Disconnection leads to dysfunction at many levels in our society. Community Renewal International has pioneered a way to establish relational networks necessary to rebuild the foundation for safe, caring, and vital communities.
Who we Are
We are over 51,000 people from all walks of life, from all 50 states and several countries asking you to join us and put a single action of faith in your life – that Love works and Love wins
How to create caring connection in the Capital Area
We begin with establishing and implementing a powerful three-pronged strategy in at least 3-5 neighborhoods representing the diverse ethnic and economic range of the D.C. Capital Area residents. This plan will set in place the necessary structure to mobilize tens of thousands of caring residents like yourself into relationally intentional neighbors and neighborhoods. You have the opportunity, described in the steps below, to engage in one or all approaches to this strategy.
STEP ONE: Join The Renewal Team
In most cities today, we don’t always see our city as it really is. The “sensational” makes the nightly news and morning headlines. We are bombarded by news of the dysfunctional acts of a few society members who want to hurt one another instead of help one another. But in reality, communities are filled with mostly caring people. Of course, our caring acts don’t normally generate publicity but these caring acts are what make us a good community filled with potential.
The Renewal Team makes visible these caring acts by connecting individuals, groups, organizations and institutions. We ask all Renewal Team members to first individually share your caring acts – whether large or small, private or public – by signing our “I Care Card” and becoming part of the We Care Team of over 51,000 caring people.
If you are associated with a business, faith-based group, community center, educational institution or local club we seek your partnership as a part of our Renewal Team to help grow the visibility and deepen the connection between neighbors and neighborhoods in the D.C. Capital Area.
STEP TWO: Spread The Word
The power of our movement only works when we care together. This requires letting others who would be motivated and inspired by a world that gets better and better through intentional relationships know there is a way they can be active in making that happen.
Take a moment and list all your friends, family members and colleagues who you suspect want something more for themselves, their neighbors and all those on our planet. Then you can share our website, or this one minute video! Or, if you really want to have fun . . . you can host a Zoom event with a few of our core team members!
STEP THREE: Become A Haven House Block Leader
Dedicated to “remaking our city by making friends on our street,” Haven House is a concrete strategy to take a city back, systematically, block by block. The Haven House initiative brings together caring residents who are willing to reach out to their neighbors. Identified by a Haven House “We Care” sign in their front yard, Haven House leaders are trained volunteers who turn strangers into friends on the block where they live.
STEP THREE: Support the Establishment of a Friendship House Neighborhood
Friendship Houses are lived in by Community Coordinators and their families to become the catalysts for rebuilding safe and caring neighborhoods. Through earning their trust relationships form as a foundation for residents to set and achieve basic goals in the areas of community, education, leadership, housing, health, safety and meaningful work.
Our first location for a Friendship House will be in the Anacostia neighborhood. If you are interested in supporting this effort through volunteering or donation please contact us.
STEP FOUR: Learn about our work with the rich and diverse diaspora communities in our city and how you can become friends with neighbors from all over the world who have chosen the D.C. Capital Area as their home.
STEP FIVE: Get to know the team members who will be working with you to bring renewal to our city.
Community Renewal Capital Area 