About The 180 Center
Who we are, what we do, and what we believe
What We Do
The 180 Center is a Christ-centered nonprofit outreach in New Haven, CT dedicated to turning lives around by restoring hope and helping people through Biblical discipleship, conflict resolution training, and leadership development.
We help in 3 ways:
Discipleship Program
Turning lives around by restoring hope and helping people in crisis through Biblical discipleship, conflict resolution training, and leadership skills.
Outreach Mission
The 180 Center is open 7 days a week. We serve a free breakfast and lunch to those in need Monday - Friday at 7am and 12pm. We do the the same on Saturday at 8am and 12pm.
Christian 12 Step Meetings
The 180 Center offers a 12 step Christian support group for men who are battling addiction. The original 12 step support groups were founded on Biblical principles.
Core Values
- We believe that the only way to eternal life is the free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus because of his grace and mercy.
- We strongly believe that integrity and character are of utmost importance. We believe that a believer’s word of promise should be kept, and one should be faithful to carry out all commitments, no matter how small or large.
- We believe that everything we do should be done with a spirit of excellence.
- We believe that we are called first to be servants, regardless of what position we may have in ministry.
Statement of Faith
- We believe in one God, eternally existent as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
- We believe that the Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments, is God’s inspired and infallible Word, and is the supreme standard and final authority for all conduct, faith, and doctrine.
- We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- We believe that man was created in the image of God, but by willful transgression became sinful and is justly under the condemnation and wrath of Almighty God.
- We believe that the only salvation from this guilt and condemnation is through faith in the righteousness and atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that this salvation is the free gift of God’s love and grace.
- We believe in the personality of the Holy Spirit and that His ministry is to reveal Christ to men, to convict of sin, to regenerate repentant sinners and, by His presence and power, to sanctify the lives of the redeemed.
- We believe that there will be a resurrection of the just and the unjust; the just, having been redeemed by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be with Him throughout eternity in glory; the unjust, having died impenitent and unreconciled to God, eternally separated from God.
- We believe that all believers are called to obey not only the first great commandment, to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, but also the second great commandment of our Lord: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- We believe that ministry to “the least of these” (Matt 25:40) in the name of Christ is commanded for all Christians and should be the basis of our purpose statement
Our Staff
Pastor Mike & Ginny Caroleo
Mike and Ginny met in 1989 while working at an outreach ministry in Long Island, New York. They married the same year and served as home group leaders and children ministry teachers for their local church. During that time, Mike was a board member for a Long Island based outreach ministry to the homeless in NYC called Hope For The Future.
After starting a family, Mike became a successful businessman, owing an operating several businesses.
While trying to juggle the challenges of full-time work and a passion for the lost, the Caroleos narrowed their focus of ministry to the homeless in their area and served at Lighthouse Mission sharing food and the Word of God.
Mike’s heart desired more after evangelistic mission trips to New Orleans during Mardi Gras. After fifteen years of wrestling with the call of God to serve the lost full-time, Mike and Ginny, along with their two children, attended a six month YMAM Discipleship Training School in Kona, Hawaii and led a mission trip outreach to Auckland, New Zealand.
Returning to the United States after completing their training, God directed them to sell their home, businesses and follow His call. In 2005 they relocated to New Haven, CT, where they sought the Lord served their local church and community.
In 2009, Mike took a step of faith, co-founding a ministry to the homeless in New Haven called The 180 Center. In addition to The 180 Center, Mike opened several Christian men and women sober houses in the New Haven Area.
This is part one of the vision that God has given the Caroleo’s for the New Haven area.
Pastor Ron Purificato
Jon Ecker
Jon Ecker first entered rehab in 1990. He spent 18 years in 12 step recovery, and even became a registered substance abuse counselor in Maine. Over the years he experienced the pain of divorce, battled cancer, PTSD, and mental disorders. It was during a ten month stay at the Salvation Army that he first saw Jesus in a dream. He went on to help manage sober houses.
Still, after two stays at Yale Psychiatric Hospital, three suicide attempts, and homelessness; he was spiritually, physically, and emotionally spent. He ended up at the men’s shelter in New Haven.
In July of 2013, he entered The 180 Center and made a commitment to the eighteen month discipleship program. He graduated the program in January of 2015; in addition, by the grace of God, he was able to stop the use of methadone. He now serves as the Co-Director of sober housing.
