The Sparrow Story
In Benton County, the number of people experiencing homelessness nearly doubled between 2017 and 2022. Statewide, Oregon’s rate of families experiencing homelessness stands at three times higher than the national average with 70% being led by single moms. In Corvallis, the strain is especially visible as housing costs rise and too many people are left without a safe place to call home. For many in our city, the problem has felt overwhelming—without clear answers for lasting solutions.
Amid this need, a local leader at the Hive church, Andrew Wenger, experienced a growing conviction to respond. The words of Luke 12:48—“Everyone to whom much is given, of him much will be required”—weighed on him deeply.
In 2016, as Andrew prayed about how to respond to these needs, he had a vivid dream at night. He dreamt of a single-wide home in South Corvallis, purchased and prepared to welcome a homeless family, while the church community provided wrap-around care, aiding them to get off the streets and build a new future.
Not long after, a single mom in crisis came to The Hive church. Her
home was unsafe, she was expecting her third child. The church
community rallied around her, purchasing and restoring a singlewide trailer—just as Andrew had seen in his dream. She became the very
first participant in what would grow into what is now Sparrow
Ministries.
What began as a burden, then a prayer, and then a dream became a living reality. Today, through a grant from the state of Oregon, Sparrow purchased Twin Oaks mobile home park in South Corvallis and has grown into two branches:
Sparrow Housing, providing affordable housing opportunities, fostering community and offering support.
Sparrow Ministries, aiding struggling families through spiritual, relational, emotional, and financial mentorship.
Our motivation is rooted in faith, but our vision is simple: we believe lasting transformation happens in community and that people are valuable to God.
Statement of Faith
Sparrow is a Christian nonprofit whose purpose is to show the love and power Jesus Christ demonstrated through His life on earth and in His death and resurrection. We believe that God created all men and women in His image, giving each person inherent value and worth. Our faith in Jesus shapes and guides us as we serve those around us. We pursue restoration—of people, families, and neighborhoods—through relationship, practical help, and hope in Christ.
Sparrow Core Values
People Are Valuable
Love
Belonging
Family as a Foundation
Empowering to Serve
Jesus is the Solution
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Our executive director, Andrew, founded Sparrow because of a desire that grew in him to serve the local city and serve people beyond the walls of the church, becoming an agent of change in society. Andrew leads our organization, maintaining everything that we do dedicated to our mission and core value of seeing people thrive and know the incredible value God has for every person. A contractor by trade, Andrew is passionate about building up people and healthy communities and leads our team forward in investing in that vision together.
Shelly serves as Sparrow’s Program Director and manages the development and design of all of Sparrow’s programs. She carries a vision to see lives transformed through experiencing a personal relationship with a loving God. For Sparrow Ministries, Shelly develops the structure and content of our year-long, live-in mentorship program. Married to Andrew, she has assisted in developing Sparrow from the ground up and dreams of seeing a community come into wholeness spiritually, physically, relationally, and emotionally.
Audrey provides our resident services which connects our Sparrow community to assistance available locally in Corvallis. She carries a deep value and empathy for people’s stories and experiences. Audrey is truly passionate and committed to seeing every member in the park cared for in times of need, having them seen and known as Jesus sees them.
Bethany serves as our Community Engagement Coordinator. Her role endeavors to build a bridge between Sparrow and the local community through media development, communications and networking. Bethany has a vision to see Sparrow grow into all that it can be through cultivating relationships that enable Sparrow to continue to grow and serve the community in exponential capacity!
Raymond is married to his beautiful wife Wanda and enjoys his two dogs named Dexter and Duke. He was born and raised in South Africa and is now a U.S Citizen. Raymond enjoys photography and hiking, loves the ocean and nature where he deeply experiences God’s presence.
Currently, his full-time job is working with Seniors which he finds joy in, especially in taking seniors on outings and experiencing their joy and appreciation. Raymond works for Sparrow as the head groundskeeper and feels connected to Sparrows’ mission in serving others, especially those in need.
As a mom and grandmother, Teresa brings both professional expertise and heartfelt compassion to her role as Sparrow’s bookkeeper. With a deep appreciation for Sparrow’s mission, she values that the organization focuses on families—offering parents and children a safe place and the chance to rebuild their lives. Teresa’s attention to detail ensures Sparrow’s financial records are handled with accuracy and care, supporting the behind-the-scenes work that makes hope and stability possible for those we serve.
Lindy has lived at Twin Oaks park for twenty-six years and has served as community caretaker for over fifteen years. She knows the community better than anyone and loves to care for people and help them get connected. If you move into our housing, Lindy is the one of the first you’ll meet and she deeply enjoys connecting and hearing people’s stories.
Scott’s professional path includes stints as a researcher in the labs of Sun Microsystems and IBM working on novel computing methods. He also taught circuit design and managed Capstone projects for Computer Science majors at Oregon State University. He worked locally in the lumber industry while designing scanners for Lucidyne Technologies. He has a PhD from Cambridge University in the UK.
“I didn’t choose to pursue work with the economically challenged in Corvallis, but I learned of Sparrow’s vision and saw the difference they were making. It is gratifying to work alongside the staff and fellow board members to help in the lives of many others.”
Scott is married with three grown children. He is on the opening side of his twilight years. He will not go quietly.
My husband and I moved to Oregon 7 years ago. I am currently employed at Citizens Bank in Philomath with 15 years of banking experience. Since moving here, I have been startled with the growing housing crisis. I’m drawn to Sparrow Ministries’ passion to provide more affordable housing while building relationships. My banking experience motivates me to partner with Sparrow to oversee the budget and grow the impact to provide healthy community where residents can flourish.
Rob is a devoted husband to his wife, Lori, and together they have three children: Ben, Levi, and Madalyn. He was raised on a grass seed farm near Harrisburg, Oregon, and grew up surrounded by both agriculture and music, singing with his family’s gospel group, the Good Shepherds Quartet.
Rob’s father was an innovator who invented a product called the Weed Wiper for use on their farm. In the early 1980s, he founded Smucker Manufacturing. When Rob was just 14, his father passed away, and his oldest brother stepped in to run the farm. By God’s grace, the company continued to grow—and Rob grew up alongside it.
Today, Rob loves his work and deeply values the people he works with. You can learn more about the company at www.smucker.net.
At the core of Rob’s life is a passion for following Jesus and living out His call: “If you love me, feed my sheep.” This conviction has shaped Rob’s approach to faith—sharing the gospel and loving others in practical, meaningful ways. To encourage others to do the same, he launched a platform called www.mytestimony.video, where people can share their stories of faith
