Prior to 1984, the churches of North Augusta, SC, had individual food pantries and clothes closets to help the poor. However, several churches felt the need to band together to organize a community-wide ministry. This was tried several times and was successful in 1984. Six local churches, Fairview Presbyterian, Grace United Methodist, Holy Trinity Lutheran, Our Lady of Peace Catholic, Saint Bartholomew Episcopal, and Second Providence Baptist successfully joined to establish the Community Ministry of North Augusta.
The Community Ministry of North Augusta (or CMONA) is a Christian organization that provides emergency assistance to needy persons in North Augusta and Belvedere (the Area 2 school district). By 1995, there were seventeen sponsoring churches. In 2010 twenty-two churches are members and support the ministry, giving $1.00 per year for each of their active members. The churches have food drives, organize donations of furniture and clothing, and support the ministry in many ways. Additionally, many donations are made by the citizens as well as the businesses of North Augusta.
The Thrift Shop first opened on March 28, 1985, at 608 West Avenue in a house provided to the ministry by Margaret Callicott. The first officers were Celeste Smith (Grace United Methodist), chair; Elizabeth Dukes (Holy Trinity, vice-chair; Cheri Cordes (Our Lady of Peace), Secretary; and Jean True (Fairview), treasurer. The Thrift Shop moved to the Genesis Building at Grace United Methodist in 1987. Attorney Dick Miley, member of Holy Trinity, assisted in getting the store incorporated as a non-profit organization. The December 28, 1990, Certificate of Incorporation issued by the Secretary of State of South Carolina, established the name of the organization as the COMMUNITY MINISTRY OF NORTH AUGUSTA. In 1994 the Community Ministry, then with 16 member churches, relocated to the old SCE&G building on Five Notch Road at Georgia Avenue, provided by SCE&G at $5.00 per year. With the larger building, the ministry was able to expand services. Many church members and citizens of North Augusta worked together to renovate the building. The ribbon cutting was held on July 9, 1994. Mayor Thomas Greene proclaimed the week of November 6-12, 1994, as "COMMUNITY MINISTRY WEEK."
The Rev. John Younginer served as CMONA's first President. Ann Withers, who designed the CMONA logo, served as President 1990-1991. Ken Phelps became President in 1992. Phil Withers was president in 1992. Rev. Douglas Bryant served as President in 1993. Edith Buchanan served as President from 1993-2000. Jim Knight accepted the position of President in 2000. Leo Shelton assumed the Presidency in 2003, and Mildred Miller, our current leader, became President in 2008.
Doug Bryant was the ministry director at the time of incorporation in 1990. Faye Graham served as Executive Director in 1992--by which time there were 8 supporting churches--followed by Sheliah Shields who was appointed director in early March, 1992-1996. Elizabeth Evans who came as Director in 1996 resigned because of health problems, and Janet Howard served as Interim Director until Bettye Jones was named director in November of 1997. Mildred Miller served as interim director in 2001-2002 until Dollie Vines assumed the position in 2002. In 2007, Cindy Steele became CMONA's director, followed in 2008 by Nancy Joyce, our current director.
In 1999 SCE&G sold their property, and CMONA found it necessary to make another move. The board of directors decided it was in the best interests of the Ministry to purchase a building. A Capital Funds Campaign Committee was formed. This committee included Rev. Michael Andrews, Kent Sullivan, Mim Woodring, Edith Buchanan, Bill Arra, Dick Day, and Ben Watson. A search was started to find a building that would be large enough to operate the many services for those in need of help. The place needed to be visible and easy for clients to find. The citizens of North Augusta came through and $241,822 was raised to buy and renovate the ministry's current home at 646 E. Buena Vista Avenue, which opened in October of 1999. The CMONA Express Newsletter was published in the 1999-2001 time period.
In 2003, a van was donated to CMONA by Advanced Pest Control for use in furniture and food pickups. The CMONA website <http://www.cmona.org/>, initiated in 2005, has had about 2200 visitors. In 2005, Ted Thompson established the client database, and a wireless network for the CMONA computers was set up in 2006. CMONA began selling items on eBay in December of 2006 under the username cmonathrift. In late 2009, the CMONA Thrift Store began accepting credit cards for purchases.
In 1997, CMONA helped 117 families, and in 1998, 161 families. In 2009, CMONA provided help for ~1700 families, including food worth over $96,000 and around $91,000 in funds for utility assistance, medicine, clothing, furniture, and miscellaneous expenditures. Donations of food through food drives as well as individual and group donations are invaluable for the ministry's work. Many members of the Ministry's churches make special donations on CMONA Sunday each year. In addition, Thrift Store sales ($14,855 in 1994, and $98,700 in 2009) provide the majority of the funds for CMONA's other ministry and operations.
For more information, please contact Nancy Joyce, CMONA's Director.