Check out what happened this week at Love City!
This week our 4th/5th class took a field trip to the Kentucky Science Center, they explored the center but were also able to learn about plants and ecosystems in the science center's classroom. Big thanks to the Science Center for hosting us!
In early 2018 while Shawn and I were praying about future plans at Love City, Shawn woke up one morning and recounted a dream he had the night before. In his dream he and I were in a large forest that was on fire. We were running around with 5 gallon buckets of water dousing trees as best we could. We would put out one tree, and start on another, only to turn around and find the tree we just put out, back on fire again. In the distance he looked up and saw a fire break. The fire break separated the forest of large trees from a forest of just saplings. We knew this was a metaphor for the youth in our neighborhood. While our programs for after school at the time were important, if we really wanted to make a lasting change we needed to start young, and the idea for a preschool was born. Starting with very young children, working with them and their parents would allow those saplings to grow up outside of the forest fire as much as possible.
We started a preschool later that year in the basement of the Mackin building with 20 children aged 1 - 5 years old. We were able to help get them kindergarten ready and build lasting relationships with their parents. The next year in 2019 we were able to purchase the property at the old St John's Church a couple of blocks away from the Mackin. We drew up plans and started demo to convert the Sunday school building attached to the back of the sanctuary into a preschool that could hold up to 120 children. The last hurdle
however was parking and outdoor space. The church had no parking and no where to safely drop off children except busy 26th street. While the pandemic forced us to close the preschool at the Mackin and helped us turn the page from after school to full K-8 academy at the Mackin building, it brought an opportunity to solve the parking and outdoor space issue at the preschool. A neighbor who owned most of the block came to us out of the blue one day and asked if we would be interested in purchasing 5 lots adjacent to the preschool property. We closed on the deal a few months ago and worked up plans for what would become the preschool campus. The property across 5 lots has three structures and two vacant lots. Two of the structures were abandoned and not salvageable. The goal is to tear down the two abandoned structures, and convert the space into playground and parking lot and a safe drop off area for students.
This week demo started on one of the abandoned structures. The first structure to come down is the one closest to the preschool buildings. In the rendering above it will become what is the playground space. We are super excited to see this progress as the pandemic has not only caused a pause in renovation on the preschool building itself but has forced up supply prices, causing a halt in construction while we try to source the best prices on both supplies and labor.
If you are interested in joining with us on this journey you can visit this link to donate or if you have any connections in construction or construction supplies please email us at info@lovecityinc.org.
Have you met our Chef? Chef Paiman has been at Porkland for 3 years. She is originally from Iraq. In addition to making everything at Porkland she loves to make Baklava and traditional Middle Eastern foods. Be sure to stop by Porkland and say hi!
Also don't forget Porkland caters! If you have a holiday party consider us for your catering! 502-890-5988
This year Love City is packaging food boxes for Christmas. We work with several other organizations in the West End to distribute the boxes. If you would like to help us put together the boxes on December 21, please email info@lovecityinc.org to get on the volunteer list. Due to growing food costs the cost of the boxes have almost doubled this year. The boxes cost about $40 each, if you would like to partner with us on covering the cost, you can visit this link or follow the QR code in the image above.
Suns breaking through the clouds over Mt Arbel and the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel.
On Saturday Shawn and I returned from a short sabbatical in Israel. We spent the time praying for Love City. It was a beautiful time of rest and peace, and we came back refreshed and excited about the next year at Love City. As we finish out the year we look forward to partnering with and loving all our neighbors near and far in the next year!
PARTNER WITH US
At Love City we believe in time, talent and treasure.
Mighty Oak Academy Amazon Wish List
We're coming up to the end of the semester and also the end of the year. Mighty Oak can still use some supplies, especially snacks! If you would like to partner with the school, you can visit our Amazon wish list and purchase items to ship directly to the school. Visit this link to view the list: https://a.co/77dqBIT
If you are interested in volunteering or to find out more information about supplies needed please email: info@lovecityinc.org or call (502) 272-078.
Please consider partnering financially with Love City. We are looking for sponsors for students at Mighty Oak Academy as well as partners to help fund construction of our new preschool. Click the button below to donate today.