About Us

promoting self-sufficiency and positive community involvement

Our Mission

Peace Neighborhood Center’s mission is to provide programs for children, families, and individuals who are affected by social and economic problems. Peace helps people discover options, enhance skills, and make choices that lead to self-sufficiency and positive community involvement.

Our Vision

A community where personal growth, opportunity and diversity are constant; the cycle of poverty and social and economic inequality has been broken.

Our Locations

We’re in your neighborhood!

Front of Peace Neighborhood Center building

Main Facility

1111 N. Maple Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103

A red building with a large tree in front

Wellness Center

1111 N. Maple Rd
Ann Arbor, MI 48103

A line of yellow and blue buildings on a green lawn with picnic tables.

West Arbor Satellite Center

657 N. Maple Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Maple Meadows Satellite Center

794 S. Maple Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Baker Commons Satellite Center

106 Packard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Peace HUB Community Resource Center

1515 S. Harris Rd.
Ypsilanti, MI 48198

Guiding Principles

  1. We value openness, consultation, diversity and inclusion.
  2. We are not impulse-driven. We prioritize our programs. We create and implement new ideas for optimum effectiveness.
  3. We focus on nurturing our clients to reach their highest potential.
  4. We employ competent, motivated people. We provide them with the training, tools, environment, and opportunities to succeed with our clients.
  5. We focus on what we do best and collaborate with others who are “best in class”.
  6. We value involvement and inclusion by donors, sponsors, and stakeholders.
  7. Issues of inequality are addressed in a way that helps the community learn, heal and change.
  8. We change people’s lives.

Peace Neighborhood Center’s Five Rules of Success

  1. Respect Everyone and Everything
  2. Listen
  3. Follow Directions
  4. Cooperation
  5. Think and Respond Appropriately

Peace Neighborhood Center’s Youth Services Pledge

I Promise

I Will Love and Respect My Family.
I Will Respect Others and Myself.
I Will Honor and Respect the Elders in My Community.
I Will Strive to Keep Learning.
I Will Take Responsibility for My Actions.
I Will Work to Become More Honest and Express My Feelings and Needs.
These are the Promises I Make to Myself Because I Create My Present and Future.

Organizational History

1956
January 1

Peace Lutheran Church builds a house chapel at 1111 N. Maple Road.

chapel
1967
January 1

“Big Building” is built for Peace Lutheran Church sanctuary

1969
January 1

Low-cost public housing built on North and South Maple

1970
January 1

Tension in the community divides the neighborhood

Public housing residents and private homeowners need a place to meet and discuss concerns.
1971
January 1

Neighbors and churches decide to establish Peace Neighborhood Center as a self-governing, non-profit community center

Trinity Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church provide the building.
1974
January 1

Summer Day Camp is established

1976
January 1

Rose Martin becomes Executive Director

1977
January 1

Job program is established

1980
January 1

First Awards Night. Alternatives for Youth Program begins

1985
January 1

Peace Neighborhood Center becomes a United Way Agency

1986
January 1

Peace expands programs to include all of Ann Arbor

1988
January 1

Substance Abuse program begins

1992
January 1

South Maple Breakfast program begins

1995
January 1

Peace Neighborhood Center expands programs to all of Washtenaw County

PNC joins F.U.N., Families of United Neighborhoods
1996
January 1

PNC receives Substance Abuse Prevention Program license

1997
January 1

PNC joins BUILD and CAP begins

BUILD (Building, Unity, Independence, Leadership, and Development), a substance abuse prevention collaboration, and CAP (Computer Access Program)
1998
January 1

Performance Arts Academy and LEAD (Learning, Experiencing, and Achieving Dreams) begin

1999
January 1

College & Career Prep Club (CCPC) begins

2000
January 1

Zion and Trinity Lutheran Churches donate the building and land

Donated to PNC as a leadership gift for the “A Home for Peace” Capital Campaign
2001
January 1

Peace wins the Prize for Excellence in Nonprofit Management in Washtenaw County from NEW (Nonprofit Enterprise at Work)

2003
January 1

Peace celebrates the opening of “A Home for Peace” our new, expanded facilities, on June 21st

2006
January 1

Executive Director Rose Martin retires

rose
Bonnie Billups, Jr., Program Director for 15 years, replaces her.
2009
January 1

The Peace House Transitional Housing Center opens

Allowing Peace to provide temporary supportive housing to clients in need
2011
January 1

The Family Enrichment Program is launched

Part of Peace’s wrap-around approach to providing necessary support to all members of a household involved in Peace programs
2013
January 1

Long time Executive Director Rose Martin passes

Peace Community celebrates her memory and continues to give life to her values.
2014
January 1

Peace forms a subsidiary nonprofit

Known as Peace Neighborhood Center Maple Road Corridor, this new addition to Peace’s programs was created to focus specifically on the needs of children in identified census tracts in the community with the help of our school partners in the area.
2015
January 1

The Ninth Grade Academy is officially added to Peace’s Youth Services

Providing programs and support for kids during the difficult transition between middle school and high school.
2017
January 1

Creation of the Monty Vincent College Assistance Fund

Peace hires a full-time staff member to oversee the College & Career Prep Club and increases its scope and effectiveness.