The Heart of Peaceworks: Where Inclusion and Community Engagement Empowers Everyone
Peaceworks is a community-based nonprofit that collaborates with Medina businesses to secure meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities. There are three separate programs under this umbrella. They are Spokes Cafe, Planet Joy, and Sprouts of Peace. They all provide opportunities for people to learn and grow. I spoke to Rachel Green who is the Peaceworks Manager. She told me that part of their mission is to be involved and give back to the community. They do a lot of volunteer work in the community that brings a sense of value. Discover what these community-minded programs have to offer.
Spokes Cafe- I and II
There are two locations for Spokes Cafe. One is in Austin Badger Park at 5741 River Styx Road, Montville Township, and the other is at 406 Broadway in Medina. They partner with Cool Beans Cafe in Medina and several community members. Each cafe sells coffee drinks, baked goods, and treats for people and dogs, and you can rent bicycles to ride on the trails. The employees learn drink preparation skills, running a cash register, keeping track of inventory, and upkeep of the cafe. I visited the Spokes Cafe on Broadway called Spokes I and was greeted by four workers. There were many choices of coffee drinks sponsored by Cool Beans. The Badger is a Spokes specialty drink with peanut butter and protein powder. After their break, two workers went outside to check on the bikes they had for rent. This property is next to the Sophia Victoria Trail Head, a great biking path. Artwork from Planet Joy decorates the walls and the ambiance is joyful and welcoming. Next, I drove to Spokes II and met Linda Bowers, a job coach. Spokes II is located in the picturesque Austin Badger Park. This park was named after one of Montville Township’s first settlers, and the park features 2.3 miles of concrete walking trails of varying elevations. This setting has a beautiful outdoor patio area, and you can sit and enjoy nature while you wait for your order. I got the Spokes Special which was an iced banana split mocha, and it was excellent. While waiting for my order, I saw the sign, ” Brewing Opportunities While Serving Our Community.” Linda explained to me that the employees thrive there because they learn new independent skills. They also learn ways to give back and serve the community. They do this by having a personal care items drive and donating collected items to the Medina Personal Care Pantry. This interdenominational ministry distributes personal care, laundry, and cleaning items to low-income individuals and seniors in Medina County. What a great way to give back to the community. While waiting for my drink to be made, a work crew from Sprouts of Peace was there to take bicycles back to Spoke I. I recognized one of the workers as a former student, and he gave me a big hug. Seeing this former student gave me great joy, knowing he is happy and employed in a place that values his talents. I introduced myself to his job coach. His boss said he was doing a great job. My purchases included a cute hat from Spokes, a coloring book and notecards from Planet Joy, and a delicious, refreshing drink.
Planet Joy
Attached to the Intervention for Peace site is an in-house art studio. This is a working art studio under the direction of professional artists. The address is 689 W. Liberty Street in Medina. This art studio encourages adults with developmental differences to express themselves and explore their creativity through their art. It is under the direction of professional artists and was modeled after Passion Works in Athens, Ohio. I had the privilege to visit Passion Works studio when my daughter went to Ohio University and now I own one of their uniquely wonderful passion flowers, made of metal. The mission statement of Passion Works is:” …to create and support inclusive communities through individual exploration and the collaborative art process.” Planet Joy is a collaborative art studio that aims to showcase the unique beauty of their individuals through their artistic creations. The unifying power of art is created with all kinds of art mediums including drawing, painting, sewing, creative storytelling, puppetry, paper mache, poetry, music, and more. The goal of Planet Joy is to share the beauty of the individuals through their artistic creations and provide a comfortable, joyous, and supportive atmosphere throughout the process. You can purchase their artwork at both the Spokes locations, as well as their online store. https://peaceworksteam.com/planet-joy/ One of the quotes by Planet Joy perfectly describes what they do: “Joy is what we bring, art is how we do it!”
On the last page of the coloring book I purchased from Planet Joy, is a poem by Josh that reads,
” Planet Joy, O Planet Joy, You make me
happy straight to the heart
And crown this place with a happy face
That can never be torn apart!
Long live PLANET JOY!”
Sprouts of Peace
The last program under the Peaceworks umbrella is the Sprouts of Peace program. They have a community garden on Bolivar Alley, off of Vine Street. It is behind the Salvation Army. This program is a horticultural program that focuses on lawn care, and maintenance of flower and herb beds on the Peaceworks properties. The employees are paid to plant, water, and harvest the plants. One of the plots is maintained by the Sprouts of Peace employees. They donate the bounty to local food banks. The other 15 plots are available for community members to use. Individuals must apply for a plot each year through Peaceworks. Garden plots are still available. There were four rain barrels, two of which were decorated by Planet Joy artists. I spotted the bee hive and saw the bees hard at work. The employees learn beekeeping and honey extraction.
Peaceworks programs are something that we can all support. One of its main goals is to stay community-minded and look for ways to give back to the community. Whether going to one of the Spokes Cafes, admiring the art of the Planet Joy artists, or appreciating the beautifully landscaped properties, we are lucky to have this nonprofit in our community. I invite you to check them out. More information can be found at https://www.ifpeace.com/peaceworks/
