INPSIRING YOUTH AT THE PEACE PALACE

The old corner hardware store became the perfect venue to teach our youth about commerce. From the old, independently owned business, Redeemer created the Peace Palace, a place to learn, and put into practice the acquired skills to participate in self-directed enterprise. The People on Bikes bike repair, partially housed in the Peace Palace, originated with the youth and directly rewards them for their ingenuity and hard work.
The Peace Palace is also home base for a year-round youth program led by young adult mentors. From reading and homework help to trying out the latest dance steps to experimenting with new video techniques, the youth program strives to appeal to diverse interests. Activities encourage artistic expression, build character, inspire dreams about the future, and develop civic engagement and life skills. Stimulating monthly themes such as technology, heroes or environment invite thoughtful discussion and discovery of a world outside the youths’ limited experience. Creating enterprise and peace in Harrison.

CULTIVATING THE SOUL AT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN

At one time, the Redeemer apartment windows looked out over a trash-strewn piece of back alley property. Today it is a community garden that has become the symbol of hope and healing that defines the Redeemer community. People come together in collaboration, sharing their culturally diverse practices around growing food, the different foods these ethnic groups eat and how they prepare them. In the end, they come together to share more than food—they share a part of themselves over the weekly meal prepared from the bountiful garden-fresh produce. The door is always open to anyone who’d like a seat at the table; cultivating a spirit of community that began with the seeds of spring.

FEEDING THE MIND IN THE LIVING ROOM

In its first year of operation, visits to The Living Room grew steadily, becoming a meaningful gathering space in the Harrison neighborhood for more than 500 people per month. To say that such a community center was a necessary addition to RCFL’s campus is an understatement. No wonder folks like to gather in the large storefront room. They’re greeted by a welcoming host, a cup of coffee and frequently, a pot of soup. Find a comfortable spot on a sofa or pull up an easy chair for lively conversations on everything from wardrobe to credit ratings to when to turn the other cheek. It’s where relationships and trust are built and ties to the community are strengthened in spite of differences.

MENDING THE SPIRIT WITH SHELTER

A homestead is one of the chief influencers to successfully holding a job. RCFL’s commitment to affordable housing for people in transition is a keystone of their mission. The 24 apartments on the campus include efficiencies, two-bedrooms and a family-size unit. Residents learn to care for their own household, keep their accounts and contribute to the community. In one case, RCFL found a way to shelter two siblings—parentless teenagers—and kept them from living out on the street. In this village on Glenwood Avenue, the pair grew up within a supportive community, prepared to live on their own. Former RCFL residents frequently return to the neighborhood to help pay it forward, volunteering at summer suppers or other activities. As long as a supply of affordable housing continues to be an issue, RCFL pledges to do what it can to fill the void. Because the evidence is clear: when people feel that they belong to and are invested in a community, they become productive members of that community.