Thanking our summer intern, Ei

Over the weekend, we said goodbye to our intern Ei. Ei came to RCI through his church, Whitehall Mennonite. He interned at our Community Building Center, where he helped in the kitchen and with community building activities. “I like the people here, hearing about their experiences. I learned to approach people, communicate and make connections.” We’re grateful to Ei for spending his summer with us, and for all the help he provided – always with a smile - during his time at RCI.

Ei (left) with a community member in the CBC.

Ei (far right) with members of Whitehall Mennonite Church, hosting a Christmas in June party in the CBC.

Ei will be attending Drexel University in the Fall to study engineering. We wish him the best of luck!

Celebrating our Community Stars

Last week, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs honored RCI Volunteers Sue Karpovich and Jody Smith as 2024 United Federal Credit Union Community Stars!

We are forever grateful to Sue and Jody for their dedication as volunteers to RCI. These two extraordinary human beings have been volunteering at our Community Building Center every week for over six years. They have served countless meals. They have hung wallpaper and assembled furniture. They made sure our community members never had to go without, even at the height of the COVID pandemic. They loaned us their grill for a community event and didn’t get mad when we somehow caught the whole thing on fire. But most importantly, they have loved and cared for our community, and they have done it with joy and gusto. Our staff and community members are lucky to call them our friends, and humbled to know that the feeling is mutual. Thank you, Sue and Jody, from all of us at Ripple Community Inc.!

RCI Hosts Party in the Park

We held our annual Party in the Park and welcomed our community members, neighbors, and volunteers to gather to enjoy food, games, and learn about resources in the Franklin Park neighborhood.

We’re grateful to our event sponsors and supporters, including:

Allentown Fire Department

Capital Blue Cross

City Center

Cohesion Network

Community Bike Works

Community Services for Children

Fulton Bank

Highmark Wholecare

Be sure to save the date for next year’s event, which will be held on September 6, 2025.

Thank you to our new partner!

We are excited to share that we have a new partnership with translationservices.com. They will be providing in-kind services to us as part of their mission of supporting resource providers for people experiencing homelessness. This partnership will help us to be welcoming and inclusive to better serve our evolving and diverse community. Thank you, translationservices.com!