" No one is ever repair in God's eyes
Our History
Overcomers International Fellowship was founded in 1995 and has four housing locations in St. Cloud, Minnesota the; Dream Center, Caleb House, Hospitality House, and Joshuah House. There are three housing locations in Minnesota the; All five housing locations are registered as "Housing with Services" facilities for a total of 46 single bedroom accommodations, and offer a safe, supportive environment for adult men 18 and older who struggle with life issues and have a desire to get their lives on a productive course.
Our Mission is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, minister to the sick, and shelter the homeless, as instructed in Matthew 25:34-40, while preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Ministry provides
- Christian Teaching from the Holy Bible
- Recovery Support Groups
- Christian Spiritual Counseling
- Discipleship
- Praise and Worship Services
We offer a caring, safe haven for those who are seeking refuge, food, and shelter as well as a program of restoration and recovery. We also host recovery seminars, conferences, and educational workshops.
Together these programs offer hope for restoration through the power of God’s love, through Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, and the Word of God.
Our Mission
Overcomers International Fellowship (OIF) is a non-profit, Minnesota State Registered "Housing With Services" facility that provides board & lodging services in St Cloud & Willmar, Minnesota. OIF provides single bedroom occupancy for a total of 58 beds between the two locations.
Our mission is to help men, 18 years and older, to face their problems, find wholeness, and successfully integrate back into society.
These are men who have the desire and passion to get their lives on a productive course. They just need a little help, a bridge to the future that is stable and prosperous. OIF does this by providing accountability, housing, three square meals a day, personal care, medication management, support groups, transportation to care providers, job and educational couching.
OIF believes in providing programs or ministries that offer hope for restoration through the power of God's love and through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God.
We a faith based organization that strives to fulfill a very important need in the ongoing success of our community. We provide housing and support for men who find themselves struggling with physical disabilities, mental health concerns, correctional housing issues, addictions and/or the challenges stemming from returning from combat.
We provide services for men who are in need of care who are faced with such challenges as:
- mental illness
- chemical dependency
- tramatic brain injury
- learning disabilities
- physical disabilities
We provide our residents with a number of services including:
- three daily meals
- supervised personal care
- medication management
- support groups
- accountability
We also provide transportation to care providers and other appointments such as aftercare programs and job & education coaching. We help residents network with social workers, probationary personnel, primary care providers/coordinators, aftercare providers, and other community services. Our Staff is trained to provide a loving, safe, and supportive environment for each resident.
Board Members
Michael Laidlaw
Michael Laidlaw
Michael Laidlaw
Pastor Michael has over 25 years of working with the homeless in Stearns County and the surrounding counties. He is a former Chairperson of the Immediate Needs of the Homeless Committee for the Central MN., Contiresponsible citizens. He is past Co-founder of the Community Furniture Program, which provides furniture to families in need, and a past Transitional Coordinator at Dream Center, which also helps individuals re-entry society. He is also a past Chairman of the Board of Director at Tri-Cap, a community Action Agency, that assists low income individuals and families.
Joe Gibbons
Michael Laidlaw
Michael Laidlaw
Joe Gibbons (Board Chief) is a retired owner of Marketing Unlimited, a marketing, advertising and Public Relation Agency. He is a past Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Central MN Re-Entry Project. They assist ex-offenders who are returning to society in order to become responsible citizens. He is past Co-founder of the Community Furniture Program, which provides furniture to families in need, and a past Transitional Coordinator at Dream Center, which also helps individuals re-entry society. He is also a past Chairman of the Board of Director at Tri-Cap, a community Action Agency, that assists low-income individuals and families.
Billy Anderson
Michael Laidlaw
Billy Anderson
Dr. Billy Anderson is a mental/chemical health professional. He started working in Minneapolis in 1993. He has worked in several mental/chemical health organizations that include, but is not limited to, inpatient and outpatient care. His work in the mental health profession has included individual, couples, family and group therapy. Within the chemical health setting, he has provided chemical health assessments. More importantly, he has worked with opiate addicts in a methadone maintenance program.
He also has experience in working with health maintenance organizations such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. He has worked as a manager for Cigna Behavioral Health. Since arriving in St. Cloud and Willmar communities, he has developed an expertise with the Somali community providing mental health services and social security representation.
On occasions, he provides internship positions for those individuals in the Master of Social Work program at St. Cloud State University. He is currently the President and Founder of a nonprofit that was started in March of 2007.
Michael Woods
Bruce Campbell
Billy Anderson
Michael P Woods was born In St Cloud, MN May 17, 1945. He is a graduate of Cathedral High School. He served in the US Navy from 1965-1969 in communications in Japan and Adak Alaska. He received an honorable discharge.
He graduated from St Cloud Business College in 1972. He worked as clerk and later General Manager of Americanna Best Western Inn after graduation. From 1980-88, along with his wife, he was an owner operator of the Hartwood Motel in Thief River Falls, MN. He and his wife were also owner operators of Woods Printing from 1988 until retirement.
Volunteer activities include chair of church council in Thief River Falls. He was active both as president of Thief River Falls Rotary and as board member of Chamber of Commerce in TRF. He also served with the Minnesota state Viking Land tourism region.
After returning to St Cloud, he became active in St Cloud Chamber of Commerce and the downtown Kiwanis club. He was very active in the jail/prison ministry with Residents Encounter Christ, serving on the board for 8 years, retiring as Treasurer. He helped start the program at Benton County Jail, along with his wife, serving as coordinators, and then served with his wife as coordinator of the REC program at the St Cloud Prison. He also served the past ten years as Trustee at St Peter’s Catholic Church in St Cloud.
He continues to remain in prison ministry and church activities.
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell spent ten years working with a Finance Company as manager and opener of new offices. He spent 35 years working in a banks mortgage company as Regional Manager in charge of affordable housing for Central and Northern Minnesota.
He has been President of the Board for St. Cloud Housing Association, Tri-Cap, UCP of Central Minnesota, The Park Commission of Sauk Rapids, The HRA of Sauk Rapids, Benton County Park Commission, and the Great River Federal Credit Union.
He is currently on the Board of Whitney Senior Center, Dream Center, River's Edge Condo Assoc. and is the coordinator of The Good Samaritan Fund for the Community Foundation.
Eileen Theisen
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell
Eileen Theisen is the 8th of 8 children and grow up in the small town on the WI border. She graduated with only 32 on her class. She attended ST. Cloud state University and had since made St. Cloud her home.
She has a degree in finance and minor in economics from SCSU. She has been a mortgage consultant in Saint Cloud for 31 years, 21 years with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and the last 10 and independent mortgage broker. She enjoys helping people through the very stressful and overwhelming experience buying and financing homes.
She is part of the Board members of OIF and has been Volunteering at Dream Center for about 2 years, nothing stops this wonderful woman occasionally she helps with the evening meal monthly and she comes once a month to do a brief presentation to the men.
She Loves to give back to her community providing financial advice also bringing in guess speakers to talk about career journey and the struggles and successes They've encountered.
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Housing Program
Dream Center
Hospitality House
Hospitality House
The Dream Center is a 14 bed former hotel and café.
In addition to the housing, it is where three meals are served each day for all the residents on our campus in the day room. Our main reception area, staff med management & business offices are located there, and programming takes place there as well. All residents must sign in and out under the security cameras.
Hospitality House
Hospitality House
Hospitality House
The Hospitality House, seen here to the left, is an apartment building which houses up to 18 people. Located across the street from the Dream Center, it has eight units on the bottom floor. It houses men with physical mobility issues.
Caleb House
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Caleb House is next to the Dream Center building at 525 16th Ave N. in St. Cloud. With six GRH housing beds, offices and conference room.
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This is our newest housing facility, it contains 4 GRH bedrooms. It also comes along with a kitchen, living room, 2 bathrooms and spacious back yard with desk.
Spiritual Growth - OIF sunday Morning Prayer Meeting and worship service
As a multi-cultural church, touching Heaven and changing earth through powerful Christ–centered worship and Biblical preaching. Where the Word and spirit of God is experienced and lived, where the very atmosphere resonates with His love. We are impacting our community reaching out in redeeming love and liberating power, to you, come and worship with us.
Our Statement of Faith, including our beliefs on the Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, baptism, salvation, the Holy Scriptures, the church, the family, etc. can be found on our What we Believe page of this website.
OIF services are held at 529 16th Ave. North. Please join us for our praise and worship service every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Arrive early to participate in our 10:00 prayer meeting just before the service.
It is our hearts desire to serve you with the Love of God. If you have any special prayer requests or needs, we would be honored to hear from you.
If you haven't had the opportunity yet, we would also like to invite you at this time to get to know Jesus.
Be a supporter
Help Dreams Trougth
Culturing compassion events at the dream center
Culturing compassion events at the dream center
We have many opportunities for people, groups or churches to help us all year long, but it's more than just serving food on a plate - it's also about having an opportunity to learn why people become homeless in the first place.
Our programs give volunteers an experience like no other as our residents to share their life's story of redemption.
Note: The following are excerpts from students ' writing during the week following our visit with the Dream Center community. They are edited so as to protect the identity of the student who wrote them. They are offered here not as an expression of final conclusions, but as voices along the pathway of continued learning, reflection, discernment.
" I realize that what I thought Caused people to being poverty wasn't true that all. I always thought that people falling into poverty was by laziness or bad decisions but didn't know there was more to it. Some causes were learning disabilities, mental illness, backgrounds, cut from jobs, and not having insurance to stay on their medications."
The thing to impressed me the most is the fact that the people there still had hopes and dreams of things that they wanted to accomplish in life."
" I realize how blind so many of us in society are to others in society that need a hand vs a handout. Dignity is often ignored when you hear " there are services for people like that or I've donated, I've done my part."
I have seen many falls, many continue to struggle, and many come out glowing. My hopes for these men, are succeed, that is what my heart wants for anybody, but I am aware of reality and hearts.
Culturing compassion events at the dream center
Culturing compassion events at the dream center
Culturing compassion events at the dream center
I was very moved by stories people who shared with us, both in the honestly in owning the mistakes they' made along the way, but even more in their resolve for the future and hope they had to make a better life for themselves.
" I was struck by the tremendous amount of courage I must take to step forward each day, in the face of such trying circumstances, including addiction, homelessness, and even physical disease or disability.
" I had to fight back tears listening to the mom talking about challenges of being homeless with child, and how much more difficult is to find a place that will take you in when you have children.
" What is wrong with a society for which that is true? I was amazed at the kind of work they are doing at the Dream Center in being a part of the rebuilding of lives it is an incredible ministry right in our midst."
Volunteer opportunities
Culturing compassion events at the dream center
Van Ministry, Never Again, Prision ministry
Lunch and Dinner Volunteers — assist preparing & serving lunch 11:30am and 4:30pm
Project Volunteers — Youth Groups, S.T.M. (Short Term Missions), special projects in ministry, event projects, painting, cleaning etc…
Homeless Prevention Volunteer — Help distribute literature, raise awareness of homelessness and chemical dependency and their prevention.
Volunteer Driver — Drive residents to and from appointments.
Café Volunteer — Assist with café upkeep, making coffee, washing coffee cups, clearing tables, etc…
Homeless Advocate Volunteer — Transport and accompany individuals to appointments, service agencies, doctors, court, etc…
Fundraising Volunteer — Assist with fundraising, grant writing and developing fundraising strategies. Assist with general office duties, mailings, etc…
Telephone Volunteer — Assist with answering the phones and light receptionist duties.
Mentoring — Work with our residents to see them grow socially and spiritually. Help them obtain jobs and further their education.
Van Ministry, Never Again, Prision ministry
Van Ministry, Never Again, Prision ministry
Van Ministry, Never Again, Prision ministry
Our van is on the move from 6 am to the late hours of the night on a mission of mercy, faith, hope, and love to hospitals, clinics, chemical and mental health treatment centers, VAMC, schools, jobs and training centers.
Never Again, Prision Ministry is part of our housing services program is for ex-offenders. Participants must be ready to make changes in their live, by being accountable. We work with the Minnesota Department of corrections to help build a network of support for those released. We can provide support and housing until we help him with a job career.
Housing
Van Ministry, Never Again, Prision ministry
Veterans Outreach
Overcomers International Fellowship has 46 Beds as well as safe supportive care for those in need of board and lodging and transitional housing. Our residents come from the streets, treatment, centers, hospitals, jail or prison to discover a place to begin a new life by grace of God.
Veterans Outreach
Van Ministry, Never Again, Prision ministry
Veterans Outreach
Our Veterans are not forgotten at Overcomers International Fellowship. We meet the needs of homeless veterans that come into our program by providing meals, support groups ride to their appointments, shelter and\or transitional housing. We also network with case managers to work with our heroes of freedom.
Pastor Michael has over 25 years of working with the homeless
Help Our Cause
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
Any questions, concerns, or request go to the upper window to contact us or send a direct email to:
Hours
Open today | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm |
