ABOUT NEW LIFE 
EVANGELISTIC CENTER

Who is NLEC

New Life Evangelistic Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) church center composed of over 30 paid and unpaid staff members and countless volunteers, all dedicated to providing effective support for the poor and homeless in Saint Louis and beyond. Founded by Rev. Larry and Penny Rice, NLEC has been headquartered in the Saint Louis area since 1972.

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• NLEC Mission: The mission of New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC) is to provide Christian hospitality and respect for life through the services of food, clothing, shelter, education, and job training programs, as well as physical, mental and spiritual health care, to the poor and homeless in Saint Louis and beyond.
   

• NLEC Values: New Life Evangelistic Center has founded its values on the love of Jesus Christ for all people, and especially for all who suffer from poverty, homelessness, addictions, and abuse. NLEC holds the following values in the highest regard: empathy, advocacy, empowerment, dignity, responsibility, faith, hope, and love.

 

Who is NLEC?  You are! Through your prayers and faithful support, you are indeed a valued member of NLEC.
 

Who we serve

We serve people in the Midwest and around the world.  The New Life Evangelistic Center provides over 150,000 meals and sandwiches, and more than 65,000 nights of emergency overnight shelter every year. We provide 80,000 social service contacts — helping individuals and families throughout Mid-America with clothing and food through our free stores, fans, blankets, utility assistance, transportation, medical assistance, and housing assistance.  The millions of people we serve in the Midwest and around the world include homeless men, women, and children, the poor, elderly, and families in our communities overwhelmed by the need to provide the basic necessities, and earthquake and hurricane survivors.  New Life Evangelistic Center has branches in India and Africa and has long-standing partnerships with organizations in more than 7 countries.

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Why we serve

The spirit of God moves us into action to provide direct services of shelter, food, clothing, and job training. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people.

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Homeless Prevention:

NLEC knows that the best way to fight homelessness is to stop it before it starts. When someone’s housing status is jeopardized by a crisis, such as a job loss, utility disconnection, or the threat of eviction, NLEC intervenes to help prevent homelessness.

Homeless Transformation:

When families and individuals do become homeless, NLEC seeks to foster and fulfill their own motivation to help themselves. When clients show this desire, NLEC equips them with job training, addiction counseling, spiritual guidance, and whatever else they might need to become permanently housed and gainfully employed.

Homeless Empowerment and Education:

NLEC’s unique on-the-job training program not only benefits the homeless but also the community as a whole. Regular renewable energy fairs, where the formerly homeless trainees share renewable energy skills they learn, have introduced thousands throughout the Midwest to the world of renewable energy. Through Missouri Renewable Energy and the Here’s Help Radio and TV network, staffed by the formerly homeless, educational and informational programming is reaching more people.​​

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