Initially, Bresee Foundation was intended to be an organization that could receive funds and direct them for use in social programs and ministries in this neighborhood.  That goal was eventually replaced as our passion grew for implementing direct-service programs of our own.  Bresee Institute for Urban Training was our first organized program.  Beginning in 1987 the Institute attracted interns from Nazarene and other colleges to study for a semester or year in Los Angeles, while also interning with various social programs. It closed its doors in 1999, as Bresee moved in new directions.

However, one of the institute’s legacies was that over the years, many of its interns decided to remain in Los Angeles to minister to the community.  One of these outstanding interns was Jeff Carr a graduate student from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, who came to Bresee Institute in 1987.  Along with fellow intern, Royce Hathcock, their assignment was to start a youth outreach at the church, opening up its gym to neighborhood kids looking for a safe place to play basketball and make friends.  They were eventually hired on Bresee’s staff.

Located on the third floor of the church, it offered tutoring services (via a free license from the HOSTS Corporation), sports and recreation activities, and a fun, weekly Bible club called “Life.”  Kids could also choose to join covenant groups:  small group Bible studies where they could discuss the issues of their lives while building healthy, caring relationships with peers and an adult mentor.  By 1992, the CyberHood youth computer lab opened, and in 1995 we began offering open access and technology classes in the evening to adults.

Bresee established a parish-nursing program in the church basement in 1994.  We made medical referrals to nearby clinics, and a volunteer pediatrician served once a week.  Health services were also offered to the homeless, with the assistance of QueensCare Health and Faith Partnership.

With growth came change; Dr. Benefiel resigned as director in 1995 to devote his full energy to his congregation.  Jeff Carr, then the development director and Bresee Youth director, became the new executive director.

In 1997 our Bresee’s programs had outgrown the spaces in the church where they were housed.  With an initial grant of $400,000 from the S. Mark Taper Foundation, nearly $2.7 million dollars was raised in an amazingly short period of time to acquire and construct the current 15,000 square-foot community center, which opened in January 2001.  A full-service pediatric clinic, operating in partnership with QueensCare, opened in 2003. This was closely followed by the vacation of the street between the church and Bresee for the construction of the Bimini Slough Ecology Park, which included nearly $750,000 of public support and opened in January 2004. 

After years of transformational ministry to the community, Jeff Carr resigned in 2004 to take his family on a yearlong motor home trip of a lifetime.  Bresee’s legacy continues with John Huffman—a former pastor of a large, multicultural church and nonprofit administrator—at its helm.