Serving People

A Community Anchor

Sabathani Community Center is a multi-service organization serving the needs of diverse families from four core programs:

Family Resources · Horizons Youth Program
Senior Center · First Access Health Center

Our mission is to strengthen youth, children and families and to build the capacity of the community that Sabathani serves.

Sabathani Community Center was founded in 1966 by members of the former Sabathani Baptist Church and concerned neighbors who wanted to serve the growing migration of African American youths in south Minneapolis.  There was a need at the time to provide structured activities for youth but few and inadequate facilities existed. 

In a large outpouring of community voice and advocacy, residents of the neighborhood organized to lobby the city and the public schools to sell the site to Sabathani.  Their hope was to provide alternative uses for the facility where residents could build community.  After much activity, the community’s efforts were successful.  Sabathani obtained and renovated the school building on E. 38th Street in an effort to create a new focal point for community identity, empowerment and social change.  Neighborhood members envisioned a place where residents could come together and create a new sense of community and conduct business, meet in fellowship and develop programs and services that would move people forward in their life goals.