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SCC exists to Transform Community, One Relationship at a Time.

At SCC we believe that healthy kids make healthy families which creates a healthy community. Therefore, we strategically focus on Youth Leadership and Enrichment, Parent Support and Education. We know that transformation does not happen in a vacuum, transformation happens in the context of relationship. That is why Pastor Irene is so passionate about "The Relationship Factor" teaching people the transformational power of relationship when it comes to loving our neighbor and our neighborhood. She really does believe that we can transform a community, one relationship at a time.

Pastor Irene is a justice warrior, and has committed her life to helping people, neighborhoods and communities heal from the inside out. Pastor Irene's passion to help people find freedom and agency to live out their purpose is at the core of our holistic approach to community development and justice work. Southside Community Center is a demostration of the communty development strategy she calls the Evergreen Framework. Truth and reconciliation combined with trauma intervention models are key components of the leadership training.

SCC is proud to support SouthSideStrong, a neighborhood association that works to develop a network of neighbors, block by block organizing to help Southside let the world know that we "Love Where We Live".

Pastor Irene believes we are successful when neighbors are helping neighbors Connect with tools, skills, and resource opportunities available, Grow to the place we can take advantage of the opportunities that would help them reach self-sufficiency and Serve our neighbors by helping them to engage the healing process for themselves.

Welcome to Peoria's Southside Community Center. I am Rev. Irene Lewis-Wimbley. Relocating to Peoria's Southside with my two teenage daughters in 2018 was the beginning of an exciting adventure. It did not take me long to learn that Peoria is a city of refuge and reconciliaiton, with a rich history and stories yet to be told. I am proud Peorian and Southside Resident. My family's experience has been more rewarding than I could have imagined.

I am Pekin 1st Church of the Nazarene's Missionary to Peoria, an Elder, and District Licensed Evangelist and missionary to the Southside of Peoria. My years as a Mental Health Professional and Domestic Violence Caseworker and home visitor, and my work building systems of care around childrens' mental health has uniquely equipped me to build this community center. From day one, racial-reconciliation and healing trauma has lead our vision for SCC volunteers and local leaders to be trained to leverage the power of relationship, to offer off ramps from the cycles associated with poverty, violence and abuse. So much so that it would be our tag line to "Transform Community, One Relationship at a Time." SCC strategically works to create a safe space to engage the healing process. I believe that we can engage the process on three levels: personally, relationally, and institutionally.

It is my joy to witness my Southside friends and neighbors come to know their value, find vision for their lives, and learn to Connect, Grow and Serve our community together. I invite you to join the SCC family to see first hand the transformational power of relationship. Become part of the healing, justice, and community development work of SCC. I know the experience will transform your life as you Connect, Grow, and Serve alongside our Southside neighbors.

Welcome to the

Southside Community Center

Transforming community one relationship at a time.