Highlights & History

Recognition / Awards

• In December 2005, the Foundation for Community Empowerment (FCE) selected Joel Pulis for the follow-up phase of their Building Capacity/Building Communities program.  He was one of only 35 nonprofit executives to be chosen for this honor.
• In December 1, 2005, Joel Pulis received the Community Support Award from NAMI Dallas (National Alliance on Mental Illness, Dallas chapter). 
• In December 2004, the Well Community was chosen as one of 50 Dallas organizations to participate in the FCE’s Building Capacity/Building Communities program. 
• In November 2004, the Well Community received the statewide Genesis Award for Innovative Ministry from the BGCT. 

Press (see News for copies of the articles)

• Featured on the front page of The Dallas Morning News’ Metro section on January 1, 2006. 
• Interviewed by Ron Harris on “the Morning Show” of 90.9 KCBI on October 26, 2005. 
• Included in the article, “Out of Mind, Out of Sight”, in the July/August 2005 edition of PRISM magazine, the publication of Evangelicals for Social Action. 
• Covered in The Baptist Standard article, “Low-income mentally ill people find hope at the Well”, November 8, 2004.

Miscellaneous

• Our relationship with Cliff Temple Baptist Church continues to mature and develop.  Since our inception, we have relied on Cliff Temple for encouragement, basic office support, (i.e., printers, fax, etc), and reduced facility rental.  We are continually blessed by Cliff Temple’s support of our work.   
• In 2005, we received two grants totaling $16,500, from the Foundation for Community Empowerment and the Mental Health Assistance Fund of the Communities Foundation of Texas.  We believe these partnerships are an indication of things to come. 
• In November 2005, Joel was invited to share on ministering to the mentally ill at the annual meeting of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA).  His breakout session was well attended, for according to leaders in the association, very few mental health ministries exist across the country. 
• On November 5, the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) overwhelmingly endorsed a Well-sponsored resolution regarding ministry among the mentally ill (see Appendix). 

History

• In April 2001, Joel Pulis was in Mussoorie, India, serving as the best man at a close friend’s wedding.  While overlooking the distant Himalayan Mountains, one morning he read the account of Jesus’ encounter with the woman of Samaria (John 4:1-42).  In this moment, a vision for a new community outreach was born – the Well.   
• In December 2001, a small group met for prayer and to discuss reaching out into the Oak Cliff community surrounding Cliff Temple Baptist Church.  The group included Joel & Laura Pulis, Joshua & Celeste Pulis, Scott & Kristi Coleman, and Tim Ahlen
• In January 2002, financial support for a new church plant was secured through a partnership between Cliff Temple Baptist Church, the Dallas Baptist Association (DBA), and the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT).
• In April 2002, Joel Pulis was approached by the remaining trustees of Bishop Avenue Baptist Church and asked to serve as their pastor.  Bishop Avenue had an existing ministry among people living with mental illness (see article, “Practicing…” in the Appendix).  Therefore, in May 2002, Joel began to lead a small group in worship (approximately 7 individuals the first Sunday). 
• In June 2002, Independence House, a publicly-funded, mental health day-program relocated from 2 blocks to the west of Cliff Temple to more than 5 miles south (near the Veterans Hospital).  People who had relied on this service for years, now found themselves with nowhere to go. 
• In October 2002, the Well Community incorporated with the state of Texas. 
• In February 2004, services moved to Saturday evenings and “Saturday Night Life” was begun.  The move was precipitated by a need to connect with additional supporters from other congregations and the realization that afternoons were better, mental health wise, for our Community Members than mornings.  On the first Saturday evening, approximately 30 were attendance; currently, we have approximately 65 in weekly attendance. 
• After much planning and prayers, in August 2005, the Community Life Center opened at Cliff Temple Baptist Church.  Throughout the fall months, programs that had been only dreams began to come to fruition.  The center serves as a “third place” for our Community Members, a communal “living room”.  Current programs include: Dual Recovery Anonymous (DRA), an addition recovery program; a therapeutic art program; a theater workshop; daily, Community Member led devotionals; a women’s depression & anxiety support group; and other recreation activities.   
• In September 2005, the supportive residential program was launched with two Community Members moving into apartments at Tyler Street Manor.  Since that time, a total of seven have moved in.