A rendering showcases the repurposing of the Mote Park community building as The Power Project teen center. Piqua Compassion Network’s proposal won $50,000 from The Piqua Community Foundation in the 2021-2022 Pitch Piqua charitable grant pitch competition and is moving forward with construction.
Courtesy Photo
For the Miami Valley Today
PIQUA — Piqua Compassion Network is moving forward on The Power Project, three months after winning the $50,000 at The Piqua Community Foundation’s Pitch Piqua charitable grant pitch competition on March 3.
Piqua Compassion Network, represented by Executive Director Rebecca Sousek and volunteers Chloe Clark and Caleb Patton, won the top prize for The Power Project at the Pitch Piqua community event March 3 at Fort Piqua Plaza Banquet Center. In addition, supporters donated more than $5,100 in pass-through donations to the organization.
The Power Project will create a safe and inviting center for all teens at the Mote Park community building through a partnership with the City of Piqua and private partners. The center will provide teens access to basic needs resources and use fitness and education to give teens power over their physical, mental and social health.
The Power Project team has created a public-private partnership with the City of Piqua, which owns the Mote Park facility, and SouthTown Sports and Recreation, a local business that will lead construction efforts and donate staff time to preparing the space for programming.
The team is currently obtaining quotes and estimates for planned structural building renovations, to begin this autumn. The team will also be preparing room-by-room renderings to be shared with the public.
“I am so pleased to see The Power Project team progressing with its proposal that earned so much support through the Pitch Piqua process,” said Michelle Perry, executive director of The Piqua Community Foundation. “The way the team has secured partners and is moving from plan to fruition is inspiring, and I can’t wait to celebrate the opening of this center for our community.”
The team hopes to open the doors to youth in the spring of 2023. While the Pitch Piqua funds and in-kind support will prepare the space for use, the team is seeking additional donations and business partners to assist with ongoing operational expenses.
“Chloe and Caleb are working on program and service details, and I am focusing on the administrative tasks,” Sousek said. “Our whole team is working to put to best use the generous outpouring of offerings of donations of goods and services that have already been offered by our enthusiastic community.”
The team hopes to kickoff the renovation work and celebrate Piqua Compassion Network’s 15th anniversary with a community event at the Mote Park building in September.
“This will be a perfect opportunity to officially ‘break ground’ on this new chapter of one of Piqua’s most beloved and treasured parks,” Sousek commented. “Stay tuned for further details on this exciting event!”
To learn more about Piqua Compassion Network and The Power Project, visit pcncares.org.
The other two 2021-2022 Pitch Piqua finalist organizations, Piqua City Schools and Child Care Choices, Inc., were each awarded a $5,000 unrestricted award in addition to pass-through donations from community members. Pitch Piqua grant funding is supplied by The French Oil Mill Machinery Company Fund, The Richard Donnelly Personal Gifting Account, The G. William Hartzell Charitable Fund and unrestricted funds of The Piqua Community Foundation.
Applications — simple narratives describing the project idea and the community need it meets — for the 2022-2023 Pitch Piqua cycle are being accepted through July 28. To learn more about and to apply for Pitch Piqua’s next cycle, visit piquacommunityfoundation.org/pitchpiqua.
