Protestant Community Centers, Inc.
(PCCI) 25 James Street Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 621-2273 Fax: (973) 621-8120

Executive Director: Tony L. Peele
Deputy Executive Director/Volunteer Contact: Dorothy J. Knauer

Description of Program:
PCCI is a non-profit agency that ministers to the educational, social, recreational and spiritual needs of Newark youth and their families. PCCI programs are administered without regard to race or creed. By bridging urban and suburban communities, the organization strives to deepen human understanding and to enrich the quality of life for all involved. The organization’s mission is to provide education, literacy training, recreation and wellness activities, and housing assistance to at-risk children and disadvantaged community residents.

PCCI’s services are described below. Our church is particularly involved with the PCCI SCEEP and PCCI Project B.A.B.I.E.S. programs.

The Center for Children offers after-school and evening educational and recreational activities for more than 200 children each week. Suburban and Cultural Education and Enrichment program (SCEEP) provides one-to-one tutorial services to 300 children attending fourteen Newark elementary schools. The goal of the program is to improve academic performance, raise self-esteem, and to motivate and prevent school drop-outs.

Downtown Education Enrichment Program-Corporate (DEEP-C) provides one-to-one tutoring services linking Newark elementary students with 120 corporate volunteers.

Newark Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) coordinates programs for 5,000 Newark students through free book distributions. RIF promotes a love for reading and works at preventing illiteracy.

Coordination of the Frost Valley YMWCA Newark Summer Scholarship Program enables 140+ young people from 15 Newark youth agencies to attend 10 days of camp in the Catskill mountains.

The Family Ties Dinner offers homeless families (175 parents and children) a nutritional meal and a "night out" from area motels and shelters.

Project B.AB.I.E.S. is a model program utilizing an interagency case management system to prevent abandonment of babies and to service parents and infants "at risk" of abandonment.

PCCI is part of an umbrella corporation called Community Agencies Corporation (CAC). CAC encompasses four Newark-based, not-for-profit agencies serving disadvantaged children and families. The other three agencies that make up CAC are Friendly Fuld Neighborhood Centers, Inc., Cross Counter, Inc., and Student/Partner Alliance (S/PA).

Volunteer Opportunities:

• Gifts in kind
• Selling PCCI greeting cards created by children.
• Board participation.
• Volunteering in school or community centers.