Who We Are

The John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation carries forward a ministry rooted in faith, family, and a lifelong commitment to people and place.

John and Vera Mae Perkins built their life together in communities where they could share the love of Jesus through relationships, education, and service. Their work helped shape Christian Community Development and its call to reconciliation, relocation, and redistribution. They taught their children that faith is lived out among neighbors, especially those too often overlooked.

Their daughters, Priscilla and V. Elizabeth Perkins, grew up watching that faith take shape. Today, they serve as co-presidents of the Foundation, carrying forward their parents’ commitment while listening for what God is calling the next generation to do. Through mentoring, learning, and opportunities to serve, the Foundation helps young people and emerging leaders put their faith into action.

The Perkins family and Foundation team pray that God will continue to use this ministry to bring people together, seek justice, and nurture communities where love can be seen and felt.

Love Is the Movement. Jesus Is the Message.

The Legacy of John & Vera Mae Perkins

Click the name of each ministry to learn more

Founders of Mendenhall Ministries & Bible Church

For the past 63 years, John and Vera Mae Perkins, along with their family, have dedicated their lives to ministering among the poor. In 1960, they left a successful life in California and returned to Mendenhall, Mississippi, to live out a new principle. Over the next 12 years, John Perkins spearheaded the creation of a day-care center, youth program, church, cooperative farm, thrift store, housing repair ministry, health center, and adult education program.

During the Civil Rights era, John and Vera Mae were pivotal in organizing their communities. Through marches, community action, and courageous personal stands, they led the way in civil disobedience. Their children were among the first to integrate local schools, and together, they faced the challenges of that time as a family.

John endured brutal beatings by law enforcement and was imprisoned after attempting to free black college students from Tougaloo College and Jackson State University, who had been jailed for marching for freedom alongside the Perkins.

Today, Mendenhall Ministries continues to thrive under the leadership of Scottye Holloway, carrying forward the powerful legacy of John and Vera Mae Perkins.

www.mbc-tmm.org

Founders of Voice of Calvary Ministries

Driven by a vision to uplift and empower underserved communities, the Perkins family relocated to Jackson, MS. They saw immense potential to bring education and support to the city’s most vulnerable populations. From this vision, Voice of Calvary Ministries was born, establishing a church, health center, leadership development program, thrift store, low-income housing development, and training center.

Their impact extended beyond Jackson, initiating and supporting community development projects and health centers in neighboring towns like Canton, New Hebron, and Edwards. Today, Voice of Calvary Ministries continues its transformative work in the West Jackson community, fostering hope and resilience.

www.vocm.org

Founders of Harambee Ministries

In 1982, the Perkins family made a bold move to Pasadena, California, where they established the Harambee Christian Family Center, now known as Harambee Ministries, in Northwest Pasadena—a neighborhood once plagued by one of the highest daytime crime rates in California. With the unwavering support of his son Derek and daughters Deborah and Priscilla, the Harambee Center flourished.

Harambee Ministries has since become a beacon of hope, offering a wide array of impactful programs, including after-school tutoring, Good News Bible Clubs, an award-winning technology center, summer day camps, youth internship programs, and a college scholarship program. Today, they continue to inspire and uplift the community through their after-school program, performing arts academy, and academic enrichment program.

www.harambee.org

Founders of The John and Vera Mae Perkins Foundation

John M. Perkins, a civil rights leader, author, and community developer, along with his wife Vera Mae, founded this organization with a vision to see communities thrive through the power of reconciliation and justice. Their journey began in the heart of Mississippi, where they faced and overcame numerous challenges, driven by their unwavering faith and commitment to making a difference.

Vera Mae Perkins, known for her incredible smile and all-encompassing heart, has been a pillar of strength and compassion. Together, John and Vera Mae dedicated their lives to serving the poor and marginalized, advocating for civil rights, and promoting community development. Vera Mae also worked tirelessly and taught the children, instilling in them the values of faith, hope, and love.

Our Story

In 1983, the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation was started in Pasadena, CA. In 1996, the foundation moved to West Jackson, Mississippi, to address the economic and physical deterioration of the community. Through years of experience among the poor, John and Vera Mae recognized that the problems encountered by those living in West Jackson and similar communities could not be solved without strong commitment and risky actions on the part of ordinary Christians with heroic faith. They observed that the most creative long-term solutions to the problems of the poor came from grassroots and church-based efforts of people who saw themselves as agents of Jesus in their own neighborhoods and communities.

After the death of John and Vera Mae’s eldest son, Spencer, in 1998, the Perkins bought the property once owned by Spencer and his Antioch Community and established the Spencer Perkins Center, the youth arm of the John M. Perkins Foundation. Elizabeth Perkins led the Spencer Perkins Center to develop youth programs such as After School Tutoring, Summer Arts Camp, Junior and College Internship Program, Good News Bible Club, Young Life, and Jubilee Garden.

Today, John and Vera Mae Perkins’ legacy is carried forward by daughters Elizabeth and Priscilla, who have taken up the mantle to steer the foundation. They continue to work tirelessly to uphold the values and mission of the foundation, ensuring that the principles of justice, reconciliation, and community development remain at the forefront of everything we do.

The foundation has worked hard to engage the local community in Jackson and also spread a message of reconciliation and development across the United States. Our organization has also been instrumental on the world stage.

Co-Founder of The Christian Community Development Association (CCDA)

In 1989, John Perkins gathered a group of Christian leaders from across America, united by a shared commitment to express the love of Christ in America’s poor communities at the grassroots level. This led to the formation of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA), which held its first annual conference in Chicago that same year. Since then, CCDA has expanded significantly, now encompassing a wide network of individuals, churches, ministries, institutions, and businesses across more than 100 cities and townships nationwide.
www.ccda.org

Publisher of Urban Family Magazine

In 1992, John Perkins and his oldest son, Spencer Perkins, launched URBAN FAMILY magazine to address the challenges facing urban families, communities, and the rising violence in inner cities. The magazine was a beacon of hope and progress, promoting responsibility, dignity, moral character, and reconciliation. Its national circulation swiftly grew from 13,000 to 35,000. Later, it was renamed RECONCILERS FELLOWSHIP. The publication ceased in 1998 following the passing of its editor-in-chief, Spencer Perkins.

Founders of Harambee Preparatory School

In the fall of 1995, John Perkins and his daughter, Priscilla, founded Harambee Preparatory School (HPS) in Northwest Pasadena, CA. This elementary school aimed to provide quality education to at-risk neighborhood children, preparing them for college. HPS was dedicated to ensuring that children from low-income households received excellent academic training in a secure and nurturing environment.