our history
Local East End resident, parent, and activist John Coleman founded the Peter Paul Development Center in 1979. The center was first housed in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, in the heart of the East End. This struggling neighborhood faced below average income levels and high crime and drug use rates, and Coleman wanted to provide a safe program for the area youth. His goal was to support and rebuild the community by strengthening its families. Community members used Peter Paul as a resource to help with homework, financial assistance, and to participate in recreational activities.
Over the next 30 years, the Center’s programs and partnerships developed, expanded, and strengthened, with a focus on fostering and measuring academic achievement. In 2007, Board Chair Reverend David Anderson helped lead fundraising efforts with the “Calling All Angels” campaign to expand Peter Paul’s presence in the community and physical capacity with the building of a new standalone facility across the street from St. Peter’s Church.
A 5,000 square foot building expansion of the John Coleman Building (now the Coleman Promise Center) was completed in December 2016 as part of the “Children of Richmond’s East End” capital campaign. Today Peter Paul is considered the “Heart of the East End,” fulfilling its purpose: Educate the Child. Engage the Family. Empower the Community.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Corey Taylor, is championing a new era here at Peter Paul RVA. Peter Paul RVA we are developing new ways to serve the community by providing after school programs, summer enrichment opportunities, family resources, and community engagement activities that support the academic, social, and emotional development of the East End Richmond community.
ABOUT OUR FOUNDER:
John H. Coleman, Jr., 1932 – 1987
John Coleman, a native of Richmond serving the community, became known for his community-oriented career that began when he was a Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) supervisor at the Richmond Community Action Program. In 1972, the Episcopal Church sponsored him for a year of graduate study at Goddard College in Vermont, which accepted him although he did not have an undergraduate degree. John Coleman earned his master’s degree in the psychology of community programs. Later he served as an assistant for social and urban ministries to Bishop Peter and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia’s Richmond city missioner, the first lay person to hold that title.
As a neighborhood resident, parent and activist, Mr. Coleman founded the Peter Paul Development in 1979 as a nonprofit organization, housed at the time in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at the corner of X and 22nd Streets in the heart of Richmond’s East End. Coleman had a vision for his struggling neighborhood: To elevate lives, improve education and job opportunities in his community that faced average or below-average income levels, high crime and drug use. With the founding of the Center and the support of the Diocese of Virginia, John Coleman was doing what he loved best. That entailed trying to instill people with a sense of self-respect and a sense of belonging to a community.
Coleman’s goal was to support and rebuild the community by strengthening families; providing a program for seniors; offering financial assistance, economic development and opportunities for parents and young adults; and providing academic support and recreational activities for school-age children, as well as creating a hub for social events.
The “heart” of the Peter Paul Development Center was Coleman’s work with the young people in Church Hill. He worked with them on their self-concept and self-esteem. He conducted classes for the young people, but “more important”, was his informal contact with young people in the community.
John just believed in people, particularly young people,” said the Rev. Benjamin Campbell, chaplain to the bishop of Virginia, and Mr. Coleman’s long-time friend. “And he believed in them and wanted to teach people to believe in themselves. That’s what he did.” John Coleman, in a 1969 interview, described some of his philosophy. “You always hear about the ‘generation gap,’ the ‘racial gap,’ the ‘credibility gap,’ and the ‘communications gap.’ But the only gap we have in this society is the ‘people gap,’ “Mr. Coleman said.” (1) He fought racism, but he did it with love”, said Bishop Peter Lee. “He fought poverty, yet he engendered hope… He embodied reconciliation in his life.” (2)
On December 1, 1983; the Richmond News Leader featured a Guest Column by John Coleman titled “On Bridging Richmond’s Villages.” The last sentence speaks to John Coleman’s vision; “The Peter Paul Development Center attempts to be the bridge by which people of different ‘villages’ of this city can walk toward one another in love.”
Today, John Coleman’s legacy lives on in the organization that he founded more than 40 years ago. Peter Paul remains true in John Coleman’s vision of being a bridge builder in the community as it strives to live up to its mission to educate children, engage family, and empower the community.
(1) (2) John H. Coleman Obituary from Hollywood Cemetery’s website.
ABOUT OUR FOUNDER:
John H. Coleman, Jr., 1932 – 1987
John Coleman, a native of Richmond, always serving the community, became known for his community-oriented career that began when he was a Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) supervisor at the Richmond Community Action Program. In 1972, the Episcopal Church sponsored him for a year of graduate study at Goddard College in Vermont, which accepted him although he did not have an undergraduate degree. John Coleman earned his master’s degree in the psychology of community programs. Later he served as an assistant for social and urban ministries to Bishop Peter and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia’s Richmond city missioner, the first lay person to hold that title.
As a neighborhood resident, parent and activist, Mr. Coleman founded the Peter Paul Development in 1979 as a nonprofit organization, housed at the time in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at the corner of X and 22nd Streets in the heart of Richmond’s East End. Coleman had a vision for his struggling neighborhood: To elevate lives, improve education and job opportunities in his community that faced average or below-average income levels, high crime and drug use. With the founding of the Center and the support of the Diocese of Virginia, John Coleman was doing what he loved best. That entailed trying to instill people with a sense of self-respect and a sense of belonging to a community.
Coleman’s goal was to support and rebuild the community by strengthening families; providing a program for seniors; offering financial assistance, economic development and opportunities for parents and young adults; and providing academic support and recreational activities for school-age children, as well as creating a hub for social events.
The “heart” of the Peter Paul Development Center was Coleman’s work with the young people in Church Hill. He worked with them on their self-concept and self-esteem. He conducted classes for the young people, but “more important”, was his informal contact with young people in the community.
John just believed in people, particularly young people,” said the Rev. Benjamin Campbell, chaplain to the bishop of Virginia, and Mr. Coleman’s long-time friend. “And he believed in them and wanted to teach people to believe in themselves. That’s what he did.” John Coleman, in a 1969 interview, described some of his philosophy. “You always hear about the ‘generation gap,’ the ‘racial gap,’ the ‘credibility gap,’ and the ‘communications gap.’ But the only gap we have in this society is the ‘people gap,’ “Mr. Coleman said.” (1) He fought racism, but he did it with love”, said Bishop Peter Lee. “He fought poverty, yet he engendered hope… He embodied reconciliation in his life.” (2)
On December 1, 1983; the Richmond News Leader featured a Guest Column by John Coleman titled “On Bridging Richmond’s Villages.” The last sentence speaks to John Coleman’s vision; “The Peter Paul Development Center attempts to be the bridge by which people of different ‘villages’ of this city can walk toward one another in love.”
Today, John Coleman’s legacy lives on in the organization that he founded more than 40 years ago. Peter Paul remains true in John Coleman’s vision of being a bridge builder in the community as it strives to live up to its mission to educate children, engage family, and empower the community.
(1) (2) John H. Coleman Obituary from Hollywood Cemetery’s website.