Our Story

Greenleaf Christian Church purchased its first piece of land in 1887, just 22 years after the end of the Civil War and slavery. In 1996, 109 years later Greenleaf Christian Church formed Rebuilding Broken Places CDC to do ministry within a 2-mile radius of the church.  In 1997, the members of Greenleaf Christian Church broadened their vision and invested $550,000 to purchase an abandoned 26,000 square foot grocery store and restaurant located on 5.5 acres of land in the North End community of Goldsboro.

Greenleaf’s community revitalization and restoration strategic plan, Project “FAITHFORCE” (Faithfully Asserting Initiatives to Help Families Organize Resources for Community Empowerment), became the impetus for the formation of Rebuilding Broken Places Community Development Corporation (RBPCDC), a “faith-based” non-profit organization. 

In October 2002, Greenleaf Vision of Faith Community Center (GVFCC) was opened and became home to RBPCDC with a mission to raise the economic, educational, and social levels of the low to moderate income families of Goldsboro, Wayne County by creating partnerships that leverage human, financial and spiritual resources in a manner that supports community-wide efforts to address poverty, racial injustice, family instability and education and has led to Greenleaf’s more than $12 million investment in the North End and surrounding communities. Fostering community partnerships through RBPCDC has become a guide for social and economic development in Goldsboro and Wayne County, NC.

The schools and communities served by RBPCDC are mostly racially and economically segregated.  95% of our students and families served are African American, 3% are Latino families and 2% are White families.

RBPCDC’s programs focus on asset building through affordable housing options, improved educational options through childcare, afterschool, and adult programs; health and self-sufficiency through community gardening, health awareness, and nutrition programs for children and adults.

Housing and Finance

RBPCDC’s long-term systemic approach to creating assets and affordable housing was instigated by the major hurricanes and floods of Fran and Floyd in 1996 and 1999 respectively, which severely impacted affordable housing inventory in Goldsboro. Faith Estates and Harris Estates projects began to provide financial literacy and homeownership workshops and helped to build over 60 single family homes for low and moderate families.

Ongoing Housing Programs:

• Faith Estates is home to our 16 Single-Family home lots for low and moderate-income persons has 6 lots remaining,
   
• NBA Greenleaf Grace Village is our Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly and provides 41 apartments for low to moderate income senior citizens at 30% of income.  The complex is consistently at full capacity with a lengthy wait list,
   
• Home Buyer Education – We offer pre and post homeownership counseling and assistance in process of buying a home and real estate transactions,

Education

YOUTH

The goals of our youth educational program are to provide families with access to educational resources necessary to close the achievement gap and prepare them for competition in a global environment.  Our S.T.E.A.M. (Science Technology Engineering Art and Math) focus is critical to this mission and is therefore the foundation for all our programs. Enrichment components, exciting field trips, and parent engagement rounds out the programs for the families we serve.

Ongoing Educational Programs for Children:

• RBP Christian Academy and Child Care Center (RBPCACCC) is a Three Star center serving children regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or economic status, with educational resources necessary to prepare them for academic, artistic, and social excellence that serves children, infant through school age, 97% of whose families qualify for free lunch.  Our classrooms reflect student led inquiry and expose even our youngest to the world around them.
   
• Project Y.E.S.S. (Youth Empowered for Success and Service) Academy  Afterschool, Summer Camp and Saturday Academy programs all use a   Project Based Learning approach to offer students an opportunity to explore S.T.E.A.M. while also improving basic academic performance in reading and math.  Students are heavily supported with technology using iPads, laptops, cell phones and our 16-station computer lab. Using the scientific method and the engineering design process students explore biology, the life cycle, electricity, chemistry, matter, and force, water, light and building and coding computers. Youth in our community garden program grow fresh vegetables for their families and became Junior Master Gardeners while learning about healthy eating.  The gardening program is expanding to the childcare center this year with the installation of an edible garden that the children will use to explore, grow, and experience new foods.

ADULTS

The goals of our adult education programs are to provide access to job training and improvement in employability, small business startup, and financial literacy,

Ongoing Adult Education Programs

• Computer classes senior citizens learn for free and includes a six-week Introduction to Computers Class.  This class is open to all adults (under 60, a donation is requested) and is a set your goals and move at your own pace class and ends when you have met your goals.

• Financial Literacy - Credit Counseling, Economic Literacy, and Money Management workshops are held annually for adult and youth   
   
• Workforce/Business Preparedness classes are part of our Greenleaf Vision of Faith Community Kitchen and Gardens program.  Adults interested in gardening, food preparation and food service are trained in gardening, culinary arts, employment in food service or starting a food service business.  All students complete training to obtain a SERV Safe certification and either assisted to find work or start a business in the food service industry.

Health and Self-Sufficiency

Addressing health disparities in our community is significant to the mission of RBPCDC.  The Covid-19 pandemic served to exacerbate the lack of equity in health care and access to healthy foods.  Our health initiatives are addressing this through several outreach program and through the establishment of community gardens throughout the city.

Ongoing health programs:

Covid-19 Response - Partnering with several organizations throughout the community, RBPCDC holds several testing and vaccination events,

Mask distribution - Selected by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the public health school of Harvard University that is considered a preeminent school of public health in the world, to distribute N95 masks to the Wayne County Community.

Healthier Together Initiative offers free health information brochures to area churches regarding diabetes, high blood pressure and other health concerns.

Greenleaf Vision of Faith Community Kitchen and Gardens program – With more than 50 around the city, RBPCDC offers communities free training, raised beds, soil and seed to those wanting to gain access to healthier food options.

Nutrition – As a CACFP and SFSP sponsor, RBPCDC is positioned to offer nutritious meals to children throughout the year.  During the height of the pandemic, RBPCDC prepared meals and distributed them to children who were not able to get to the schools to get their meals.  In addition, through a partnership with the NBA Mission Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) were also able to provide meals for senior citizens that were in need.  Over 30,000 meals were served during 2020 alone.