Urban Impact of Black Rock

Urban Impact of Black Rock is a Parachurch organization, founded in the wake of a Mission trip to New Orleans in April 2008.  Nearly 2 ½ years after the area was devastated by hurricane Katrina, only 20% of the area was rebuilt, leaving many in need.  Families, communities, schools and homes that struggled even before the hurricane, were devastated afterwards.  Today, many are still in need of hope.

Brought together by Black Rock’s Church’s mission trip, an initial group of strangers from southern Connecticut banded together in the name of God to help our desperate brothers and sisters in New Orleans.  Among the volunteers, a bond formed during that trip. The group questioned the need to travel across the country when a nearly identical need existed less than five miles from the church.  To answer this call, Urban Impact of Black Rock was created to target this local area in great need of God’s attention and love: the PT Barnum Community in Bridgeport, CT.

We serve the PT Barnum Apartments of Bridgeport which is one of four public housing complexes in the city.  The Apartments consist of 18 three-story buildings with 20 apartment units per building for a total of 360 units.

Bridgeport is the 7th worst city in the United States in terms of people living with financial hardships, and PT Barnum is one of the most impoverished areas within the city.  The impact of this economic reality on family structure, stability and education is overwhelmingly negative.

Urban Impact of Black Rock endeavors to remain a pillar for the this community to lean upon.

Urban Impact’s mission is to offer the youth who reside in the Bridgeport PT Barnum Public Housing Complex educational opportunities through ‘in-school’ & ‘after-school’ activities. Our programs revolve around one-on-one sessions, small group tutoring sessions, and mentoring. We strive for our students to achieve academic success, develop positive character traits, and lead fulfilling lives.