06-11-2007 City to support expansion of Monroe Circle effort

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trying to do is create links so they can pull themselves out of poverty. EnterMission is working with Granger Community Church, 630 E. University Drive, Granger, a 7,000-member United Methodist megachurch whose members since March 2006 have donated hundreds of hours to renovate the facility in addition to support from skilled professionals. Granger Community Church decided to focus its local ministry "like a laser" by concentrating 70 percent of its resources in one location: Monroe Circle. Five years ago, members began outreach programs for children, volunteered for existing neighborhood programs and met community residents. The church in 2005 assumed operations of the former Ko-op 65 food pantry, 526 W. Western Ave., and expanded it to include a cafe, which is operated in partnership with Feed the Children, Panera Bread and Breadsmith Bakeries. EnterMission was formed in fall 2006, and all properties were transferred to its ownership and control. The Monroe Circle Community Center, also known as MC3, now features a food pantry and cafe at 526 W. Western Ave., where it succeeded the former Ko-op 65. Each Tuesday morning, between 300 and 350 families living in the 46601 ZIP code receive a box of food, compared with an average of 65 to 70 families served previously by Ko-op 65, which focused on residents age 65 and up. MC3 is located near the South Bend Housing Authority's Monroe Circle housing complex, where nearly 500 families live with an average annual income of about $7,300 per family. Some 70 percent of households are headed by a single parent or grandparent, while only 25 percent of children who live in the neighborhood now graduate from high school, according to EnterMission's proposal. "We believe life change and transformation happens when people first build relationships with each other," according to EnterMission's funding proposal. "Only then will someone be given the permission to speak truth into someone's life about choices and change, be able to tutor and mentor them through the challenges and struggles, and help lead them to a point of self-sufficiency." Half of the city's support will come from Community Development Block Grant funds for the purchase of properties at 516 and 518 W. Western Ave., while the remaining funds are from the Western Avenue Commercial Corridor initiative. The funding will help historically restore and renovate a block of buildings built in the early 1900s into a community center equipped with 21"-century technology. The group previously was awarded $16,500 from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County to begin clean up and renovation of the property. The MC3 complex consists of the former Ko-op 65, 526 W. Western Ave.; the former Erskine's Convenient Store, 520 W. Western Ave., and the former Dee Ken's Liquor Store and Tavern, 516/518 W. Western Ave. EnterMission also owns the parking lot between the group of buildings at Sweet Home Baptist Church, 410 S. Taylor St. Although staff will direct the facility, the church is expected to provide enough volunteers to staff more than 200 two-to-three-hour slots each week. In addition, nearly 30 organizations are committed as partners in the project, providing volunteer labor or in- 2