Founded by Shamayim Harris, known as MaMa Shu, in 2016, Avalon Village was her vision for transforming Avalon St. in Highland Park from vacant and abandoned lots into a valuable urban resource. Now Avalon Village includes 45 parcels of land – 95% of Avalon Street. The village that she envisioned has become a prototype for distressed and neglected communities, for which she was recognized as one of USA Today’s 2024 Women of the Year. She likes to say she is changing “blight to beauty.”

One of the Village programs is the Homework House, a tutoring center, and safe place for community children to come before and after school to eat, get help with homework, and learn life skills. It helps foster a love for learning, creating, and community service. After taking 6 years to complete, it even includes a place to shower or do laundry.

Avalon Village strives to be an example of sustainable living in urban communities that will teach and inspire the children to continue to build up their neighborhoods. Your donation will help fund programming for Homework House and transform Avalon Street, one block at a time.

The founder and director, MaMa Shu, will be here on September 14th after worship to tell us about this tutoring center where children get help with homework and learn life skills.