R City (River City Community Development Center)

https://www.rcitycdc.org

Begun in the fall of 2015, River City Community Development Center (R CITY) exists to bring together the best of our city to build a path for families to walk from cradle to career to the glory of God. R CITY serves the West Humboldt Park community with Dreambuilders children’s programs that build foundation and cast vision for career, Peacebuilders junior high programs that build peace through team-based career activities, and Citybuilders teen apprenticeships that build work skills, experience, and endurance. R CITY is founded on the previous experience of three organizations established in West Humboldt Park. R CITY was founded by leaders of River City Community Church, a congregation with over a decade of experience serving neighborhood schools and families. Programs were launched by River City Pastor Brandon Green and Executive Director Elizabeth Galik, who was previously the executive director of New Life Centers of Chicagoland and founder of New Life’s Humboldt Park site. In 2017, R CITY onboarded the staff and programs of Harambee Chicago Foundation, gaining the leadership of Harambee’s executive director Michelle Johnson and lead tuckpointing crew leader Anthony Johnson. As a result, while the organization is young, R CITY’s leaders have over a decade of experience in the West Humboldt Park community and youth program leadership, including specifically the unique skill sets necessary for tuckpointing apprenticeships. The majority of R CITY staff, including its current directors, are residents of the West Humboldt Park community.