Social Enterprises

  • Mosaic Resale Store is a quality-driven and affordable full-retail shopping destination while providing volunteer connections, retail and job training. All donations are distributed within the local community and help support the efforts of the OCCDA.
  • Harbor Shine is a professional lawn care and landscaping business, servicing both residential and commercial accounts in order to provide and fund employing, coaching and mentoring youth in Benton Harbor through Youth Shine. Harbor Shine also provides experience and job opportunities for re-entry.
  • Café Mosaic, newly opened, will serve as the “front door” outreach for the ministry of the OCCDA and will be an additional engine driving job creation and employment training for the OCCDA. For the community, it will serve as a connection destination, located on Main Street in Benton Harbor and strategically placed between the two communities of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.

Programs driven through Mosaic and Harbor Shine

YOUTH SHINE for Students of Benton Harbor

  • 12 week Summer Employment
  • Every student is matched with a mentor/coach
  • Students gain experience in landscaping/lawn care with Harbor Shine or retail/merchandising skills through Mosaic Resale Store

Jobs for Life

  • Leadership Development
  • Mentoring and Life Coaching
  • Identifying Next Steps in life

Urgent focus: EDUCATION

SCHOOLS OF HOPE is presently seeking corporate and individual funding. 

This is a nationally recognized and highly successful reading program that the OCCDA launched on January 17, 2012 for children in grades Kindergarten through Grade 3 enrolled in Sorter Elementary School of Benton Harbor. As appropriate funding grows to support the annual cost of $1,000 per student, the OCCDA will expand Schools of Hope.

Schools of Hope functions as an after-school program, 90 minutes per day, four days a week and has been fully endorsed by the Benton Harbor School Board, building principals and teachers.

Beyond funding, Schools of Hope is seeking volunteers with passion to make a difference in the life of one child.


OCCDA Scholarship Fund

The OCCDA Scholarship Fund exists to maximize educational opportunities to Benton Harbor students pursuing further education beyond secondary school. This award is given to students who display academic excellence and leadership, preparing our next generation of leaders for further success and helping to meet growing tuition costs. One to two $1500 scholarships are awarded annually.

Congratulations to Darshawn Walker, the OCCDA 2012 scholarship award winner. Darshawn is studying molecular biology at Defiance College in Ohio and is active at First Presbyterian Church in Benton Harbor

Brianna Henderson, OCCDA Scholarship Recipient, is pictured with Rev. Brian Bennett and OCCDA staff and board member

Brianna Henderson of Benton Harbor, the first OCCDA Scholarship recipient is pictured with Rev. Brian Bennett, along with staff, directors and board member of the OCCDA. Ms. Henderson was awarded the scholarship in November, 2011.