Our Mission

Our mission is to bring HOPE (Helping Other People Excel) by assisting individuals in leading purposeful lives. We firmly believe that when individuals struggle to meet basic needs like food and clothing, their ability to pursue dreams, achieve goals, and find fulfillment is severely hindered. Our programs for local families in need are aimed at enhancing their quality of life, promoting health, ensuring good nutrition, fostering energy, preserving human dignity, and providing the opportunity for family members to reach their full potential.

Our Vision

We are deeply committed to combating food insecurity in Broward County, ensuring that vulnerable children and adults have access to nutritious food for their households. We serve and care for local families in need with the utmost respect, kindness, love, and compassion. Our ultimate vision is to fulfill the Bible passage found in Matthew 25:35-40, which states, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Our History

A Place In Time Christian Ministries traces its roots back to the vision of Tricia Heng and her husband, Pete. Their journey began with a profound belief that every individual has a unique moment in time to encounter God and uncover their life’s purpose. With this unwavering conviction, they established the ministry, driven by a mission to empower others to excel in purposeful living.

At the core of their endeavor was a deep acknowledgment of God’s authority in shaping their mission. They saw themselves as humble shepherds, guided by the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Their shared passion and ultimate goal were to equip people with the tools and guidance needed to fulfill their life’s purpose.

In 2015, Tricia peacefully passed away, knowing that she had completed her earthly journey and embarked on a new, heavenly one, reunited with Jesus. She left behind a legacy of tireless dedication to helping others excel in purposeful living. She remained steadfast in her mission until her final days, embodying the essence of the great commission through practical actions and unwavering faith. Find out more about Tricia and her legacy in the following article:

Reaching Community

Cindy Martin, Chair

Cindy L. Martin will begin her tenure as Executive Director of A Place In Time Christian Ministries (APIT) on February 1, 2025, bringing over a decade of dedicated service and leadership experience in South Florida non-profit organizations.

Since 2022, Cindy has served as Operations Manager at APIT, where she has successfully managed the growing ministry that serves over 350 families monthly. Her leadership has been instrumental in establishing a culture of operational excellence, overseeing both weekly and monthly food distributions, managing the clothing and special donations ministries, and successfully leading the relocation of the ministry to its new location.

Cindy’s approach to leadership is deeply rooted in her Christian faith, as reflected in her guiding scripture from Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” This Christ-centered philosophy influences both her professional leadership and personal commitments.

Prior to her role at APIT, Cindy gained valuable leadership experience as a Team Leader with Just Between Friends in both South Broward and Coral Springs, where she managed teams of up to 40 people, developed efficient organizational systems, and oversaw complex logistical operations.

Cindy’s dedication to service extends beyond her professional roles. She has been actively involved with the Boy Scouts of America since 2010, serving in various capacities including Assistant Scoutmaster, Den Leader, Treasurer, and Advancement Chair. In these roles, she has demonstrated her ability to teach leadership skills, organize multi-day events, and spearhead successful fundraising initiatives that secured over $20,000 in donations.

A testament to her compassionate spirit, Cindy and her husband Greg are the proud parents of 10 children, including the adoption of 5 siblings. From 2004 to 2006, she served as a Foster Parent with the Children’s Home Society of Florida, where she gained experience coordinating with social workers and therapists while maintaining a nurturing environment for children in need.

Cindy’s skills in leadership, people management, ministry organization, and event management make her exceptionally qualified to guide APIT’s mission of providing food and clothing assistance to families throughout South Florida. Under her direction, the ministry looks forward to expanding its reach and deepening its impact in the community it serves.

Cindy holds an Associate of Letters, Arts and Sciences degree from Penn State University.

Urania Melendez, Director

Urania Melendez joined the board of directors in September 2019. She is a wife, mother of 4 and grandmother of 3 beautiful children. Her passion is to design, decorate, and use her talents to help others. Her heart has been with A place In Time Christian Ministry since the beginning. She loves to be part of a community that gives hope to those with physical and spiritual needs. She has been a member of Everglades Community Church for 20 years and has grown in faith while serving alongside her church family. She is honored to be part of the leadership of this ministry.

Mario Mateus, Director

Mario is an electrical engineer, a former Colombian Navy officer. He is a devout Christian who passionately believes in the power of prayer and the great commission to spread the gospel to all people. He joyfully provides for others in a variety of ways to demonstrate God’s love. Mario has been married to Tatiana for 10 years, and has a son, a daughter and 2 lovely grandkids. He is a compassionate Christian with a heart dedicated to uplifting the community and making a profound difference in the lives of others. He considers himself blessed to be called to serve to the Lord.

Rakesh Jhaveri, Director

Rakesh has been involved with this ministry since the very beginning. He strongly believes the Gospel compels all Christians to serve and provide for those in need in our community and around the world. He owns a technology company in Broward County that implements custom software solutions for its customers. He has an Engineering degree from the University of Puerto Rico.

Throughout his life, Rakesh has served and held positions at various churches and ministries; as a musician, council leader, creative director, member of the board of directors, and more recently, Connect Groups Director at his local church. Rakesh is married to Milly, his wife for over 30 years, and is the proud father of three adult sons. He is blessed to be able to serve and join God in what He is doing at A Place In Time.

Carlos Berrios, Director

Carlos Berrios joins A Place is Time following five years of co-founding and managing a food pantry at a South Florida church. He is a father to an incredible adult daughter and a grandfather to an amazing little boy. Carlos attended Baruch College of CUNY where he studied Marketing. He worships at Elevating Word Church for over 10 years. In addition to being a member of our board of directors, his fervor for serving God drives him to contribute his recruitment and sales expertise as our volunteer coordinator.

Greg Martin, Director & Board Secretary

Greg has been involved with the ministry for many years but has become directly involved in leadership for the last 2 years taking over responsibilities as Secretary and a Board Member. He is a strong Christian leader and has a deep passion for helping those in need in Broward County. Greg is a technology executive who has worked in the travel and mobility space for over 20 years. He has a Computer Science degree from Penn State University and an MBA from the University of Florida.

Greg has held various positions serving at a number of Churches in Florida (in Finance). Greg is married to Cindy, and is the proud father of 10 children (7 sons and 3 daughters). His passion is to serve his family and the community by expanding the gospel in tangible ways.

Phone number

954-435-7474

General Email