Our Story

It all began on March 20, 2008, the day our lives changed forever. The community of Barhamsville, Virginia lost one of its youth, Jenna Grace King, in a car accident. As her family and home church mourned her loss, we found a new energy in our faith as we looked at the possibilities of creating outreach ministries.

These ministries would serve those in need of clothing, food, and other services. Soon Proclaiming Grace Outreach was able to see the vision of what the non-profit could do to transform the lives of those in need in their community. We used the example of Jenna's life and grasped on to that same drive she had to overcome obstacles placed before her.

Jenna’s accomplishments of graduating high school early and nearly completing her first year at Randolph College by age 17 showed her strong drive and her ability to dream big. From this tragic loss, members of Tabernacle UMC, formed Proclaiming Grace Outreach as a 501(c)(3) faith-based non-profit corporation. It has since blossomed into a great community partnership that is supported by 20 plus churches and civic groups.

On the night that we lost our Jenna, God told me,
"I am going to show you a new way to grieve." At the time I had no idea what that meant. It wasn't long before He showed me exactly what that meant.

It meant Proclaiming Grace Outreach and it meant that lives would be changed, both ours and those in need. I am ever so grateful and humbled to be a vessel for change in the community.

Melanie King, Jenna's mother