2019-20 Year in Review

RIPPLE COMMUNITY INC. YEAR IN REVIEW FOR FY 10/2019-9/2020

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR One of our community members pulled me aside recently and said,

“This is my home. You

all are my family. I just thought you should know.”

Home, family, and community are things that we all need to have a good and full life. This year, I have been reminded not to take any of these things for granted. My wish for you and for the people who are

part

of

your

family

–

whether

by

birth

or

by

choice

-

is

that

you

have

developed

a

deeper

appreciation for the gifts of a safe community and a stable home.

This has been a year marked by hardship upon hardship for our unsheltered friends, as the COVID-19 pandemic has upended

nearly

every

aspect

of

their

already

precarious

lives. But thanks to you and your generous support, we have been able to continue to keep our doors and our hearts open during this deeply challenging time. Your generosity has allowed us to build a safe, supportive community among our most vulnerable friends and neighbors and to facilitate true and lasting change in their lives and ours.

never be able to thank you properly,

We will

but we hope the

smiles and stories we share below are at least a start.

S H E R R I

B R O K O P P

B I N D E R ,

P H D

Executive Director

k nk an T ha Th ! u! y ou yo

FOR CARING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

We made the decision early on that we would keep our Community Building Center open during the pandemic. We knew that “stay at home” orders were meaningless for people who didn’t have homes. And worse, people who didn’t have homes also lacked other basic services that protect us in a public health crisis, like running water, functioning bathrooms, and kitchens where food can be safely stored and prepared.

The Community Building Center served as a refuge for our unsheltered neighbors in a deeply challenging time. Donors provided a wide range of essentials laundry,

like

bags

blankets of

and

snacks,

tents,

and

hygiene

cleaning

kits,

coins

supplies.

and

Our

detergent

friends

at

for

Mosaic

Mennonite Conference and Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley provided

thousands

of

nourishing

meals

during

a

time

when

other

food

services were unable to operate. Our partners at Lehigh Valley Hospital, the Street Medicine Team, and St. Luke’s Parish Nurses ensured that our friends had access to basic health care, including tele-health, tele-psychiatry, and addiction medicine appointments provided at RCI.

"You know, I’m supposed to be going to AA meetings every day, but they cancelled AA. Can you believe that? What are people

This has been a challenging season, to be sure, but it has also been a season of extraordinary, overwhelming support from our community. Thank you for your care and generosity!

supposed to do? So I come here every day instead. This place is my AA. It’s safe here, and I know you all will keep an eye on me.”

BUILDING COMMUNITY Very few things about this year were typical, but the core goals of the Community Building Center remained unchanged: to engage in the slow but critical work of building relationships based on trust and mutual support, and to cultivate a safe, welcoming community in the heart of the city.

"I feel safer here than I do anywhere else."

In 2020, we expanded our community center to

make

dedicated

room space

for

the

where

Service our

Hub,

partners

a

can

provide specialized services and supports. This approach meets our shared clients where they are

-

increasing

access,

proving

care,

and

improving outcomes.

Our

current

partners

include

the

Street

Medicine Team, St. Luke's Parish Nurses, Valley Against Sex Trafficking (VAST), Lehigh County Drug

and

Programs, Service

Alcohol and

Hub

also

and

Muhlenberg houses

Mental

Health

College.

regular

The

Alcoholics

Anonymous meetings, memorial services, and other community activities.

86% of CBC participants reported that they had accessed one or more of services at the Service Hub, which speaks to the importance of accessibility

Welcome to the

Service Hub

BUILDING A VILLAGE The RCI Village has been growing by leaps and bounds! Even in the middle of a pandemic, we were able to move three families into safe, affordable housing. As one of our residents said, the RCI Village is "more than just a home. It's a family. It's a village. I can go downstairs and the staff are there to help me with anything."

This year, with stable and supportive housing, one of our residents was able to bring her children home from foster care after four years of homelessness. Another resident was able to transition back into the community after intensive addiction treatment, and to finally provide her grandson his own room with his own bed. Beyond housing, the RCI Village provides one-on-one staff support and connects residents with wrap-around

supportive

services,

including

addiction

services,

counseling services, day care, financial webinars, and more.

“I can't believe this is happening. Those are my keys, right?

GIVING BACK

I've waited for this for so long.”

In addition to the usual bustle and business of the Community Building Center, this year we also hosted a census hub, helped our community members register to vote, and served as a polling place

LOOKING AHEAD for our neighborhood.

LOOKING AHEAD In 2020, the RCI Village expanded by partnering with a

new

landlord,

which

allowed

us

to

increase

our

capacity to house those who are exiting homelessness or need a stable place to live.

Continue

to

expand

In 2021, we will:

our

housing

program

by

working with new landlords.

Partner with an investor to obtain a two- to fiveunit property in the Franklin Park neighborhood.

Expand the services available through the Service Hub to better serve our community members and RCI Village residents.

We are grateful to our Adopt-an-Apartment sponsors, who have made it financially possible to expand the program, and to our partners at Community Bike Works and Valley Youth House for their collaboration around housing!

The RCI Village has expanded to provide permanent housing for

20 residents, and will keep growing in 2021!

to our foundation, faith community, and corporate supporters The Century Fund

$65,000 +

Harry C. Trexler Trust

$25,000 +

Lehigh Valley Hospital/ Dorothy Rider Pool Trust Rider-Pool Foundation

City Center Allentown

$15,000 +

Verna O. Canova Foundation

$10,000 +

First Presbyterian Church of Allentown Mosaic Mennonite Conference Reidler Foundation Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Foundation

$5,000 +

Allentown Rotary Club and Foundation

The Pidcock Company

Franconia Mennonite Church

Provident Bank Foundation

Greater Lehigh Valley COVID-19 Community Response Fund

Asbury United Methodist Church

Faith Church

$2,500 +

Bill Sugra Memorial Foundation Stanley Black & Decker Storage

Swamp Mennonite Church

$1,000

Lehigh Valley Community Foundation Census 2020 Initiative St. Thomas More Church

Solutions

Up to

$1,000 +

Vince's Development Co.

Alliance for Nonprofits

Trinity Wesleyan Church

GAA Consulting

Upper Milford Mennonite Church

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber

Wellspring Church of Skippack

of Commerce

West Park Civic Association

Ripple Church

"You know I love you guys. I know that when I come here I can always get help. I can find a friend. Even with this COVID stuff, I know I can find help here."

Ripple Community Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is registered as a Charitable Organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (certificate number 106166). Our annual financial review is conducted by Campbell, Rappold, & Yurasits, LLP. We regret any listing errors, and ask that corrections be sent to sbinder@ripplecommunityinc.org

THANK YOU

to our individual donors

$35,000 +

Samuel B. & Jane Long Scott & Gillian Pidcock

$10,000 +

Joan & David Lioi

Kimberly R. Andrews

$5,000 +

Terry & Andrea Powell

$2,500 +

Anonymous Ho'onani & Carmelo Cuadrado Lara Marcon

$1,000 +

$500 +

Up to $500

Kent & Michelle Brustlin

Borko Milosev

Emily & Bill Jones

James Moczydlowski

Bill & Sue Karpovich

Kendall & Lisa Ruth

Janice Lovegrove

Charles & Annette Thiel

Deborah Bartholomew

Barry Eckert

David & Myrna Moyer

Patricia & Sandy Beldon

Robert & Tami Good

James Musselman

James & Diane Bleam

Ericka & Blake Henry

Garrett Powell

Kelly Carney

Christopher McLean, Esq.

Harry & Emma Rath

Dan Cressman

Betty Merkle

Janet Roth & David Panton

Andrew & Beverly Curtis

Philip McCutchen & Vonda Klein

David Yoder

Dennis & Barbara Adams

Susan Brosstad

Brian & Rebekah Flack

Lowell &Barbara Albright

Urbane & Janet Byler

Matthew Ford

Thomas & Carolyn Albright

Craig & Leslie Cherry

Hannah Gahman

Wendy Arner

Linda Dallas

Nancy & Glen Gehman

Ronald and Lorene Bender

Susan David

Thomas Gorman

Eric Bean & Colleen Cahill

Diane Edelman

Karen Guman

Earl Cary

James & Sandra Edmiston

Joanne Guth

Melinda Behrens

Richard Eisenhard

George & Eulenna Harriott

Marilyn Bender

William & Bonnie Falla

Jennifer Hawk

Paul & Sharon Binder

Patrick Farrell & Valerie Johnson

Gerald Hessel

THANK YOU

to our individual donors

Up to $500

Jodi Higgins

Brigette Meyer

Alicia & Steven Shusset

Binghui Huang

Charlotte Miller

Kimberly Schaffer

Nancy Johnson

David & Joan Myers

Anna Brown Simon

Alicia Kraemer

Brian Neuenschwander

Naveen Singh

W. Carter Lester

Joy Newswanger

Kevin & Charlene Smalls

Taylor Ney

Susan Smith

Rev. William & Lorraine Horn

& Karen Pidcock-Lester

Richard Nichols

Thomas Smith

Bruce & Katrina Idleman

Karen Norman

Richard & Dorothy Stobaugh

Walter &Theresa Johnson

Kristen Purkey

Melissa Stoner

Sue Kline

Shirley Scarantine

Keith Thomas

Gregory Kokolus

Judith Sheftel

Judith V. Walck

Janet Landers

Charles & Shirleyann Quigg

Peter Waldron

Laura Lillie

Helene Raymond

Jan Walker

Maureen Lugg

Mary Raymond

Anne Wardak

Namrhen Lyngdoh

Lisa Rufo

Mary Weinstein

Robin Lynn

Jan Rumbaugh

Elizabeth Wheeler

William & Gail Magan

Sara & Timothy Russ

Jenimida Wollenhaupt

Jennifer Mann

Eunice Schermerhorn

Lori Yonak

Financial Overview RCI has grown considerably over the past five years, while maintaining a state of good financial health.

Our funding comes almost exclusively from private sources, including foundations (54%), individual donors (31%), churches and faith communities (9%), and businesses and corporate donors (5%). In 2020, we did secure a forgiveable loan through the federal CARES Act Payroll Protection Program, which helped offset costs associated with our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Faith Communities 9%

400,000

300,000

200,000

Individuals 31%

100,000

Foundations 54%

20 19 -2 0 Ex pe ns es

R ev en ue

20 19 -2 0

0

Corporations 5%

"Everyone here knows my name. When I have a hard day, people leave me alone. When I want to talk, there is always someone who will listen. I am thankful to have a place like this."

OUR TEAM STAFF Sherri Brokopp Binder, PhD, Executive Director Danilo Sanchez, Housing Director Grace Newswanger, Community Building Center Program Director Melissa Wise, Community Services Coordinator Blake Henry, Community Chaplain

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Charles F. Thiel, President - Thiel Strategic Communications Sara Russ, Treasurer - Fulton Bank Hon. Michael D’Amore, PhD, Secretary - Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Kent Brustlin - Newmark Knight Frank Christopher McLean, Esq. - Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, P.C. Charlene Smalls - Ripple Church Thomas C. Smith - Allentown School District

“We do not rescue anyone at the margins. But go figure, if we stand at the margins, we are all rescued.” ~ Father Gregory Boyle

We're in the social fabric business.

Ripple Community Inc. 1335 W. Linden Street Allentown, PA 18102 www.RippleCommunityInc.org