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The Baldwin County Life Enrichment Center (LEC), a nonprofit organization serving adults with intellectual disabilities, is in the development process of establishing an Urban Arts Village.
“When COVID shut us down, many of our clients lost their access to the community. The social side of our organization was greatly hindered,” said Barbara Coleman, executive director of the LEC. “Establishing the Urban Arts Village will offer our community a permanent place to gather and interact and an outlet for our individuals to showcase their skills and talents.”
The Urban Arts Village will be located on New City Church property on East Walton Street to offer an outdoor community space for local gathering, selling artistic creations and products, and more. The plan is to create a common area with space for performances and seating for people to gather. The project is being funded through donations and grants, including an $18,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia and a possible grant that they are applying for now.
“We were inspired to do something sustainable,” said Coleman. “We wanted to create an access for (LEC clients) to our community.”
LEC Activity Director Jay Warren added, “The initiative was to ensure our LEC clients had somewhere to show off their skills that were within their hometown. Many of our clients are exceptional artists and sell their art professionally and through this village it can be seen and appreciated by their home community.”
In addition, Coleman emphasized the space will be used for LEC’s new coffee truck, where LEC clients will serve their Coffee for a Cause. This coffee is made in partnership with Morning Grind, a Milledgeville coffee shop. A trailer that will be turned into the mobile coffee shop was funded by donations from Med-Lake Laboratory and 100 Women Who Care of Milledgeville.
“Our people believe in reciprocity. They see themselves as the catalyst to help change the world for all those in need. It’s inspiring to everyone to see them research how to help their community,” said Coleman. “Allowing them to sell their coffee at events and in the village is just another outlet for them to give back.”
The village eventually will include a community garden behind the Life Enrichment Center, too.
The garden will include a small greenhouse, raised beds and concrete walkways so it can be accessible to everyone. To construct this garden and the village at the church, LEC has partnered with GCSU fraternities Pi Kappa Phi and Kappa Alpha.
Both have already joined together on workdays to prepare the greenhouse and garden beds, and clear space for the open common area at the church.
“Our philanthropy is the public experience and the LEC mission is to be more alike than different.
Working with them allows us to support this cause and create more inclusivity in our community,” said Jonathon Haas, Pi Kappa Phi philanthropy chair. “That is why we are offering our support.”
In addition to working with Pi Kappa Phi on physical development, LEC is working with Pi Kapp member Justin Harned on a grant application as part of his Nonprofit Management class.
“There is a gap of inclusivity in Baldwin County.
The Urban Arts Village will add a common place for individuals with intellectual disabilities to interact with the public and build relationships,” said Harned when asked why this village is important to him. “Most of the people who will be participating in the village have been marginalized for so long and the LEC has made it their mission to create a place for everyone to be inclusive.”
Harned emphasized his fraternity wants to have a local affiliate that supports individuals with disabilities to make a larger impact over Baldwin County. The Urban Arts Village will be a project that supports them but also caters to the community, allowing them a space to gather and host events.
“We (Pi Kapp) are a group of men who can impact GCSU but can also bring about change in our community,” said Harned.
“Assisting with this project lets us bridge gaps in our community and it will only have positive impacts for all of us.”
Development for the Urban Arts Village remains ongoing and Coleman hopes it will be able to open in April.