Mission
PETER PAUL DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS AN OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY CENTER SERVING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN CHURCH HILL AND NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES IN RICHMOND'S EAST END. FOUNDED BY JOHN COLEMAN IN 1979, PETER PAUL IS THE OLDEST CONTINUALLY OPERATING COMMUNITY CENTER IN THE AREA. THE ORGANIZATION CHANGED ITS FOCUS FROM RECREATION TO EDUCATION IN 2008, FOLLOWING A PROJECT SPONSORED BY VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY TO ASSESS THE ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY. USING NATIONALLY STANDARDIZED TESTING, THE ASSESSMENT REVEALED THAT 75 PERCENT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN OUR AREA TESTED ONE OR MORE GRADE LEVELS BEHIND ACADEMICALLY. TODAY, OUR MISSION IS ONE OF EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION: TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS OF THE EAST END AND EDUCATE ITS STUDENTS, ENABLING THEM TO SERVE AS POSITIVE ROLE CONTRIBUTORS TO THEIR FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND SOCIETY. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, COREY TAYLOR, MPA, WE ACHIEVE OUR MISSION THROUGH THREE PROGRAM AREAS. FIRST, WE SERVE