Nonprofit Performance 360 Issue 12

RAY BUCHANAN Nonprofits that Work Together

Park View Community Mission

You cannot mention Park View Community Mission in Lynchburg, Virginia, without saying Miracles on Memorial . Since its inception, PVCM has been a place where we not only believe in miracles, but see them take place on a regular basis. Located on Memorial Avenue in the center of the Lynchburg community with the highest poverty rate, PVCM provides far more than food and other necessary resources to its surrounding neighbors. As one of the only client-choice food distribution centers in Central Virginia, we provide thousands of meals a month. But our food distribution is just the start of what we offer. From classes to counseling to medical care, our overriding goal is to meet the needs of our neighbors. Park View has become not just a place of help. It has become a place of hope, a place where our neighbors know they are welcomed, not as clients, but as honored guests. As one volunteer remarked, “You can feel God’s love as soon as you enter the door. Park View makes God’s love real.” That is a succinct summary of the power of Park View Community Mission. Everything we do is an attempt to demonstrate God’s love to those most in need, in our mission to restore the lives of families and communities by building relationships and providing life-changing resources.

conflicts that face our community daily. From the Blue Ridge Area Foodbank, to local corporate partners, to city leaders, to city schools and faith communities, we rely on the power of partnerships to make good things happen for our neighbors. What one of us cannot do alone, all of us can do together. The reason that is so important is impact. We are focused on having the greatest impact we can have on behalf of our neighbors. Impact is a constant topic at every board meeting and it is what drives all of our volunteers. The passion and commitment of our volunteers to making a real, sustainable difference in the lives of our neighbors is the key to Park View’s growth and outreach. We measure the Miracles on Memorial in the changed lives of our neighbors. Contact us to see how you can be a part of this powerful and exciting mission. Ray Buchanan, United Methodist minister, author, and former Marine, is Board Chair of Park View Community Mission, as well as, the founder of Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable, mobilizing the necessary resources to end hunger by 2030 through the collaboration of volunteers and organizations. Ray teaches in the Nonprofit Leadership Program at the University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, Virginia and is active with several local and international nonprofit boards. www.parkviewcommunitymission.org

Our vision is to see a renewed community through love, care for one another, and unity. We value the following: Every Person – we want to know you and know about you because we care. Relationships – we believe these are vital to a full and abundant life. Service – before all else, we are here to serve you to the best of our ability. Respect – we believe we are all equal and you are worthy to be treated right. Love Regardless – we love despite circumstances and without judgment. Collaboration – our service is far greater than any one person, church, or organization; with shared vision and mission, we commit to partnerships in unity. Service Leadership – leading and training up other leaders by example; willing to be the first to serve and last to receive. We have a philosophy that collaboration is a critical key to success. We are constantly looking for new partners to share in our ministry of feeding and caring for the least of those among us. We do not seek to duplicate, but to work alongside those who are already making an effort to solve many of the issues and

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