If you’ve spent any time around South Street Ministries, you know our community is full of people with heart, grit, and a great sense of humor. So when we say one of our faithful monthly supporters is named Taylor Swift, we promise it’s not just a headline grab. It is true.

Our Taylor isn’t a global pop star, but he’s legendary in his own right. He is someone whose life was shaped by this ministry years ago and who continues to give monthly so others can experience the same kind of transformation he did.

$10,000 Challenge Fund: Become a Monthly Donor before 12/31/25!

A generous donor has created a $10,000 Challenge Fund to multiply the impact of every new monthly partner who joins South Street between now and December 31. When you sign up as a monthly donor during this special opportunity, your commitment will help fully realize this Challenge Fund, fueling even greater impact for kids, families, and justice-impacted neighbors across Akron.

What Your Monthly Gift Makes Possible

Your monthly giving fuels programs that keep showing up for our neighbors:

• Bike Shop – a hub for hands-on learning, second chances, and bikes that carry dignity and purpose.
• Youth programming – year-round care, consistency, and community – where neighborhood youth are known by name, nurtured in love, and led with joy.
• Open Gym – a safe space where basketball builds trust, shared meals build community, and young people know they belong.
• ReDirection – a pathway home for those impacted by the justice system – where hope is restored, stories are shared, and community is reimagined.
• Staff Support – the heartbeat of it all. From the Front Porch to all around the neighborhood, from early morning prayers to late-night rides – our staff show up with grit, grace, and gospel love.

“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city… for if it prospers, you too will prosper.” — Jeremiah 29:7

This is Kingdom work. It’s showing up with consistency and loving well. It’s seeking the peace and prosperity of South Akron and Summit Lake, not just in theory, but in practice.

When you give monthly, you join that rhythm of faithfulness. You help sustain a ministry built on second chances, shared tables, and steadfast love.

As a small thank you, we’d love to send you a South Street sticker and a T-shirt designed with our mission in mind – something you can wear and share because you’re part of the story now.

Join Taylor Swift and others who give monthly. You might not headline a world tour, but you’ll make a world of difference right here in Akron. Make an impact that never goes out of style.

Meet Taylor Swift — One of Our Faithful Monthly Donors

“My name is Taylor J. Swift (yes, that’s my real name). I first got involved with South Street Ministries in 2017 while attending The University of Akron. I split my time between helping in the Bike Shop and volunteering with after-school programs — both gave me a chance to see how South Street operates at a very practical level, providing kids with structure, mentorship, and opportunities to grow.

Nearly a decade later, I now live in Washington, D.C., where I serve as Director of Congressional Engagement for the Rebuild Congress Initiative. The connection between my time at South Street and my work in D.C. is simple: community and institutions function best when they invest in people, relationships, and trust.

I continue to support South Street because I have seen up close how their approach works. South Street changed my life for the better, and I know it will continue to do so for countless individuals, families, and communities.”