Redeemer Community Partnership

REDEEMER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IS A NONPROFIT, CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SEEKING TO CREATE A SAFE, HEALTHY, OPPORTUNITY-RICH COMMUNITY WHERE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES THRIVE IN SOUTH LA.

FY2021 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTSJULY 1, 2020 TO JUNE 30, 2021 ADVENTURES AHEAD THE GOAL OF ADVENTURES AHEAD IS TO IMPROVE EDUCATION OUTCOMES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS BY ACHIEVING GRADE-APPROPRIATE LITERACY AND NURTURING EACH CHILDS DEVELOPMENT AS A LIFELONG READER. STUDENTS WHO REMAIN WITH THE PROGRAM FOR A FULL YEAR AVERAGE 1.5 YEARS OF IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR READING PROFICIENCY. ADVENTURES AHEAD IS CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR CHILDREN IN SOUTH LA AND NURTURING IN EACH ONE A LIFE-LONG LOVE FOR READING.AS COVID-19 HAS DISRUPTED EDUCATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE IMPACT HAS FALLEN ESPECIALLY HARD ON ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IN LOW-INCOME BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES. LEARNING LOSS OF 9-10 MONTHS HAS BEEN COMMON. NEVERTHELESS, THE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE ADVENTURES AHEAD ONLINE AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED TO SHOW PROGRESS. IN FACT, STUDENTS CLOSED THE GRADE-LEVEL LITERACY GAP MAKING 1.4 YEARS OF READING PROGRESS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. CONTINUING THE PROGRAM OVER THE SUMMER TO PREVENT SUMMER LEARNING LOSS REQUIRED MANY ADJUSTMENTS AS WELL. WE MADE WEEKLY DELIVERIES OF SNACKS, ACTIVITY KITS, ART SUPPLIES, AND PRIZES TO KEEP KIDS EXCITED AND ENGAGED. AFTER AN HOUR EVERY MORNING IN SMALL GROUP CLASSROOMS WORKING ON WORD ATTACK SKILLS, STUDENTS WOULD PARTICIPATE IN A HANDS-ON PROJECT CREATING BALLOON-POWERED CARS, BUBBLE WANDS, WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS, CLAY MODELS, AND OTHER ART AND ENGINEERING CHALLENGES. THEY WOULD RETURN EVERY AFTERNOON FOR ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS WITH A VOLUNTEER READING AND MATH BUDDY. WITH ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH DISTANCE LEARNING, A BRIGHT SPOT WAS HOW THE ONLINE FORMAT BROUGHT US INTO OUR STUDENTS HOMES. WE GOT TO MEET THEIR PETS, SEE THEIR FAVORITE TOYS, VISIT WITH THEIR YOUNGER OR OLDER SIBLINGS, AND CHAT WITH PARENTS IN MORE SUBSTANTIAL WAYS THAN DURING THE RUSH OF PICK UP AND DROP OFF. THIS FEELS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THIS YEAR AS A WAY FOR US TO QUICKLY GET TO KNOW ALL THE NEW FAMILIES THAT JOINED. PARENTS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR APPRECIATION FOR THE CARE AND DEDICATION OF OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. STUDENTS WERE SAD TO SEE THE PROGRAM END AND SAD THEY WILL MISS THEIR SUMMER TEACHERS. THE PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT US LESSONS ABOUT OUR STUDENTS. WEVE SEEN REMARKABLE RESILIENCY IN EACH ONE OF THEM, AS THEY OVERCAME IMMENSE OBSTACLES TO IMPROVE. THEYVE TAKEN OWNERSHIP OF THEIR LEARNING -- LOGGING IN TO WORK AFTER PROGRAM HOURS, CREATING GOALS FOR THEMSELVES, AND MAKING COMMITMENTS TO BECOME BETTER STUDENTS. THIS YEAR WAS DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES PAINFUL, AND DEFINITELY VERY STRANGE. BUT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. PRAISE GOD FOR HIS PROVISION IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS, FOR HIS COMFORT AND CARE IN THE MIDST OF STORMS.ADVENTURES IN ROBOTICS ADVENTURES IN ROBOTICS ALLOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN AUTHENTIC ENGINEERING AND PROGRAMMING EXPERIENCES AS A PART OF A FIRST LEGO LEAGUE (FLL) TEAM WHILE BEING MENTORED BY MEMBERS OF THE USC AND EXPOSITION PARK COMMUNITY. WE SUSPENDED THIS PROGRAM DURING THE PANDEMIC DUE TO THE IN-PERSON AND HIGHLY TACTILE NATURE OF THE EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, WE ARE EXCITED TO RELAUNCH THE PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER OF 2021. ADVENTURES IN ROBOTICS IS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO NURTURE HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND A LOVE FOR LEARNING THAT BRIDGES CHILDREN TO COLLEGE AND FULFILLING CAREERS.SCHOOL CHOICE FAMILY OUTREACH THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT REDEEMER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP SERVES CONTAINS SOME OF THE LOWEST-PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. BUT STUDENTS ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH-PERFORMING MAGNET SCHOOLS WITH FREE TRANSPORTATION, CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE BOOSTING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT WITH INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES, SPECIAL PROGRAMS LED BY LOCAL UNIVERSITIES, AND A SMALL NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEATING THE ODDS. OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE SEEN THAT MANY FAMILIES EITHER DONT KNOW ABOUT THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE OR CANNOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACCESS BETTER OPPORTUNITIES. TO ADDRESS THIS KNOWLEDGE GAP WE BEGAN PUBLISHING A FULL-COLOR GUIDEBOOK IN FALL 2018, WITH EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE GRAPHICS, DATA CHARTS, MAPS, AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF APPLICATIONS. WE ALSO POSTED A BILINGUAL VIDEO ONLINE. WE CONTINUE TO SHARE OUR ONLINE SCHOOL CHOICE GUIDE AND INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS. OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO REQUEST AND UTILIZE THESE RESOURCES REGULARLY. END NEIGHBORHOOD DRILLING IN 2013 RCP BEGAN ORGANIZING RESIDENTS TO CLOSE THE TOXIC JEFFERSON DRILL SITE EMBEDDED IN OUR DENSELY POPULATED RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, JUST A FEW FEET FROM NEIGHBORING HOMES. OVER THE YEARS, ADJACENT HOMES AND CARS PARKED ON THE STREET HAD BEEN SPRAYED WITH OIL. TOXIC ACID FUMES HAD KILLED PLANTS ON THE DOWNWIND CORNER OF THE DRILL SITE. THE DEAFENING DIN OF 1000S OF FEET OF METAL PIPE BEING DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND HAD ROBBED RESIDENTS OF THE PEACEFUL ENJOYMENT OF THEIR HOMES. CLOSED WINDOWS COULD NOT KEEP OUT PETROLEUM ODORS AND DIESEL FUMES FROM CHILDRENS BEDROOMS. RESIDENTS REPORTED A HIGH INCIDENCE OF MISCARRIAGES, POLLUTION-INDUCED HEADACHES, AND NIGHTTIME NOSEBLEEDS IN CHILDREN. WHEN WE STARTED THE CAMPAIGN THE DRILL SITE WAS OWNED BY AN OIL COMPANY WITH A MARKET CAPITALIZATION OF $38 BILLION. IN 2019, FOLLOWING YEARS OF ORGANIZING, PROTESTING, BRINGING PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO TOUR THE SITE, AND PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC HEARINGS, THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES ORDERED THE OPERATOR TO CLOSE AND CLEAN-UP THE DRILL SITE. WE CELEBRATED YEARS OF HARD WORK AND ANSWERED PRAYERS AS GOD HONORED THE MUSTARD SEED-SIZED FAITH OF RESIDENTS AND MOVED A MOUNTAIN CALLED SENTINEL PEAK RESOURCES OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY. SINCE THAT DECISIVE VICTORY IN 2019, REDEEMER HAS LED THE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OIL COMPANY MEETS ITS COMMITMENTS AND THAT THE CITY ENFORCES ITS RULES. THE CAPPING AND REMOVAL OF OIL WELLS ARE PROGRESSING ON SCHEDULE. SOON, THE SITE WILL CLOSE AND GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN WILL GO TO BED EACH NIGHT WITHOUT FEAR FROM THE CATASTROPHIC HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS THAT HAVE HUNG OVER OUR COMMUNITY FOR DECADES. REDEEMER ALSO CONVENED RESIDENTS TO BEGIN UNCOVERING A SHARED VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE DRILL SITE, INCLUDING SIX COMMUNITY MEETINGS THIS YEAR. RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PARK, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND A COMMUNITY CENTER. WE REMAIN ENGAGED IN WRITING A NEW CHAPTER OF GODS REDEMPTIVE STORY IN OUR COMMUNITY.NOW THAT THE JEFFERSON DRILL SITE HAS BEEN PUT ON A PATH TO CLOSURE AND CLEAN-UP, RCP IS WORKING WITH NEIGHBORS TO ADDRESS THE LAST TOXIC OIL DRILLING SITE IN SOUTH LA. EFFORTS TO ORGANIZE RESIDENTS AND MONITOR THE MURPHY DRILL SITE HAVE LED TO NUMEROUS REGULATORY ACTIONS. THESE VIOLATIONS HAVE INCLUDED DE-GASSING MASSIVE TANKS WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF A SCHOOL, ALLOWING A TRUCK THAT HAD BEEN ILLEGAL FOR ROADWAY USE TO REPEATEDLY TRANSPORT AND DEPLOY RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES AT THE DRILL SITE, WORKER SAFETY VIOLATIONS, AND MORE. MOVED BY THIS EVIDENCE, THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES HAS AGREED TO OPEN A PROCESS TO REVIEW THE OPERATORS COMPLIANCE WITH ITS OPERATING CONDITIONS AND THE SUFFICIENCY OF THOSE CONDITIONS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. THIS IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT LED TO THE CLOSURE AND CLEANUP OF THE EVERY COMMUNITY IMPACTED BY TOXIC NEIGHBORHOOD DRILLING DOES NOT HAVE A REDEEMER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TO STAND IN THE GAP. THEREFORE, IN 2013 RCP BECAME A FOUNDING MEMBER OF STAND-LA (STAND TOGETHER AGAINST NEIGHBORHOOD DRILLING), A GRASSROOTS COALITION WORKING TO INCREASE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTECTIONS NEAR TOXIC OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION SITES IN VULNERABLE LA NEIGHBORHOODS. CREATING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL AND MOBILITY JUSTICE FOR ALLCOUNTERING THE HISTORIC DIS-INVESTMENT IN SOUTH LA THAT HAS LEFT MOST MAJOR BOULEVARDS IN OUR COMMUNITY ON THE CITYS HIGH INJURY NETWORKTHE 6% OF CITY STREETS THAT ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN 70% OF SEVERE INJURIES AND FATALITIES FOR PEOPLE WALKINGREDEEMER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES A CONCERTED EFFORT TO CREATE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN WALKING AND BIKING TO SCHOOL AND TO SEEK MOBILITY FOR JUSTICE FOR OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO ARE OFTEN FORCED TO NAVIGATE THEIR WHEELCHAIRS INTO THE STREET TO AVOID BROKEN SIDEWALKS AND OTHER OBSTACLES.JEFFERSON BEAUTIFULSIX YEARS AGO RCP LED A COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN TO SECURE A $7 MILLION ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROJECT GRANT THAT WILL REPAIR SIDEWALKS, ADD PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING, STREET TREES, BIKE LANES, CURB EXTENSIONS, AND NEW PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SIGNALS TO A ONE-MILE SECTION OF JEFFERSON BLVD. FROM VERMONT AVE. WEST TO WESTERN AVE. REDEEMER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP HAS CONTINUED TO ENGAGE IN MONTHLY ALL-HANDS MEETINGS AND PROJECT WALK-THROUGHS WITH CITY STAFF TO FINALIZE THE PROJECT DESIGN. THE PROJECT WILL GO OUT FOR BID IN NOVEMBER 2021 WITH CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULED TO BEGIN BY APRIL 1, 2022.