The Meridian Baptist Church is a faith-based community in the El Cajon area of San Diego County.  The church has graciously provided the allotted spaces where the emergency sleeping cabins shall be located. The church, headed by Pastor Rolland E. Slade, is committed to serving the local community through various philanthropic outreach ministries.  Some of its core community-focused ministries include providing shower facilities and food to the homeless; hosting a substance recovery support meeting; and providing a space for the distribution of food resources to the elderly.

Pastor Slade, an Amikas board member, has extended his efforts to champion causes related to child protection, family resilience, community violence mitigation, and public health.  He is a recipient of multiple community leadership awards; and is particularly noted for his contributions to the awareness and promotion of personal health.  He is the Faith Community Representative on the San Diego County Regional Task Force on the Homeless.

The leadership team and the lay members of the Meridian Baptist Church reflect the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of the larger community.  The church champions a vision of racial reconciliation, cultural diversity, and seeks to model the love of Christ to disenfranchised and marginalized groups through community activism and outreach. The church embraces people of every tribe and tongue; and hosts services and meetings in Vietnamese and Arabic.

Although Amikas is not a faith-based organization-we welcome partners from the faith-based and secular communities to join us in our efforts to build safe housing for military and non-military women and children on the streets.  We extend our heartfelt appreciation and thanks to the Meridian Baptist Church for providing a safe, clean, and welcoming space for our emerging community housing village for the homeless.