Windham – A little over 10 years ago a church had a vision for the old East Elementary School in Windham, a vision that would take a lot of faith to see come to fruition. Almost from its inception, it was a miracle how it all started to come together. On January 1, 2018 the Renaissance Family Center (RFC) Celebrated 10 years of serving the community.
Windham Board of Education was auctioning off East Elementary School as it was no longer needed. Windham Bible Church was interested in the facility but with limited resources, they knew it would take a miracle to obtain the property. The church bid on the facility and when the other bidders heard about the church’s plan for the building, they dropped out. That was the miracle the church needed as they were the only bidder and bought the facility. I was there that night. It was a night of prayers, joy and thanksgiving, a sight to behold. It was an electrifying atmosphere, one you wanted to embrace yet dwell in it for a while.
The facility opened on January 1, 2010, offering indoor walking, men’s basketball, free community dinners, after school tutoring for kids and more. They were there to serve. They have offered a variety of programs over the years, some worked out well, others not so much. On February 14, 2011 the Windham branch of the Portage County District Library took up residency there and has been a stable tenant since.
The facility is run on donations and rents received from tenants. Their staff is all volunteers. No one there receives one dime. Because the staff is volunteer, a lot of their plans sit on hold until the right volunteer with a passion to serve comes along. The center has long term volunteer positions available and short terms as well. Some are a few hours a month, others several hours a week. The center is committed to serving the community.
Almost a year after RFC opened, Windham Bible Church transferred the ownership to the RFC board on December 28, 2010. Although the church is not in the picture so to speak, the center still is operates on the same Christian principles.
Two of their volunteer staff members have been there since its inception but now are retiring to move on to new things. Tom Hickman and Tyra Thompson have spent the last 10 years helping build a place that serves the community. Tyra was to go-to gal while Tom was the fix-it man. Tyra helped run the monthly free dinners along with anything else that needed doing. Tom was the maintenance man and what he didn’t know how to fix, he found out how or found the right person to help solve the issue. They both gave a lot to the center, will be missed and tough to replace.
A lot has changed in the 10 years. RFC is now board owned and operated. The church is no longer the owner but many of their members are still working hard to meet the community’s needs. The faces may have changed but the commitment to the community and their mission has not. Rev. David Gray and his wife Betty are seen there now. David is on the board and Betty is the social media/ marketing person. She is also the go-to girl and problem solver as well. If it needs to be done, she will find a way to get it done!
When I sat down with the Grays and retiring Thompson and Hickman, they shared a few success stories on how RFC has changed folks’ lives and how rewarding, serving the community has been. They have seen a single mom get her act together, obtain her GED and now holds a job, takes care of her family. Another single mom has completed nursing school. RFC helps folks get back on their feet, change their outlook and give them hope.
Many families in the community struggle to put food on the table. RFC offers a couple of ways to help them extend their food dollars. They have the Red Shield Food Pantry and the free monthly dinners. They also have a garden dubbed the Ametek Food Forest. The garden has fruit trees, vegetables and berries. The produce is PYO style but free for the taking in the summer/fall months. The garden is a work in progress with strawberries, apple trees, pear trees, tomatoes, cukes, and more veggies in season. They are working with Ametek on their garden to make it, self-sustaining. The design has walking paths and benches for folk who just want quiet time as well. All help the community extend their food budget.
The four shared where they’d like to see RFC grow and some of the plans for the future. It takes volunteers to make it happen, and they have not had enough of those lately. If you have a few hours to volunteer they’d be happy to find something you might be interested in and get you on board. Give them a call 330 326-3003 and see what you can give, you will find the return on your time is greater than any amount of money.
The center is there to help those in need. Gray stated that there are zero social services in this part of the county so, they are trying to provide services for those that may not have transportation to get to Kent or even Ravenna for help. They are a faith-based ministry, trying to reach those in need. Do they preach at you and judge? No, they minister love, give hope and offer acceptance. They will share the love of God but it’s not preachy nor is it shoved down your throat. They use actions more than words as they meet the needs of the community. They serve anyone who has a need regardless of their beliefs. Their mission is to help people grow physically, emotionally, spiritually and economically by offering opportunities and services in the midst of fellowship. They are a 501(c)3 charitable organization with a vision and commitment to help their community by providing food, clothing, education, recreation, and other needs.
Many said they couldn’t do it and doubted their vision, but here they are, 10 years later, still going strong. They have plans down the road to add more services. Right now, they house the Windham branch of the Portage County District Library. They also are home to Townhall ll, the Salvation Army, Red Shield Food Pantry, ASPIRE, a Christmas Boutique and the Second Blessing thrift store. They offer space for health clinics for immunizations, HEAP, the census bureau and others. RFC has a men’s basketball program, and al-anon programs at the facility as well. The center also serves children with their bicycle repair program and athletes with their weight room.
Their hours of operation are Monday 10 am – 4pm, Tuesday 10am – 6:30pm, closed on Wednesday, Thursday 12am-6:30 pm and Friday 10 am – 4 pm. For more information, one may call the center at 330.326.3003.
