Johnson Park Center (JPC) which means Join Positive Change-is a faith-based community agency in the City of Utica that has been serving the Cornhill-Johnson Park area since September 1995.  We are a non ‘profit 501(c) (3) non-sectarian homeless service and community development organization, established to provide housing and support services for the homeless, youth, women, elderly, ex-offenders, substance abusers, have mental health disabilities and/or with co-occurring disorders and to promote the revitalization of the Johnson Park Cornhill neighborhood.  JPC was created with the goal of helping low to very low-income inner-city community residents, particularly dysfunctional minority families with single female heads of households with at-risk youth between the ages of 4 and 16.  

The Rev. Dr. Maria A. Scates, D.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of Johnson Park Center. She is formerly homeless and a veteran that is an advocate for the homeless, women, children and families. Rev. Dr. Scates is a visionary; she pioneered and led the way for positive change and revitalization in the Johnson Park community, which she loves and resides in. She co-founded HARK-HOMES, a shelter for the homeless in Harlem, New York and is the Founder of the Johnson Park Center; Cornhill-Utica an inner city community based organization.  Through vision, dedication, commitment and hard work, Rev. Dr. Scates possesses considerable experience in working with minority women and children from dysfunctional families and operating various service programs for the poor and needy, including organization, leadership & management, supervision of staff, counseling, fundraising and development and property management.  For more information please go to JPC Web-Site at www.johnsonparkcenter.org. 

Some of the Awards & Accomplishments that JPC & Rev. Dr. Scates have received:

·         In year 2007: The Bobby Page III Community Service Award through the "Robert Esche Save of the Day Foundation".

·         In year 2008: "Upstate Supportive Housing Residence of the Year" by the Supportive Housing Network of New York.

·         In year 2009 -the "Community Impact Award" from the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties.

·         In year 2011- Rev. Dr. Scates received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Colgate University.

·         In year 2012 - JPC and Resource Living of Independent Living (RCiL) received the American with Disabilities (ADA) 22nd Anniversary Proclamation Award from the City of Utica.

·         In year 2013 - Rev. Dr. Scates received the Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency (MVCAA) "2013 Treva Wood Community Activist Award' at the MVCAA Champions Luncheon on May 9th, 2013.

·         In year 2014- Rev. Dr. Scates received the New York State Business Journal News Journal Non-Profit Career Achievement Award in Syracuse NY on March 25, 2014.

·         On February 15, 2015 was honored as a Community Advocate by the Oneida County, the City of Utica and the Watson Williams Elementary School Program Committee.

·         On March 20, 2015 SUNY Polytechnic Institute's Psychology and Sociology Club in conjunction with the West Indian and African Club and the Veteran Club hosted its 12th Annual Benefit Dinner Friday at Daniele's Banquet in New Hartford in honor of JPC's constant commitment to positive change for the past 20 years! The total amount raised was $14,000.

·         On May 1, 2015 - JPC received Food Bank of CNY's Community Impact Award.

·         On May 18, 2015 - May JPC's Food Pantry reached 1,000,000 meals served! A special giveaway and event celebrated the milestone.

·         On May 31, 2015  Rev. Dr. Scates was one a  honoree at the Leadership Mohawk Valley 25^th Anniversary Celebration and received  during  the "Challenge the Process" award, in recognition of her hard work and dedication to the Johnson Park-Cornhill community over the past 20 years!

·         On April 1, 2016, JPC received the "John J. Wilma B. Sinnott Conservation Award" for its dedication to the Preservation of Earth Natural Resources with JPC Green LEED Initiative.

·         On June 3, 2016, Governor Cuomo created and selected Rev. Dr. Scates to be a member of the NY State-Wide Interagency Council of Homelessness to Guide Policy that will arrive at cross-cutting common sense solutions to provide safe, clean shelters, supportive housing and services to the homeless.  

Take a walk around Johnson Park today, and you will be able to see the positive change. From our humble beginnings, JPC developed a comprehensive strategic plan to serve the inner-city Cornhill Johnson Park community anchored in safe & supportive special needs housing along with 4 focus areas- (1) Nutrition, (2) Recreation, (3) Mentoring & Advocacy and (4) Community Development:

1.        JPC currently owns 46 properties in Johnson Park with a total of 31 apartments in the Johnson Park Apartments Low-Income Safe and Supportive Housing Program called JPA. The program is for homeless mothers and their children and for chronically homeless single women without children who have special needs.

2.        Eight apartments are Green-Platinum LEED Certified. JPC is a City of Utica Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO).  On December 23, 2015, JCTOD received grant funding from NYS Homeless Housing and Assistance Program and the City of Utica for JPA VI to create Eight Housing First Green-Platinum LEED Certified apartments for Special Needs Homeless Single Females.

3.        JPC started Oneida County's first family shelter with 18 beds where traditional and non- traditional low-income, homeless families can stay together during a crisis, regardless of their composition.

4.        The JPC Youth Program - Drop-In Enrichment Center, with a playground and basketball court that offers wholesome recreational and educational activities for neighborhood youth that provide the necessary discipline to enable youth to strive and achieve positive life goals.

5.        In January 2015 thanks to the Utica National Group Foundation Fund, M&T Bank/Partners Trust Charitable Fund and the Mele Family Fund, which are Donor advised Funds of the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties. JPC started a new youth & family empowerment service: the Head, Hand & Heart Family Enrichment Program as a method to prepare children ages 3-5 years (and their parents, brothers & sisters) for entry into kindergarten through the use of technology and hands-on learning.

6.        The Youth Center offers leadership development training for youths age 9 to 14. The Youth Voice Initiative encourages and trains young people to speak up and be leaders and positive role models. The Youth Voice Initiative encourages other youth not to use tobacco, illegal drugs, or alcohol and to resist crime and youth violence.

7.        Food/nutrition programs for youth, families and seniors are helping stop hunger and food insecurity in the inner city and provide the next step to self-sufficiency. The youth center serves over 10,000 nutritious meals to children and adults each year.

8.        At the JPC Food Pantry we average 350 families per month, many who are the "working poor", handing out staple food for three days. Yearly, we sponsor a Large Free Food Give-A-Way event in July with approximately 400 households, many present to receive additional food to ease the pain of poverty. JPC also has a Free Building Supplies Give-A-Way which assists by providing supplies to do maintenance, repairs or upgrade to neighborhood resident's homes.

9.        The JPC children and adults learn how to grow fruits and vegetables at the JPC Let's Grow Community Garden, which has its annual garden wake up and harvest festival. All participants can take home fresh vegetables and various teaching components are integrated to coach healthy eating habits.

10.     JPC provides transportation services for youth, adults and families.

11.     JPC provides ongoing advocacy, mentoring/life coaching, focus and support groups, Pre- Career/Employment Empowerment Life Skills Training for JPA program participants & Cornhill community residents. JPC is a YouthBuild Construction Work Site, Oneida County Summer Youth Employment & Work & Pride Site.

12.     JPC provides an on-site operations development specialist program that reaches out to strengthen families & single women individual lives, build personal/Life & Home-Management Living Skills, and to prevent Individuals & Family Violence Abuse and Neglect.

13.     JPC played a key role in the revitalization of Johnson Park itself, and is an anchor for the Cornhill neighborhood. JPC has secured millions of dollars in grants from public and private sources, as well as in-kind support for its various projects. The agency has created strong partnerships with a wide range of government agencies, banks, foundations, and non-profit agencies to implement its community-based services and community development programs.

14.     Parallel to the not-for-profit work, JCTOD Church was incorporated as the Lord Jesus Christ Tabernacle of David, Inc. with the Seed of Hope Ministry.

All of the programs of JPC are long-term and will run continually on an annual basis.

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