Peace Neighborhood Center Youth Programs
Peace Neighborhood Center, 1111 N. Maple Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103
About
Peace Neighborhood Center Youth Programs include Summer Day Camp, Leadership Development Camp (LDC), after-school academic support, and enrichment activities. The programs also offer Performance Arts Academy, LEAD (Learning, Experiencing, and Achieving Dreams), College & Career Prep Club (CCPC), Ninth Grade Academy, and a Job program. Additional related services connected to the youth programs include the Family Enrichment Program, Substance Abuse program, South Maple Breakfast program, Alternatives for Youth Program, Peace House Transitional Housing Center, and the Peace HUB Community Resource Center.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Peace Neighborhood Center was established as a self-governing, non-profit community center in 1971, and its Summer Day Camp began in 1974. The Job program started in 1977, and the organization became a United Way Agency in 1985 before expanding programs to all of Ann Arbor in 1986 and to all of Washtenaw County in 1995. The Substance Abuse program began in 1988, the South Maple Breakfast program in 1992, Performance Arts Academy and LEAD in 1998, and College & Career Prep Club (CCPC) in 1999. The Peace House Transitional Housing Center opened in 2009, the Family Enrichment Program launched in 2011, the Ninth Grade Academy was added to Youth Services in 2015, and the Monty Vincent College Assistance Fund was created in 2017. Peace Neighborhood Center has been helping children, families, and individuals build futures that include self-sufficiency and positive community involvement for over 54 years.
The mission of Peace Neighborhood Center is to provide programs for children, families, and individuals who are affected by social and economic problems, and to help people discover options, enhance skills, and make choices that lead to self-sufficiency and positive community involvement. The organization emphasizes three core values: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Peace Neighborhood Center has a Youth Services Pledge with specific promises related to respect, learning, responsibility, honesty, and self-determination, and it uses Five Rules of Success: Respect Everyone and Everything; Listen; Follow Directions; Cooperation; Think and Respond Appropriately.
The leadership team includes Executive Director Bonnie Billups, Jr., Youth Program Coordinator Anabel Cruz for the South Maple and West Arbor satellite centers, and Children’s Services Coordinator Raven Vawters. Anabel Cruz attended Washtenaw Community College and earned her BSW at Eastern Michigan University, and she taught preschool at the Kindercare Learning Center before joining Peace’s full-time staff. Raven Vawters earned her BA in Psychology from Cornell College, obtained her ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) certification, and worked one-on-one with young children with autism before joining Peace’s full-time staff in 2018.
Peace Neighborhood Center serves children, families, and individuals who are affected by social and economic problems in Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor and operates multiple satellite centers and the Peace HUB Community Resource Center. It is a United Way Agency and has received the Prize for Excellence in Nonprofit Management in Washtenaw County from NEW (Nonprofit Enterprise at Work). Peace participates in collaborations such as BUILD (Building, Unity, Independence, Leadership, and Development), CAP (Computer Access Program), and F.U.N. (Families of United Neighborhoods), and partners with school partners in the area to focus on the needs of children in identified census tracts through the Peace Neighborhood Center Maple Road Corridor. Community funding partners include Yield Giving, the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity (LEO), Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Ann Arbor Housing Commission, Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, and Food Gatherers.
Program staff members Anabel Cruz and Raven Vawters both first came to Peace Neighborhood Center as youth participants, with Anabel starting at Summer Day Camp at age five and Raven starting in Leadership Development Camp (LDC) as a rising 8th grader. Their testimonials describe memories of Summer Day Camp, Leadership Development Camp, trips, clubs, relationships built over the summers, early job experiences in the camp kitchen, and ongoing connections to the Peace community.
Last updated July 18, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Peace Neighborhood Center was established as a self-governing, non-profit community center in 1971, and its Summer Day Camp began in 1974. The Job program started in 1977, and the organization became a United Way Agency in 1985 before expanding programs to all of Ann Arbor in 1986 and to all of Washtenaw County in 1995. The Substance Abuse program began in 1988, the South Maple Breakfast program in 1992, Performance Arts Academy and LEAD in 1998, and College & Career Prep Club (CCPC) in 1999. The Peace House Transitional Housing Center opened in 2009, the Family Enrichment Program launched in 2011, the Ninth Grade Academy was added to Youth Services in 2015, and the Monty Vincent College Assistance Fund was created in 2017. Peace Neighborhood Center has been helping children, families, and individuals build futures that include self-sufficiency and positive community involvement for over 54 years.
The mission of Peace Neighborhood Center is to provide programs for children, families, and individuals who are affected by social and economic problems, and to help people discover options, enhance skills, and make choices that lead to self-sufficiency and positive community involvement. The organization emphasizes three core values: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Peace Neighborhood Center has a Youth Services Pledge with specific promises related to respect, learning, responsibility, honesty, and self-determination, and it uses Five Rules of Success: Respect Everyone and Everything; Listen; Follow Directions; Cooperation; Think and Respond Appropriately.
The leadership team includes Executive Director Bonnie Billups, Jr., Youth Program Coordinator Anabel Cruz for the South Maple and West Arbor satellite centers, and Children’s Services Coordinator Raven Vawters. Anabel Cruz attended Washtenaw Community College and earned her BSW at Eastern Michigan University, and she taught preschool at the Kindercare Learning Center before joining Peace’s full-time staff. Raven Vawters earned her BA in Psychology from Cornell College, obtained her ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) certification, and worked one-on-one with young children with autism before joining Peace’s full-time staff in 2018.
Peace Neighborhood Center serves children, families, and individuals who are affected by social and economic problems in Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor and operates multiple satellite centers and the Peace HUB Community Resource Center. It is a United Way Agency and has received the Prize for Excellence in Nonprofit Management in Washtenaw County from NEW (Nonprofit Enterprise at Work). Peace participates in collaborations such as BUILD (Building, Unity, Independence, Leadership, and Development), CAP (Computer Access Program), and F.U.N. (Families of United Neighborhoods), and partners with school partners in the area to focus on the needs of children in identified census tracts through the Peace Neighborhood Center Maple Road Corridor. Community funding partners include Yield Giving, the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity (LEO), Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Ann Arbor Housing Commission, Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, and Food Gatherers.
Program staff members Anabel Cruz and Raven Vawters both first came to Peace Neighborhood Center as youth participants, with Anabel starting at Summer Day Camp at age five and Raven starting in Leadership Development Camp (LDC) as a rising 8th grader. Their testimonials describe memories of Summer Day Camp, Leadership Development Camp, trips, clubs, relationships built over the summers, early job experiences in the camp kitchen, and ongoing connections to the Peace community.
Last updated July 18, 2026.
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