ABOUT RCI

OUR MISSION

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RCI nurtures community and connection in Allentown by fostering a sense of community among our neighbors who have traditionally been marginalized and by cultivating connections across social boundaries

RCI is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 2015. We are guided by our vision of Allentown as a community where everyone has a role to play, a diverse network of social support, and a connection to the place they call home. Our programs serve over 150 Allentown residents, including people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, people who are socially isolated, people living with significant histories of trauma and mental illness, and the working poor. For our neighbors living with challenges like these, RCI is a source of friendship, support, and community.

OUR ROOTS

RCI is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that has emerged from the work of Ripple Church, an urban Anabaptist faith community. Since 2011, Ripple Church has worked with people who are on the margins of society in Allentown to restore critical relationships, build community, and address material and relational needs. RCI was founded in 2015 to take the work of Ripple Church into the broader community.

OUR APPROACH

At RCI, we know that social support is a biological necessity. That’s why our work focuses primarily on building and strengthening critical relationships, knowing that everything else stems from there. We take the time to build genuine relationships with our participants, which change us for the better and allow us to facilitate true and lasting change in their lives. We learn from each other, and we all grow through relationships that challenge us. We are inspired by the life and work of Father Gregory Boyle, who reminds us that “We do not rescue anyone at the margins. But go figure, if we stand at the margins, we are all rescued.”

Restorative Practices | The health of our interpersonal relationships influences the course and quality of our lives. Restorative Practices is a method of addressing conflict and mending broken relationships through dialog and active listening. We apply the principles of Restorative Practices in all our work, and we offer restorative practices on a fee-for-service basis to other organizations.