The Peace Corner Youth Center (PCYC) is a 503(c) (3) organization located in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s Westside. Originally established to provide the neighborhood youth a safe haven from gang violence and drug dealing, The Peace Corner has grown into a community center that provides 5 core services: academic achievement, mentoring, civic engagement, parental involvement, sports and recreation. In addition, PCYC assists older youth between the ages of 18-24 assist with barriers to employment and provides employment services. Some of those services include GED class referrals, basic skill development, referrals for trauma informed care, legal counseling, and mentoring.
Founded in 2002 and incorporated in 2005 by Fr. Maurizio Binaghi of the Comboni Missionaries, The Peace Corner started in a small storefront on Cicero Ave. It was created as a place where children could be safe to be children. The Peace Corner was a space that was free of gang violence and closed off to the drug trade. Young people of the neighborhood came to do homework, play pool, and talk to someone about their problems.
In 2005, The Peace Corner moved to its first Madison St. location. It was here that The Peace Corner became more than an after-school program. A dedicated group of staff, volunteers and contributors ensured that The Peace Corner provided the youth with skills needed to be successful. The Peace Corner offered GED classes, job preparedness courses, job placement services and legal services. The after-school program began tutoring, academic enrichment and mentoring. It was not long before The Peace Corner had outgrown its new location.
The Peace Corner began plans for building its permanent home in 2009. Thanks to countless donors, city officials, volunteers, Austin community members, youth, and staff construction began in 2010 and was completed in March of 2011.
In 2015, Catholic Charities added the Peace Corner Youth Center to its family of programs and continues the legacy of providing a safe haven for youth in Chicago’s Austin community.
Board of Directors
Reverend Monsignor Michel M. Boland- Chair
John Ryan- Vice Chair
Kathy Donahue-Secretary
Angel Gutierrez- Treasurer
Staff
Gina Cleggs- Associate Vice President
Gina Cleggs serves as the Associate Vice President for Community Development and Outreach Services of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. She is responsible for the oversight of the day-to-day operations of Maternal Child and Health, Employment and Training, and Community Support programs, including the WIC Food and Nutrition, Peace Corner Youth Center, City Key, Strong Futures, One Summer Chicago and EPIC.
Gina has been with Catholic Charities since 2010 and served as the Director of Workforce, Employment, and Training/Assistant Department Director of the WIC Food and Nutrition Program and was promoted to Associate Vice President in 2012.
Gina has 20 years of experience working with Workforce Development programs, Human Resources, and 15 years of executive management experience including; Manager of Career Services, Director of Employment Services, Director of Human Resources, and Director of Workforce, Employment and Training.
She currently serves on the Regional Advisory Council for the College to Careers Program at Olive Harvey College and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management. Gina is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University and her M.A. in Professional Counseling from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology/Argosy. Gina also holds a certificate in Nonprofit Executive Education from the University Of Notre Dame-Mendoza College Of Business.
Ralph Harris- Program Director
Ralph W. Harris attended Northeastern Illinois University and is a graduate of George Williams College, School of Behavioral Sciences. Ralph brings over 30 years of experience in providing various youth/adolescent development programs in the fields of social services, recreation, mental health, and substance abuse treatment. Over his career, Ralph has worked with a number of private, City and State entices, such as, the State of Illinois, as an addiction program manager for adolescent, and IYC Superintendent for Juvenile Justice, and as a Park Supervisor for the Chicago Park District. Ralph’s career includes a lengthy history with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, as Interim Executive Director and as both the Urban Programs Development Director and Executive Director for the North Central Branch YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee. Ralph also brings international experience, during his YMCA tenure; Ralph served in East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya as a YMCA World Ambassador for the National and World Alliance of YMCA’s.
Marchellose Williams- Assistant Program Director
Marchellose Williams studied Sport Management/ Business Admin Sports& Recreation at Bemidji State University .He is a native of Chicago, Illinois and attended Near North high School on the Near North side of Chicago.
In Marchellose’ s role is responsible for assisting the Program Director in the day to day operations of the Peace Corner Youth Center as well as program development and the implementation of programs.
Marchellose has over 30 years of youth development and program management experience. He has developed youth programming in Chicago, IL, with the Chicagoland YMCA as an after school Site Director, Chicago Park District as an Inclusion Aide. In addition, he worked in youth development for the Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Area Projects in youth development He also has developed and implemented youth programming in the Minneapolis St. Paul Area as well as the Duluth MN area as a Youth Development Coordinator/Afterschool Director. He was a member of the African American Education Council and instrumental in afterschool and youth development for district schools. He also has been instrumental in the success of Project Education Plus helping over 90% of his students go on to earn academic and athletic scholarships to four-year Universities .
End of Year Appeal
2018 Annual Report
990 Forms