River City Kids: Meet R CITY!

One of the things I fiercely hold as a mother is a desire for my children to care for our neighbors around us, and to dream big of the impact they can make on the hard things of our world.  As a mother and executive director, the R CITY launch seemed to me a perfect time to bring this lesson to life for not only my own children, but all the kids of River City Community Church.

Our kids’ involvement in CDC Sunday is taking two main forms: coloring sheets that illustrate R CITY’s mission and piggie banks for children to give boldly in our Launch Offering on October 18. 

The parent letter below tells it all:

Dear River City parents,

This month, River City is building up to the launch of River City Community Development Center (R CITY). As we follow Jesus in the path of ministry to our community, we want to invite our children into this as well.

Each week leading up to the launch, kids can draw a picture of part of R CITY’s mission. They hand these in when they come up for dismissal. These drawings will make their appearance on the big screen the next week!

On Sept. 27, kids will also make R CITY piggy banks. They can fill these with change and bring them back LAUNCH SUNDAY – October 18, when they’ll shake, shake, shake the pennies out for their offering to start R CITY.

With great anticipation of what this can grow in our kids and great thanks for your collaboration,
Beth Galik (with Luke, Faith, Talitha, Mateo)

So what is R CITY?

R CITY is River City Community Development Center, the youth center coming to be at the River City facility. In R CITY, we seek to bring together the best of our city to build a path for families to walk their children from cradle to career to the glory of God.

The R CITY directors are Brandon Green and Beth Galik, joined by River City volunteers both now and even more as youth programs launch this November.

Join the fun: Print your own R CITY coloring sheet here and E-mail it in to the R CITY Directors to have it included in the weekly slideshow.

-Beth Galik

Meet the Directors

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Brandon Green is a life long resident of the city of Chicago and an Associate Pastor at River City Community Church and Center Director of River City Community Development Center located on the west side of Chicago, where he seeks to minister in both the church and community. Brandon is a husband to Brigitte and a father to Jacob, Julien and Arabella.

 

Elizabeth Galik serves as Executive Director of River City Community Development Center, a nonprofit advancing a new model for building a path from cradle to college.  Her nonprofit experience began in 2006, opening a small computer lab in Chicago’s west Humboldt Park community and growing it to serve hundreds annually with education, apprenticeships, and employment services.  Elizabeth and her husband Charlie live with their four young children and goddaughter in the neighborhood they serve and have opened their home as guardians for more than 25 children through the Safe Families for Children movement.

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September Welcome

Welcome to the home of R City!  We are currently in pre-launch phase, preparing for our first year of programming with prayer, collaboration, thoughtful program design, and the strong setup of administrative and financial systems.  We look forward to sharing more as program design is finalized and programs begin in November 2015.  For now, say hello via e-mail and let us know how you could see yourself bringing your best for the good of R City in the future.

Many blessings,

Elizabeth Galik
Director