CCOP has been an active and prophetic presence in the city of Camden since 1985. The Camden Courier-Post has recognized CCOP as “the largest and most effective community organization in the city”. What makes CCOP different is:

• our faith-base; we work with congregations throughout the city
• our focus on strengthening relationships among families in our communities
• our commitment to developing leaders in our church-communities

CCOP brings together families from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, different religious traditions and different neighborhoods in a common effort to address the serious concerns which affect families in the city. And we are making a difference. In 20 years of work at the neighborhood, citywide and regional levels, CCOP member congregations have:

• Created a new $7.5 million Camden Home Improvement Program that will provide grants to approximately 250-300 homeowners to upgrade their properties over the next 3 years.
• Proclaimed a Vision for the Recovery of Camden that eventually led to passage of the Camden Recovery Act in the NJ legislature. The initiative has brought more than $200 Million in new resources, along with new structures of leadership to put Camden on the road to recovery.
• Sealed 2,000 vacant buildings and demolished over 750 hazardous units all across the city - and reduced crime connected with those buildings
• Secured a commitment of $2.7 Million from Governor Whitman as a first step to help Camden’s non-profit developers build up to 1,000 new homes in the next several years
• Won a $3.2 Million annual discount (host community benefit) on CCMUA bills for Camden residents, small businesses and non-profits
• Brought a police substation into Cramer Hill and a mini-station to East Camden
• Worked with the County Prosecutor and Camden Police to eliminate open-air drug markets
• Worked with the Camden Police Department to establish a pilot community-oriented policing program
• Won the development of a community park in South Camden
• Secured $240,000 worth of improvements to Dudley Grange Park
• Addressed a serious air pollution problem in South Camden
• Eliminated an asbestos threat in South Camden
• Secured the demolition of a dangerous vacant warehouse in East Camden
• Addressed a water contamination concern in Cramer Hill
• Brought a streetsweeper route to Whitman Park
• Replaced stolen sewer grates in Cramer Hill
• Organized neighborhood clean-ups across the city
• Organized a citywide baseball league for our youth

CCOP is affiliated with the PICO National Network, a network of 50 faith-based community organizations in 150 cities and 18 states.