Mission
Impacting families living in poverty, starting with kids and youth.
Dream Center Peoria is a faith-based not-for-profit organization located in downtown Peoria. Since 2002 Dream Center Peoria has been impacting families living in poverty starting with kids and youth. We accomplish this in four ways, through DCP Housing, DCP Students, DCP Caresand DCP Mobile.
DCP Housing
The Shelter – Each night 60-100 women, children, fathering dads and families make their way to DCP for shelter. Their average age is nine, so homelessness looks completely different for us. In our state-of-the-art, 24/7 homeless shelter, we provide a safe and warm place to stay, and we serve over 70,000 meals a year.
The Village – Our aim is not to keep people in the shelter, but to help them see a future and purpose in life and transition them to our residential program, where we have 21 apartments to help break the cycle of homelessness. Most people leave The Village within 12-16 months and 91% never go back to homelessness again.
DCP Students
We run a vibrant afterschool program and summer school program for inner-city students. We incorporate a social enterprise program to show a way out of poverty through business, a creative arts school to teach young people the importance of the arts, and a mentoring education piece to help kids do well in school. We also have a trades program to help them get started with skills that can keep them out of the cycle of poverty.
Thanks to great volunteers and local businesses, we started a job skills program for our 45 middle school-aged kids. Hands-on programs include motorcycle repair, auto mechanics, motorcycle parts resell business, T-shirt printing, 3D printing/casting foundry, electronics, home electrical, stock market simulation, carpentry and coffee roasting. It is working… and very encouraging to see up close!
DCP Cares
Community Outreach – This is where we see our community come together to impact families living in poverty. More than 20,000 people are impacted by Dream Center Peoria each year, and over 200 volunteers are involved every month.
Backpack Peoria – Each year, we partner with Peoria Public Schools to give out 2,500 backpacks loaded with school supplies, helping children in need start the school year right.
Serve the City – Twice a year we join with different churches in the area to perform service projects at different sites throughout Peoria and surrounding areas.
Mission Peoria – More than 300 young people from dozens of church youth groups around the country come to DCP for a mission trip to impact Peoria and the children in this community.
Here for Good – This is a neighboring initiative designed to build relationships and meet needs throughout the City of Peoria. The only thing needed is people who are willing to build relationships, believing that it is in the context of a relationship that we will best meet needs. Same people. Same homes. Same neighborhoods.
DCP Mobile
This is a new division of Dream Center Peoria. We want to bring services to people who may not be able to get to DCP. This may be the homeless, families in need, or anyone needing some type of help. It’s Dream Center Peoria on wheels. We will meet basic human needs, build strong relationships, and bring hope to the streets through our MOBILE food, laundry, barber and shower + bathroom trucks.
How to Help
There are so many ways for people to volunteer. Join over 200 volunteers monthly as we serve the Peoria area through Dream Center Peoria. Visit dreamcenterpeoria.org/volunteer to see opportunities and sign up to volunteer.
Dream Center Peoria
714 Hamilton Boulevard
Peoria, IL 61603
(309) 676-3000
dreamcenterpeoria.org
[email protected]
Facebook: @dreamcenterpeoria
Twitter: @dcpeoria
Instagram: @dreamcenterpeoria
