Baltimore experienced a dose of healing, renewed thinking and concepts aligning with spiritual building on November 17-18, 2023 at the Baltimore Convention Center through Dr. Bill Winston and Bill Winston Ministries’ seventh stop of the Operation Ten City (OTC) campaign. Winston is a globally renowned pastor, entrepreneur and business leader.
According to a press release, “Dr. Bill Winston and Bill Winston Ministries invested more than $1 million in [the] Baltimore Community during Operation Ten City” and over 8,000 people were fed with Heaven’s Pantry Food Giveaway.
Operation Ten City Campaign is a mega event experience that blends giveaways, workshops and inspiring deeds that promote economic restoration and prosperity in 10 U.S. cities.
The initiative is meant to inspire faith-based communities to activate hidden potential and pursue the fullness of God’s calling for their lives, businesses and organizations, per further details provided in a press release.
“Through programming centered on community outreach, business, and entrepreneurship, as well as faith and the supernatural, Operation Ten City supports the development of people and communities with a vision to help them access true economic prosperity and self-sufficiency through wealth-building, entrepreneurship and ownership.”
Operation Ten City’s events are free and open to the public. Baltimore was the seventh city of the massive campaign. Operation Ten City has previously been held in Los Angeles, California; St. Louis, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Chicago, Illinois.
According to Dr. Bill Winston’s son, Pastor David S. Winston, Baltimore Operation Ten City was held “to assist in the transformational process of Baltimore City with the intent to create vocational centers and skill training centers.”
He also stated that “this endeavor also had a purpose to empower people.”
Pastor David mentioned wanting to bring churches together in a unified front to enter discussions that they have never had before.
“We believe we can transform communities and churches, by the way they see themselves,” he said.
Pastor David further stressed the importance of partnerships when he said that the campaign’s purpose was to lessen the economic divide in the projected 10 cities in which partnerships will ensue. He stated that the partnerships will entail city and state officials; community leaders; spiritual community leaders; activists; residents; businesses; entrepreneurial persons; youth and other stakeholders.
He also expressed the ministries’ intent to assist and empower Black and brown people to close the wealth divide through ownership, and self-production of goods and services. Pastor David spoke about the transformation of cities and communities and for the need for the spiritual community to have a moral compass with God being the litmus test.
Both Dr. Winston and his son, Pastor David, echoed the same challenge that the success of this campaign depends heavily on the partnerships that were to develop in each city. He and his father asserted that these efforts were not founded in religion but based on spirituality.
Pastor Bill Winston announced that 2,200 bags of groceries to feed more than 8,000 were distributed on Saturday, November 18 during Operation Ten City’s two Heaven’s Pantry food distributions, one at Carver Vocational School and another at Mount Pleasant Community Life Center. Additionally, 1,000 gas cards with a total value of $50,000; 200 Uber cards totaling $5,000 in value; over $150,000 in brand-new clothing for men, women and children were given away. Remarkable strides were made in Baltimore. The Pastor also acknowledged the support of his staff and 300 local volunteers.
Another highlight included free workshops such as an expungement clinic; Seven Steps to Government Contracts; Unlocking the Power of AI; For your Small Business; Pathway to Prosperity were among the diverse offerings. Wealth building principles, economic transformation, youthpreneur, entrepreneurship and other business and entrepreneurial sessions were also held.
A motivational environment was supported through the presence and messages shared by real life achievers. Dr. Deloris Thomas, president of Joseph Business School; and Ray Lewis, former Baltimore Ravens linebacker, 2x Super Bowl Champion, and Pro Football Hall of Famer were among them. They worked to activate hidden potential and inspire attendees to start or grow their businesses. A Building Wealth Masterclass Series featured several panels. The purpose was to help small business owners and entrepreneurs find their next level of success.
Photo credit: Paul Hairlson Photography
Operation Ten City includes young people. Pastor David also remarked that the intent of the 2-day program was to inform and provide inspiration to all the participants, especially the youth. Baltimore City Schools were provided transportation to enable some of their students to attend the event. Middle and high school students from surrounding area schools, and churches attended a half-day Youthpreneur Workshop on Friday, November 17. Camera bundles, college scholarships, gift cards, iPads, Mac computers, iPods, free lunches and t-shirts with “GREATNESS UNLOCKED” inscribed on them were given away to youth participants who attended a youth entrepreneurial workshop.
“During the entrepreneurship session, students participated in interactive lessons on social media content creation, influence, marketing and more. The workshop aimed to impart seeds of entrepreneurial education, wealth-building and ownership in the lives of youth to empower and equip them with the knowledge to make sound choices for their futures,” per information provided in a press release.
Another highlight entailed allowing local entrepreneurs to have the opportunity to showcase their business products and services that have the potential for commercialization and scalability to solve real problems in the marketplace or community. During The Business Pitch Competition that was similar to ABC’s “Shark Tank,” 10 local finalists pitched their business for three minutes.
Cash prizes were awarded to the three highest-rated contestants. Baltimore’s top winners were: Tierra Lathan, Consult Lemonade (first prize, $10,000); Da’Shon Forrest, Clown N Around Entertainment Firm (second prize, $5,000); and Joseph Johnson, ManUp (third prize, $2,500).
Photo credit: Paul Hairlson Photography
It is noteworthy to mention that Baltimore had the second highest attendance of all Operation Ten City campaigns to date, according to a press release. More stops in cities across the United States will occur through the end of 2024. If you would like to learn more about Operation Ten City, please visit www.operationtencity.com.