About Us
promoting self-sufficiency and positive community involvement
For over 50 years,
Peace Neighborhood Center has piloted and maintained programs for children, families, and individuals to promote self-sufficiency and positive community involvement. We are proud to report that since 1971, we have provided critical services and opportunities to more than 18,000 people in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. Through a wide range of comprehensive programs, Peace helps people discover options, enhance skills, and make choices that promote education, health, well-being, and fiscal independence.
Our services include: advocacy, emergency assistance, after-school programs, summer day camps, college and career preparation, individual and family counseling, and family enrichment.
Please read here for our Statement of Client Rights & Responsibilities, which includes our Non-Discrimination Statement.
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.
Guiding Principles
- We value openness, consultation, diversity and inclusion.
- We are not impulse-driven. We prioritize our programs. We create and implement new ideas for optimum effectiveness.
- We focus on nurturing our clients to reach their highest potential.
- We employ competent, motivated people. We provide them with the training, tools, environment, and opportunities to succeed with our clients.
- We focus on what we do best and collaborate with others who are “best in class”.
- We value involvement and inclusion by donors, sponsors, and stakeholders.
- Issues of inequality are addressed in a way that helps the community learn, heal and change.
- We change people’s lives.
Peace Neighborhood Center’s Five Rules of Success
- Respect Everyone and Everything
- Listen
- Follow Directions
- Cooperation
- 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
Peace Lutheran Church builds a house chapel at 1111 N. Maple Road.
“Big Building” is built for Peace Lutheran Church sanctuary
Low-cost public housing built on North and South Maple
Tension in the community divides the neighborhood
Neighbors and churches decide to establish Peace Neighborhood Center as a self-governing, non-profit community center
Summer Day Camp is established
Rose Martin becomes Executive Director
Job program is established
First Awards Night. Alternatives for Youth Program begins
Peace Neighborhood Center becomes a United Way Agency
Peace expands programs to include all of Ann Arbor
Substance Abuse program begins
South Maple Breakfast program begins
Peace Neighborhood Center expands programs to all of Washtenaw County
PNC receives Substance Abuse Prevention Program license
PNC joins BUILD and CAP begins
Performance Arts Academy and LEAD (Learning, Experiencing, and Achieving Dreams) begin
College & Career Prep Club (CCPC) begins
Zion and Trinity Lutheran Churches donate the building and land
Peace wins the Prize for Excellence in Nonprofit Management in Washtenaw County from NEW (Nonprofit Enterprise at Work)
Peace celebrates the opening of “A Home for Peace” our new, expanded facilities, on June 21st
Executive Director Rose Martin retires
