As Project Renewal gathered its extended family for a reunion Friday night, Nov. 1, they paid homage to the nonprofit’s steadfast presence the past 50 years in its central Davenport neighborhood and celebrated its next chapter.
To mark its golden anniversary, Project Renewal not only offered sneak peeks of its newly constructed youth center at 513 Warren St. It also announced plans to replace the house that has been its main facility for 20+ years.
With more than dozens of the program’s “kids” – both current and past participants – as well as other supporters and neighbors on hand, Project Renewal’s board unveiled the next project in its expansion plan for its growing campus that sits just northwest of downtown Davenport. The new youth center, which is yet to be named, is due to be completed in the coming weeks.
“We are now focused on transforming the current location that houses the programming of Project Renewal – what we call the ‘Treat House,’” Nick Anderson, the board’s vice president, told the crowd of nearly 150. “Phase Two to renovate the Treat House took a twist recently as our hopes were to retain the house and make much needed repairs.”
Those plans were dashed, he said, after the foundation of the 99-year-old house at 510 Warren St. was found to be beyond repair and the building is near the end of its functional life. “The most economically feasible outcome is to do a complete rebuild,” Mr. Anderson said.
Though the news was unexpected for the board and staff, he said “We believe it is an opportunity to establish a strong foundation for the next 50 years.”
Russell helps celebrate
Also on hand for the building reveal were team members of Russell, the construction company that designed and built the new $1 million youth center. It is located across the street from the existing facility.
“You know we do build bigger and fancier things, but I don’t think we’ve built anything more important than this,” Jim Russell, the construction company’s founder and CEO, said of the new center. “(We) love what happens here, this really what community service is about …”
Mr. Russell also acknowledged that it was his team that made the discovery of the Treat House’s deteriorating condition. The Project Renewal board and his team said “Let’s not renovate this 100-year-old house. … Let’s tear it down, do it bigger, better and faster. That’s the direction we’re going. It’s exciting, it’s going to keep the mission going for this organization.”
But the new expansion plan and the soon-to-open youth center were only part of the reason for the neighborhood party. The crowd, many who grew up at the Treat House, came out in droves to honor its 50th anniversary – and especially its staff including Executive Director Ann Schwickerath, who came to the organization 31 years ago after graduating college – and never left.
Teary-eyed by the sight of all the guests including the current children enrolled, the neighborhood families, financial supporters, volunteers and the former “kids” now grown, she said she was feeling “many blessings, great memories and a lot of gratitude.”
“Look around at all the diversity, walks of life coming here today because they were here in the past,” she told the QCBJ. “They all have one common thread of being brought together because of Project Renewal’s 50 years.”
Programming to expand
The new youth center, which will expand the nonprofit’s youth programming and allow it to serve more youth, also will provide two apartments for staff to reside. In fact, many of Project Renewal’s staff also are residents of the neighborhood.
Project Renewal provides academic support, recreational activities and social-emotional experiences throughout the year in its after-school and summer programs. The programs are free and positively impact the students by providing a safe, stable and loving environment to learn, have fun and simply be a kid.
Among the guest speakers was a proud “Treat House kid,” who credits her successes and career path to Project Renewal’s dedicated staff. Janee Jackson-Doering, who pointed to the gray house nearby where she lived, recalled the day she met Ms. Schwickerath – “a bouncy, blond-haired, button-nosed gal named Ann.” Later she would meet Carl Callaway, the site director, and their influence would steer her to obtain college degrees from St. Ambrose University and the University of Illinois.
“The beloved Ann and Carl helped me find my voice and my story. Simply put, I am who I am because of this program,” Ms. Jackson-Doering told the crowd. “This program taught me to advocate for myself, surround myself with good people, to be kind and help others, to volunteer your time and to never give up.”
Today, she is the youth services consultant for the State Library of Iowa and lives in Des Moines with her husband. But she still carries those principles she learned at the Treat House with her everyday in her work and life. “I’m teaching youth librarians all across Iowa how to help youths and teens find their story.”
Writing new success stories
Urging the extended Project Renewal family to continue its support, she said “I can’t wait to see what stories emerge from the kids coming from this program today.”
A handful of speakers, including Ms. Schwickerath, also reminisced about the organization’s humble beginnings and its founder, the late Sister Concetta Bendicente, PHJC, whose concern for her troubled neighborhood and determination to serve its residents paved the way for Project Renewal’s start in 1974.
Dan Ebener, a professor at St. Ambrose and longtime supporter of Project Renewal, recalled the vision of Sr. Concetta and the late Msgr. Marv Mottet, who convinced the Chicago nun to come to Davenport to help stabilize the central city neighborhood.
“Why do we call it Project Renewal? I think the original vision that Mottet and Sr. Concetta had was urban renewal .. to renew this urban area, renew this neighborhood, renew the kids in this neighborhood and their families,” Mr. Ebener said.
“Honestly, as you think about renewal, there’s no way this organization could have survived over 50 years, five decades, without being constantly renewed by people like Ann (Schwickerath) and Carl (Callaway),” he added. “I think it’s impressive we have someone like Ann Schwickerath who’s been able to keep this place going and to renew it year after year.”
Ms. Schwickerath said she often thinks about what Sr. Concetta and Msgr. Mottet would think of their little neighborhood organization today. “I hope we’re living up to her vision, strength, compassion and feistiness.”
“You are!” someone yelled from the crowd.
“All of us here have turned problems and eyesores into positive, livable spaces, productive community support and resources with meaningful purposes,” she said.
PROJECT RENEWAL At A Glance
- Roster: The central Davenport nonprofit organization serves 55 to 75 children, on average, a year from kindergarten through high school seniors. Other programs help serve those children’s families, most of whom live nearby.
- New youth center: The new facility will house additional youth programming on the main floor, including STEAM instruction and health and wellness programs. Upstairs, two apartments will provide staff housing. The youth center project represents a $1 million investment including acquisition, demolition of the previous house, and construction of the center and accompanying garage.
- Capital campaign: Project Renewal is continuing its fundraising efforts for what is a goal of $2.5 million to $2.8 million. To date, it has raised $1.6 million.
- Project contractor: Davenport-based Russell. Founder Jim Russell and his wife Michelle are active supporters.
