College football fans may be familiar with the Wuerffel Trophy, given by the Wuerffel Foundation to the college football player with the most impact as a community service leader. (The 2023 award went to Georgia Bulldog Ladd McConkey.) But they might not know that Danny Wuerffel, former Gator football quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner for whom the award is named, also runs a charity that works in some of Atlanta’s most underresourced neighborhoods.

 

Desire Street Ministries works to revitalize neighborhoods by providing support through local ministers. Headquartered in Atlanta and run by Wuerffel, the organization serves communities throughout the southeast. In Atlanta, it partners with Blueprint 58 in the Pittsburgh neighborhood, Grove Park Renewal, and The Mom Community off Lakewood Avenue. Alumni partners include PawKids in Grove Park and Summerhill Community Ministries.

 

The organization strives toward positive change through spiritual and community development, working side by side with local leaders. “The model is intended to be a support organization for urban ministers,” says Jonathan Colehower, a member of the Desire Street Ministries board and former board chair. “An urban minister comes into a neighborhood with great intentions and to be part of this community and in many cases can burn out after two or three years.” Desire Street Ministries was formed to help those urban leaders through coaching, grants, and other areas of support.

 

Volunteers are asked not only to help with specific programs (such as serving as tutors or pen-pals to a local senior citizen) and donations (in the form of money, gift cards, and other goods), but also to pray for the community and its needs.

 

In addition to its executive director, Desire Street Ministries is also known for its annual golf tournament fundraiser, the Desire Cup. Held each year during the Florida-Georgia football weekend in Jacksonville, it pairs registrants with former Florida Gator and Georgia Bulldog football players for a round of golf.

 

LET’S HIGHLIGHT THE INFO BELOW IN A SEPARATE BOX WITHIN THE MAIN COPY OF THIS CHARITY FEATURE

 

Non-profit: Desire Street Ministries

 

Mission: Revitalizing neighborhoods by encouraging, equipping, and connecting urban community leaders.

 

Contact: Call (678) 681-3979, email info@desirestreet.org, or visit https://desirestreet.org/contactinfo/

How You Can Help: Pray for ministry partners and alumni; volunteer; donate. Visit https://desirestreet.org/get-involved/#interection and click on Partner Needs. Scroll down to Atlanta area partners and you’ll see ways to give your time and resources, such as providing grocery store gift cards, serving as a pen pal to a senior, or mentoring students.

 

You can also register for the annual Desire Cup Rivalry for a Cause golf tournament. It’s held each year during Florida-Georgia football game weekend at either The Cloister at Sea Island or a course in Ponte Vedra, FL. Registrants are paired with former Gator or Bulldog football players. Visit https://desirecup.com/ for more information.