $500,000 to meet the challenge and to complete the project by early next year.
The parish announced that the center will help the non-profit organizations ALEA Bridge and Catholic Charities Hawaii “to expand their services to reach a greater number of vulnerable at-risk populations in Mililani and surrounding communities.”
ALEA Bridge, according to its website, is “an emerging, non-profit organization, based on Christian values, committed to providing assistance to those who are homeless, as well as Hawaii’s at-risk individuals, families, youths, and veterans.”
ALEA Bridge will use the center to expand its collaboration with the parish, Mililani Presbyterian Church, the food bank and other social service agencies in sponsoring the food pantry and resource fair currently held once a month in the church parking lot.
Catholic Charities plans to use the center for immigrant and general counseling and senior services.
Other non-profits have also committed to use the new facility.
One Community Center will contain a meeting room, an office, a warming kitchen, restrooms, a storage room, and audio/visual technology that includes a 9-foot by 12-foot screen to livestream Mass and other liturgies in the church for overflow crowds.
The center will also be the venue for concerts, presentations, town hall meetings and large parish ministry gatherings, able to accommodate more than 500 people.
The building gets its name from the theme of the parish’s 45th anniversary celebration in 2016, “One Community Celebration.” The parish determined that it wanted to be a part of the community, serving the needs of its neighbors, and so needed a place where parishioners could gather with members of the greater Mililani community.
The parish expects the center to “serve as a model for other parishes” to help those in need.
Donations toward the building of the community center of $2,500 or more will be acknowledged on a donor recognition wall. For information on how to donate to the capital campaign, visit the campaign website at www.stjohnmililani.org and click on the “Online Giving” button, or call the parish office at 623-3332, ext. 100
