Our mission

Turning Point is a non-profit organization helping economically disadvantaged people in Brooklyn, New York. Our goal is to change lives by providing comfort and help to hurting people. We work with disconnected youth, families in crisis, the homeless, substance abusers, the unemployed, persons infected with and affected by HIV, adult non-readers, and non-English speaking immigrants.

What we do

Turning Point provides direct services to more than 12,000 people in Brooklyn each year, and reaches more than 20,000 people through education and outreach programs.

Turning Point has been providing services since 1975. It all began when members of the street gang "Homicide" came to Reverend Doug Heilman's Tuesday night youth meeting at the 59th Street Lutheran Church and asked for help. What began as informal involvement grew quickly into a full-time job. As young people heard of the good work being done by Reverend Doug and some volunteers, the requests for help grew. Word spread through the community, and our agency was born.

In 1977, we incorporated under the name of Discipleship, Inc. As community needs emerged, we added more and more services, growing into a multi-purpose, community-based organization providing education, health, and social services.In 2004, Turning Point/Discipleship Outreach Ministries, Inc. became Turning Point. We took this step to reflect the change in our widening outlook and to signify our entrance into a larger community of agencies working with the hurting.