The Tribe Has Spoken; Survey Results Are In!

Your voices have been heard!

We ended up with 17 completed surveys. Thank you to everyone who participated! Here are the top programs people expressed an interest in:

12 votes:

Dance fitness

Game night

11 votes:

Movie night

10 votes

Groceries

Clothing

Household items

Art and/or crafts

Community dinner

9 votes:

Car maintenance/repair

ADHD, ASD, neurodiversity support group

Potluck

Teen night

Karaoke

Full survey results:

Basic needs

Groceries

10

Meal preparation

2

Clothing

10

Household items

10

Medical/dental care

3

Employment assistance

3

Car maintenance/repair

9

Childcare

3

Learning groups/classes

Parenting class/learning group

6

Relationship class/learning group

4

Goal setting & accountability group

4

ESL

2

Cooking/eating well

8

Art and/or crafts

10

Computer literacy

5

Financial success

5

Business skills

5

Spirituality

Meditation

5

Prayer meeting

5

Bible study

3

Youth group

2

Enneagram

0

Breathwork

3

Spirituality through art

2

Drum circle

3

Health/Wellness

Aerobics

7

Free weights training

5

Dance fitness

12

Kickboxing

4

Yoga/pilates

6

Tai Chi

4

Martial arts

5

Massage

5

Support groups

Parenting support group

7

Marriage/intimate partnership support group

5

Grief/loss support group

5

ADHD, ASD, neurodiversity support group

9

Women’s group

6

Men’s group

5

Addiction support group

5

Emotional health support group

7

Social events

Community dinner

10

Potluck

9

Game night

12

Teen night

9

Movie night

11

Karaoke

9

Open Mic

5

Line dancing or square dancing

8

Poetry reading

6

Hobby/interest group

5

LGBTQ+ social group

4

Free response

Basic needs “other”: afterschool program

2

Learning group/classes “other”: driver’s ed

1

Learning group/classes “other”: test prep

1

Availability

Available mornings

4

Available afternoons

5

Available evenings

12

Available weekends

6

Message from our New Director of Community Life and Empowerment, Virgie Pickering

Hi, I’m Virgie.

I’m excited to be working on getting some new programming started at the community center, with input from many of the lovely folks here at Liberty Park Terrace who filled out the survey with me or returned it to the office.

I have a background in coaching, which, if you don’t know what that is, check out the new page on our website, Next Step Coaching to learn more.

I am also a mom, writer, and former Presbyterian pastor, but don’t worry; I’m not here to proselytize and my daughter is well-behaved when she is not at home. Yes, some of you know what I am talking about.

If you’d like to come by and chat, let me know or stop by my office! I may occasionally be out for meetings during office hours, but usually will be here 10am-1pm weekdays.

COVID-19 and Our Response

Although the state of the world is undeniably uncertain, we are thankful for the opportunity to serve our families in ways that we have never done before. We have created a new program specifically designed to support the families and the neighborhood of Liberty Park during this pandemic. With the help of local food banks that run out of Southside Christian Church, Liberty Park has been able to open their doors (or one window, actually) in order to hand out weekly groceries to families. Through donations by local school officials and generous community partners, not only are we handing out food, but now also books, toys and games to keep children occupied, laundry supplies, soap, toilet paper, baby wipes, fresh flowers, and more.

We know there are many who are greatly impacted by current global conditions, and our hope is to provide relief to those in need. During the early stages of this pandemic, toilet paper flew off of the local grocery shelves, leaving nothing behind. Families in low-income areas often face difficulties finding reliable transportation or funds to provide such basic needs - and with the addition of panic buying - our families were suddenly facing even greater obstacles. Normal groceries were hard to access and home necessities were constantly out of stock. Thanks to our generous community, Liberty Park was able to quickly provide easy access to these needs, giving families a chance to stock up without even leaving their neighborhood.

Rain or shine, the LP Food Bank is open every Monday at 12:30 for anyone in need. We thank you for supporting our mission, and for the generous community who has connected us to resources beyond our expectations. We would like to ask that you continue to keep our families in your thoughts and prayers. We love you, Spokane!

New Year, New Space
With the support of many dedicated individuals, churches, and community partners, we are excited to say that we are heading into a new building project for our Liberty Park ECEAP.
What does this mean for LP?
We are expanding! Our wonderful Liberty Park ECEAP program will be moving into a new building in the lot next door in 2020. Liberty Park Community Center will continue running our present programs and more in our current beloved building. LP will now be run out of two buildings, instead of one!

As we say goodbye to a shared space, we say hello to opportunities for growth.
In order to reach more of Spokane, we'll need your help...

We have seen exponential growth in the last year as our program numbers continue rising. We are looking forward to the new space that will allow us to expand our goals and our reach in Spokane. With this new space comes new challenges, and we are extraordinarily grateful for our committed community of supporters who are entering this new year with us. 

Please join our mission to expand our reach and create opportunities for growth in the lives of our Liberty Park families. We rely on the generosity of our community, and we are seeking your support now as we move towards bigger and brighter things.

#239ofus

We cannot tell you how thankful we are for the support we have seen through the community in and around Spokane. You have given us the opportunity to love our neighbors more and more every day. You have loved east central Spokane by supporting the mission of Liberty Park, and we cannot wait to move forward on this journey with each and every one of you.

In the past year we have expanded our center to include a refugee assistance program, five new and improved ESL classes, adult education courses, as well as a Neighborhood Networks program that serves the community in many different ways. We are seeing growth in so many of our families, and we look forward to the impact that Liberty Park will continue to make on their lives.

We want to continue growing our resources and expanding our programs in order to continue empowering the families of Liberty Park. We need your help to do this. That’s why we are launching our two-month #239ofus campaign. We are thankful to have 239 people who support and follow us on our Facebook page, which is where we got the idea to turn 239 into $2,390.00 (details below!). All funds from this campaign will directly fund the expansion and improvement of the educational programs at Liberty Park.

Text 239ofus to 44321 or visit https://secure.givelively.org/donate/liberty-park-child-development-center/239ofus to donate to our campaign.

We are also participating in #givingtuesday this year, which is a nationwide campaign that encourages and celebrates the generosity of anyone and everyone making an impact.

Please consider supporting our mission and sharing our campaign with those around you. We are so thankful for every one of you.

A New Season at LPCDC

With the changing of seasons we are excited to announce big changes at Liberty Park Community Development Center…

It has always been our mission to serve the families of the east central community of Spokane, WA. For years we have built up programs that focused on the education and stabilization of the youth in this area. In the past year we have worked as a team to grow our vision, expand our mission, and create more programs fit for every single person in this unique neighborhood. We have partnered with Proclaim Liberty and HUD to institute the Neighborhood Networks program at LPCDC. We have also added a brand new refugee assistance program through Americorps VISTA. So we’d like to reintroduce ourselves to you.

What is Liberty Park Community Development Center?

We are a community center located in the middle of one of Spokane’s most diverse neighborhoods. As a mission of the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest, we seek to be living witness to the Spirit’s work in Spokane. Our mission is to empower the people of Liberty Park by offering free resources and tools that allow our residents to push themselves towards greater things. We encourage academic and social growth in the lives of both children and adults, and create opportunities for our residents to practice that growth. 

What Happens at LPCDC?

So much. We have created, and are continuing to create programs designed to empower the people of Liberty Park. Each of our programs is free and open to the people of Spokane.

• Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) - free preschool (age 3-4) to those who meet the low-income qualifications.
  • Monday-Thursday 8:30-11:30 or 12:15-3:15
• Champions After-School Drop-In Program - free after-school program for all school-age children, includes free tutoring and mentorship. 
  • Monday-Friday 3-5:45
• English as a Second Language (ESL) - free English classes
  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12:30-1:30 (temporarily on hold)
• Neighborhood Networks - free resources for educational, social, and job-related growth. Free computer lab. Free appointments with NN director, Natalie Cannavo, for goal-setting, job counseling, academic assistance, etc. 
• Community activities and events - free events for the entire community each month.
• Fresh Produce Food Bank - free fresh produce for the residents of Liberty Park donated by the Thursday Market of the Perry district, along with Catholic Charities
• Vista - Refugee assistance program that offers help in job placement, English learning,  etc. 

Who are the people behind LPCDC?

• LPCDC Board
• Natalie Cannavo - LPCDC Director 
• Tayler Flemming - Champions Teacher
• Abbie Hochberger - VISTA Volunteer
• Ivy Chetverikov - ECEAP Director
• Emily Crosswhite - ECEAP Family Service Coordinator (FSC)
• Erin Haworth - ECEAP Teacher
• Michele DeLong - ECEAP Cook

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We are so excited to be entering this new season at Liberty Park; and as always, we are ecstatic to share this journey with you. We ask for your support as we continue serving the East central neighborhood of Spokane. 

The BEST 5 Ways to Support LPCDC This Summer

1. Donate

We are a non-profit, which means we rely on YOU in order to continue our mission. Your donations further our mission and allow us to expand our vision to reach even more of our community. When you donate you are providing free programs to all Liberty Park residents that help them grow economically, academically, and socially. You can donate online by clicking below, or text LOVEPEOPLE to 1-844-544-7171. When you text to donate you can chose which program your donation benefits, or you can donate to our broader mission.

2. Volunteer

Liberty Park runs off of the generosity of our volunteers. The support that we get from volunteers allows us to expand the reach of our programs and show love to more of our neighbors. Volunteering at Liberty Park is a life-changing experience. Whether you teach adults English, share a conversation during laundry love, read to preschool children, pour into school-age kids, or mentor a teen, your life will be impacted by your experience here.  Volunteers come from every background, and all bring a unique personality that enhances our program. We value diversity, and encourage all people to help us grow the next generation of leaders.

3. Come To Our Events

If you're in the area, we would love to see you there! Our events are for our families and for YOU. We want you to get to know the people behind Liberty Park Community Development Center, and we want to get to know you. Our events are the perfect way to do that. We've got some exciting events happening this summer and we want you to be there. Subscribe to our events mailing list to receive invites and updates. 

4. Spread The Word

We can reach the people we reach because of YOU. When you spread the word about Liberty Park Community Development Center, it allows us to broaden our community. We want our families to get to know the greater Spokane community, and you can help us do that. We've created a flyer that explains who we are and what we do so that spreading the word about Liberty Park is easier than ever. Click below to download our LPCDC flyer. 

5. Share This Page!