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Community Solutions Inc.
| Mission History Core |
Generation Xcel is the first outreach project developed by Community Solutions, Inc. (CSI). CSI will build upon its successes with youth outreach and become an innovator in such fields as community and economic development, substance abuse treatment, transitional services, and urban policy. |
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Mission
Community Solutions, Inc. exists to
advocate for social justice and community uplift within inner city neighborhoods
develop holistic strategies for meeting the financial, educational, emotional, housing, and social needs of impoverished peoples
provide services which promote urban revitalization and family restoration
History
Community Solutions grew out of Rev. Richard Del Rio's holistic vision for community outreach and renewal. Before "faith based initiatives" was a trendy concept, Rev. Del Rio founded an inner city ministry called Abounding Grace in 1982 that aimed to serve the whole person -- spirit, soul, and body -- and offered a variety of services in addition to traditional religious programming.
In 1994, Rev. Del Rio and his son Jeremy, then a junior at New York University, conceived of a seperate community based organization that would administer an assortment of "non-religious" and "faith-based" outreaches to address neighborhood pathologies. They incorporated CSI shortly after, but the organization remained largely conceptual until February 1996, when a group of community residents helped define its mission and short and long-term objectives. By spring, they had adopted a comprehensive mission statement, developed an Action Plan, and elected to establish, as its first initiative, a youth outreach program called Generation Xcel.
Core
Certain fundamental values underlie every endeavor that CSI pursues.
Excellence. CSI is committed to becoming a first-rate organization that develops premier strategies and renewal efforts.
Innovation. Pioneers make obsolete and restrictive paradigms forward looking and progressive.
Persistence. Poverty, joblessness, gangs, drugs, crime -- entrenched pathologies require long-term, consistent effort to overcome short-term frustrations and failures.
Flexibility. Respond to needs as they arise while preserving CSI's mission and core.
Unity.
Individual action can transform individuals Collective action will transform
communities.