We exist to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the most vulnerable members of our community.
As a Christ-centered nonprofit, we believe in the Biblical call to serve our neighbors. That’s why we are committed to seeking the total transformation of the most vulnerable in our community—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Matthew 25:35-36 informs our model of distributing food, clothing, housing, and rehabilitation—always free of charge.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.”
—Matthew 25:35-36
Your generosity has changed lives.
In 2025:
Meals Served for Free
Nights of Free Shelter
Bags of Groceries Distributed
People Received Donated Clothing
Our Values
Faith Driven
We treat everyone we serve with dignity and respect as children of God made in His image.
Compassionate
Most of our team has personally experienced homelessness, addiction, or other challenges, which shapes our approach to service.
Committed
Since 1998, we have served our community and we are committed to working alongside our neighbors for the long haul.
Saved to Serve Others
God freed Chris Gilger from addiction in 1974, transforming his life and giving him a dream to serve the vulnerable.
Born in Warren, Ohio, in 1954, Chris Gilger first encountered God at the age of eight at his grandmother’s memorial service. For the first time in his life, he felt the presence of God. His family did not attend church, but a neighbor shared Christ with him and invited him to a revival service. He didn’t fully surrender his life to the Lord until 11 years later after a devastating breakup with his then-girlfriend.
“You can have the steering wheel to my life because I am not capable of driving my own life anymore,” he prayed in January 1974, when he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. He was instantaneously delivered of cigarettes (a two-package-a-day habit), alcohol, and various drugs.
A visiting pastor at his church further transformed Chris’ life. Pastor Wurmbrand, who had endured torture for his faith during WWII, shared, “After being tortured, God said to love the guards and pray for them. What thanks is it before God if you love those who love you. Go and show kindness to people that no one wants anything to do with. Love the unlovely, pay attention and listen to the people who are unattractive, boring, those who cannot reciprocate the love you show them.”
That statement changed Chris’ life. He started telling everyone he encountered in Warren about Jesus, especially the people no one spoke to. With two friends, he started leading a Bible study that quickly grew to more than 70 young people.
Like the early church in the New Testament, they cared for each other’s needs and lived as a community. There, Chris met his future wife, Margaret with whom he had seven children, four boys and three girls, and started a janitorial business.
As they would drive through the downtown area, they would notice people coming out from under bridges and wandering around town. Chris had a strong desire to help them and started praying that someone would start a rescue mission in Warren.
Chris met and developed a friendship with a local pastor who ran a small, struggling mission. While Chris was in the middle of an extended fast to seek God’s direction, he learned that the pastor had a heart attack and passed away. Before his death, the pastor had communicated to his family that he wanted Chris to take over the mission.
Chris and Margaret couldn’t afford the $100,000 asking price and prayed to God for guidance. They told God that if the owner called back immediately and offered the mission for free, Chris would quit his job and fully commit himself to mission work. They needed a “Gideon” sign from the Lord to make a commitment of this magnitude.
The next day at noon, the owner called Chris and told him that she had been up all night and felt convicted to give Chris the property for free. A week later, they received the keys and created the Warren Family Mission.
Meet our Team
Following her father Pastor Chris Gilger’s untimely passing in 2021, Caitlin White honored his legacy by becoming the executive director of the Warren Family Mission. Under her leadership, our team of compassionate, driven individuals has continued to follow his original vision: to rebuild lives and restore hope in our community.