Mt. Sinai Aims to Transform East St. Louis With Homes and Hope
Date Posted: September 18, 2025
Posted In: Organizations, Projects,
From KSDK: The development arm of a local church believes they’ve found the secret to bringing people back to blighted communities by centering their approach around faith.
At Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, they love celebrating success in the City of Champions.
“There are good things happening in East St. Louis,” Dennis Jackson Sr. said.
However, Dennis Jackson Sr. admits over the years he’s continually heard the same concerns from longtime residents.
“People were leaving the community because of affordable, clean, safe housing,” Jackson said.
In an effort to meet the needs of their community Mt. Sinai launched a development corporation centering its work in the area surrounding the church.
“Within a good successful neighborhood churches are usually an anchor to that neighborhood,” Jackson said.
During his time as Executive Director, Jackson says their greatest success to date is the Winstanley Park development, consisting of 38 apartments and town homes, which quickly sold out.