At the moment, we’re engaging Aurora in the following ways:
- The Aurora Commons - Birthed out of the community of Awake Church, the Aurora Commons is a faith-based non-profit organization providing the Aurora area with a safe space of hospitality and mutual relationship; a safe place for physical/mental/emotional/spiritual healing and renewal; a service center that bridges people to additional resources (i.e., housing, mental health, addiction, etc.); and a hub that connects churches, businesses, and other neighborhood groups to strategically care for our neighborhood.
- Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) – Andy Carlson and Launa Steinsdoerfer are currently serving Aurora Avenue through the Aurora Commons by engaging in Asset Based Community Development work as an AmeriCorps volunteers through our partner organizations Christian Reformed World Relief and Communities First Association. ABCD is an approach that appreciates and mobilizes individual and community talents, skills, and assets (rather than focusing on problems and needs), and is community-driven development rather than development driven by external agencies (for more about ABCD, click here).
- Aurora Communal Garden – With the help of some amazingly gifted friends and neighbors, Awake began a community garden in April 2009 in the hopes of beautifying Aurora, providing food for community meals, and most importantly, bringing people together. Stop by some time at this neighborhood oasis (8849 Nesbit Ave.)!
- Garden Cookouts – Every Wednesday at 6:30pm we host a cookout for the community at the garden. The cookouts are a great opportunity to connect with Awake, the Aurora Commons community, and the diverse group of neighbors with whom we’re building relationships. Contact karen@auroracommons.org for more details.
- The Vacancy Project – The Vacancy Project equips families and individuals living in motels with the means to escape the cycle of poverty through education and assistance. Seeded by a $7500 grant from the Christian Reformed Church Foundation’s “Sea to Sea – The Cycle to End Poverty” fund, we began this program with a few families from Aurora motels in the Spring of 2010. Contact benkatt@awakechurch.org for more information.
- Worship Gathering – Awake gathers for worship at 10am on Sunday mornings at the Aurora Commons (8914 Aurora Avenue). We share a meal and then continue our worship with prayer, preaching, Eucharist, and the occasional song at around 10:45am. Email us at info@awakechurch.org for more information.
Additionally, members of our community have given birth to the following global initiatives:
- Collective Hope – “A non-profit organization committed to renewing hope, re-establishing dignity, and redeeming love” in an effort to fight poverty in the African country of Malawi.
- The Seedling Project – “The Seedling Project has been birthed in collaboration with the people of Kabale, Uganda, from the desire to grow the dignity and opportunities that are already present in their region. We seek to do this through community-based partnerships that help to expand and improve access to health and education so that each person may further live into their potential.”