Patti Griffiths is a typical American wife and mother whose primary career has been pharmacy.  In 2012 she traveled to Tanzania on a mission trip, fell in love with the Tanzanian people, and met Laurence Laben.  In 2013 she made her second trip when Laurence was the young Tanzanian working at the orphanage Patti visited in Mbuguni.  On that trip he suggested that they team up to create a vocational school to provide skills for Tanzanian young people, providing hope while helping them lift themselves out of the poverty that they have always known.  Patti immediately agreed, and the vision for Next Life Foundation was born.

Today, NLF is into its second school facility, has graduated its first two year class of tailors, is halfway through its first carpentry class, and has begun the second session of the tailoring class.

The mission of Next Life Foundation is to provide vocational training and sustained opportunities for the young people of Mbuguni, Tanzania, providing education in a Christian environment while gently sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In this very short time, an obedient woman from the Iowa Great Lakes and a young Tanzanian motivated by his love and concern for his people have been used by God to make a difference in the lives of numerous young people.  NLF Tanzania operates the ministry in Tanzania while NLF America provides gentle guidance and funding to support the school.  Next Life Foundation is an example of what is possible when one person responds to God’s calling in their life.

First Presbyterian Church has supported Next Life Foundation since 2016.

The idea was conceived and patterned after the Dream Center in Los Angeles, California. The concept is to provide services to those in need throughout the region at one location. It opened in 2011 after a two year miraculous renovation of the former Tangny Hotel, which was offered to the Day Spring Assembly of God Church as a place to house the Center. Ministries included are a food pantry, clothing distribution, prom and wedding dress loans, free medical and dental services, teen youth center, after school tutoring program and a coffee shop.

Atlas Group was founded in Sioux Center, Iowa in 2004 and has since planted over a dozen independent Atlas organizations across the nation.

   Atlas of Spencer was started in 2011 and serves clients in Spencer and the Lakes Area.  The purpose of Atlas is to help those in need by providing advocacy through mentoring while walking alongside those seeking help. The current Executive Director is David Lyons.

   Atlas of Spencer promotes expanding community ministry that provides relational, emotional, physical, financial, and/or spiritual support and guidance to anyone seeking help with any of life’s trials.  Atlas mentors provide loving assistance in the process while demonstrating the unconditional love of God, encouraging salvation through acceptance of His Son Jesus Christ, and promoting a relationship to the Body of Christ, the Church.

God’s Provision Food Pantry is open to anyone who is going through a difficult time in life and needs help with food. They are open the 2nd & 4th Saturdays every month from 8:00-10:00 A.M. The ministry is run by all volunteers who pick up a trailer load of food from the Des Moines Food Bank, unload and stock the food pantry, run the food pantry when opened and pray for the needs of the people served. This ministry serves 250 to 400 people each month by the grace of God. Volunteers are always needed.

Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. (UDMO) is one of 17 community action agencies (CAAs) in Iowa and one of approximately 1,000 community action agencies across the United States. CAAs are nonprofit private and public organizations established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight America’s War on Poverty.

UDMO promotes self-sufficiency by providing a variety of programs to fight poverty, improve health and increase educational attainment for family members of all ages.  During the 2014 fiscal year, UDMO served 20,364 individuals in 8,367 households in Northwest and North Central Iowa (12 counties). Of those households, 63% had incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level.