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2021 Year in Review

2021 has been quite the first year for us, and probably you too… With all that is going on it is more important than ever that we have a community space, with no financial barriers to entry, where all are welcome and we can explore what it means to be in community.

We want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to our wonderful community and its members for bringing all of yourselves and supporting this effort.

Take a minute and imagine yourself in community – and let us know what that looks like. Below is a snapshot of some of our 2021 highlights, but we are very interested in hearing from YOU! So after reading about what we do, please reach out and help us be more whole in our community approach. What are we missing? What sounds needed? What sounds fun? Let’s chat and make 2022 all that it can be!

 

A narrative about the PLC in 2021…

2021 was a wonderful year in terms of the Parkville Living Center (PLC), marking our first full year of being a community center whose mission it is to celebrate and make space for the spirit of Love in our community. 

We started off the year hosting monthly Community Town Hall Forums with three local service organizations presenting each month. This recurring event not only engaged the PLC with community members, but it began relationship building between the PLC and over 38 local service organizations. Here is a link to our Town Hall Forum page, and here is a link to our Community Partners page.

Now, as we engage community members, needs and resources are more easily matched with existing resources and organizations. Building relationships is what we are all about, so having these organizational partnerships has proven to be instrumental in our growth throughout 2021 and into 2022. 

In addition to the Town Hall Forums, we started a Coffee Café, where we serve locally roasted coffee free of charge, with a suggested donation of $.05. Much like the Town Hall Forums are an engine for social and community engagement, so too is the Coffee Café. By being open, serving free coffee, and creating a living room style environment we facilitate community engagement, deeper meaning and great experiences. You can read more about our Coffee Café here.

In 2021 we worked with the local public library, Mid-Continent Public Library, and offered Story Time, a program that facilitates reading to school-aged children as part of the library’s various Reading programs. We also host the meetings of local organizations such as American Association of University Women (AAUW). By providing meeting space we encourage community connections and connect people to efforts and services needed, all of which is part of building relationships and having conversations that stretch us, challenge us, support us and ultimately bring us joy.

After 10 months of Community Town Hall Forums, we wanted to give back. In November, on Thanksgiving Day, we worked with SPEAC Food Pantry, the American Legion and Parkville Presbyterian Church to host a Community Thanksgiving Meal. We fed about 65 people in total, which includes the 18 volunteers. We were able to provide a free, hot, traditional Thanksgiving meal, but more than the meal we were able to provide an atmosphere of home, of a living room, of people coming together for a meal. We look forward to many more community meals and opening our doors during the times when community members may not have another place to go.

In December we submitted a grant application through the Platte County Senior Fund in hopes of starting a Tech Center, with computer access, classes, information and assistance. We continue to explore possibilities and listen to the community as we grow together. More on this in 2022!  

A quick word on our financials

We recently partnered with Parkville Presbyterian Church to run our financial apparatus. We look forward to increased governance and rigor in terms of finances. Staff currently consists of 1 employee. We received an Investment Grant in 2021 and hope to apply for 501(c)(3) status by June of 2022. Here is our income statement for 2021. Please feel free to request any more information or detail by emailing marcus@parkvillelivingcenter.org.

A community has needs, both to give as well as to receive.

Call ‪(816) 741-6824‬  or email marcus@parkvillelivingcenter.org to continue this conversation.

The Vision

With your help we are creating a new type of community center, in the heart of Parkville. Hosted by Parkville Presbyterian Church, the Parkville Living Center is a place where building relationship is our guiding principle. We invite anyone to come and share in the journey that is life. We hold space to meet our community needs where they are, we bring our experiences and the collective experiences of our community to guide us and to help us grow, together. Out of this personal engagement comes events, activities and other expressions of community, growth, peace and joy.

Healthy Minds

FREE Mental health education and consultation.

Community Resource

Break Time

Come take a break with us! We provide the meal, you just have to show up.

Community Meal

Garden Group

Discuss, learn, and share about gardening from seed to plate.

Garden Resource

Tech Connect

We discuss in simple terms, all things tech. Come join the conversation.

Learn & Share

Sharing stories of our community

Stories are how we attempt to communicate the holistic nature of life. Through stories we not only tell of an experience, but we share that experience and craft the story to our audience. Here we will tell some of those stories, and we invite you to tell YOUR stories. For more information or to tell your stories, please contact the Parkville Living Center.

Thank you for Parkville Presbyterian Church

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Get in Touch. Get Involved.

This dynamic offering depends on you, our community. Reach out, even if you are not sure why, and we can talk about whatever is on your mind.

819 Main St. Parkville, MO 64152

Call Us: ‪(816) 741-6824

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