Voted one of the most up and coming neighborhoods in America in 2007 by Business Week, The East Garfield Park Community has benefited from a steady stream of community revitalization efforts provided by Breakthrough Urban Ministries. As Breakthrough expands its vision to build a state-of-the-art community center, the concept of the Breakthrough FamilyPlex is not one that was exclusively derived from the leadership of Breakthrough.
Who would best know the needs of a community with a history of oppressed poverty, homelessness, prostitution, unemployed parents, poor performing schools, disjointed family violence, hunger and more?- THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS who live it everyday, of course.
The Breakthrough Board of Directors commissioned a feasibility study on the viability of a community center and what would best service the community. From that study, the ideas, programs and structure of the Breakthrough FamilyPlex were born of a strategic process which included a group of teenagers, a group of parents and a board commissioned community focused group.
The results were phenomenal! A gym, drama room, computer lab, swimming pool, preschool, health facility, and a place where children can engage in productive activity with their parents safely watching them proved to be priority. With the exception of the swimming pool, these suggestions and recommendations have been integrated in the construction plans for the Breakthrough FamilyPlex! While a swimming pool is a great idea, Breakthrough elected to avoid unnecessary liability issues.
