This past month, we received an update from our friends at the Portobello building. Here’s what they had to say:
Hello friends!
It’s with some disappointment and a tremendous amount of relief that we want to share with you a decision we’ve made over the last couple weeks. We have decided to delay the ground breaking of the building until sometime between January-June of 2021.
This was primarily a financial decision as a few of our key sources were knocked out from under us during these past 6 months. As the perfect storm of COVID and racial unrest overtook the nation, the funders redirected their funding to these essential and justice oriented needs (as they should have). We applaud their quick and speedy responses and feel supportive of their decisions, even at temporary cost to our project. We have tried to follow suit as we shifted our property to become a Weeping Wall in the center of Beaver Falls (see our Portobello Facebook!).
We still plan to move ahead, but our hope is that we will be greatly refreshed and more motivated to hit the ground running when we have more certainty around our funding sources. At the very least, our executive team will be able to focus more fully on family in these turbulent times.
The project is still very much happening—the vision is not deterred. In fact, if anything it has become more clear and defined as each national crisis passes. We now have a Statement and plan of Racial Equity, and a outline for Renee to gradually give leadership over to the community and possibly even a Executive Director of color from Beaver Falls with whom we are already in discussion.
We are also strongly considering a parallel non-profit that will include greater community input, leadership and intentionality. We’re thankful for these hard lessons and the way it is shaping our mission, hearts, and the eventual Portobello Cultural Life & Arts Center.
Thanks for your ongoing support—it means so much to us!
