History of Organization
The late Rev. R. M. Lee and the St. John Missionary Baptist Church founded R. M. Lee Community development Center, Inc. in 1999 to provide a pre-school and elementary school for the community. The organization was officially incorporated on July 29, 2002. In November 2002, the R. M. Lee C.D.C. Inc. Hired at Executive Director and was able to broaden it mission to include community and economic development, youth and senior activities as well as education by being awarded a community development block Grant (CDBG) for $ 60,000 from the City of Boynton Beach.
Working with United Forward, a new automotive parts manufacturing company,, the R. M. Lee C. D .C. ,Inc Inc. developed an employment counseling and referral program. The C.D.C. provided United Forward with applicants for its newly opened plant located in Boynton Beach. Additionally, the agency has partnered with he City of Boynton Beach and the United Tennis Association (USTA) to implement a Tennis Program for Youth and seniors.
Mission
The R. M. Lee Community Development Center, Inc. Is a 501(3) C, faith-based agency that has as its mission to, provide Economic Development, Education Services to youth and seniors, Employment Counseling, Senior and Affordable Housing and Senior Services, to communities within the “Heart of Boynton” area.
Goals
Our Vision is to be an outreach provider and liaison in order to promote, facilitate and enhance social and economic conditions of the “Heart of Boynton” communities. To accomplish both our Mission and Vision the R. M. Lee C.D.C. Inc. has established the following short and long term goals.
1) Develop and implement a Charter School. We are currently working on opening a Charter School in the fall of 2004. Housing grades K – 6, the school will be at our current location which was constructed for that purpose.
2) Computer Center for Disadvantaged Youth. We have ten (10) desk top computers that were donated by the Owl Foundation for this purpose. This center will also be used in conjunction with our planned after-school program. A key feature of the Center will be the Youth Leadership Academy Curriculum and classes to teach youth to build computers. We will also offer classes for seniors.
3) After-school Program. Our immediate goal is to partner with Delray Academy (who is located on site) to provide after-school assistance to its 6–8 grade students, as well as others in the local communities. The programming will include the Youth Leadership Academy Curriculum, homework assistance, school day work catch up, FCAT preparation, SAT and ACT preparation, remedial training, and any other training and assistance as determined. Recreational activities will be provided, including participation in the tennis program.
4) Seniors Program. We have designed a library and reading club using books donated by the Cross Ministries. This component will be up and running by September 30, 2003. Within a month we intend to implement sewing and crochet classes.
5) Tennis Program. R. M. Lee C. D. C., Inc., is a member of the United States Tennis Association (U.S.T.A.) and Florida Tennis Association (F.T.A.). Our Board of Directors requested to be designated the local Community Tennis Association by the U.S.T.A. Through this program we will provide tennis during recess to the local school (already implemented in Delray Academy), tennis lessons for youth in the “Heart of Boynton” area and the city at large, establish a tennis league for youth and adults (including tournaments).
6) Community Redevelopment Initiatives. R. M. Lee C. D. C., Inc. plans to partner with the Boynton Beach Faith-based C. D. C. and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to participate in the redevelopment of the “Heart of Boynton” area. That partnership may produce a senior housing facility, multi-purpose facility, single family housing, and/or housing counseling.
B. Project Concept and Objectives, and Benefits to Those served.
Project Concept
The R. M. Lee C. D. C., Inc. computer center will provide daily training in the area of Life Skills, remedial education, PC installation and maintenance, and FCAT, SAT and ACT test preparation to current students (6th – 8th graders) of the Delray Beach Academy (located on-site) and community youth in general. It is our goal to eventually couple the Computer Center with an After-school Program thereby providing services to a greater number of youth.
Secondly, classes will be offered twice weekly to seniors on basic computer operation, WORD and accessing the internet. Our target group will be seniors who reside in the “Heart of Boynton” area.
The teaching of life skills will be accomplished through the implementation of the Youth Leadership Academy Curriculum (YLA). The YLA enhances self-esteem and builds leadership skills among disadvantaged youth ages 12 to 17. This curriculum uses interactive and entertaining web-based to provide training in the following six (6) areas: 1) Character Development; 2) Leadership Training; 3) Effective Communication; 4) Healthy Living; 5) Career Planning; and 6) Work Readiness. The Computer Center will offer remedial training to students in the areas of math, reading, language arts and science, as well as FCAT, SAT and ACT preparation using computer based training modules. Our youth participants will be taught how to build and maintain basic PCs.