The story of The City Peace Project begins with Pastor Danny’s personal experience as a Chaplain and lead crisis responder for youth violence intervention. His role exposed him to the tragic trend of families losing loved ones to a culture of senseless violence. He recalls a vivid memory of a funeral where the air was gripped with the familiar aroma of marijuana as angry, heartbroken kids smoked and drank to numb the pain. He could never forget the piercing wail of a mother mourning the loss of her son, and the cold silence of friends and family paralyzed by shock.That funeral was a marking moment in Pastor Danny’s ministry as that picture of God’s shepherdless children catalyzed his desire to reverse this trend.
Nearly everywhere Pastor Danny went, kids would recognize him as the community “priest,” and they were always eager to reciprocate the attention that he would give them. Every opportunity to connect with the youth at the local McDonalds or community skatepark would open his eyes all the more to the depth of their personal trauma, leaving him with a stronger sense of responsibility to invest in their lives.
“I wanted to be there at the beginning of the story- not the end,” Pastor Danny explains as he reflects on how the focus of his role shifted from being a chaplain to pioneering a program for youth to cultivate their character and values. Danny’s spontaneous moments of engaging with youth in random pockets of the community occur much more frequently now that students recognize him as the Pastor who spreads the message of love and peace on their school campus and encourages his ‘peacemaker’ students to do the same.
The City Peace Project is grounded in the belief that a cultural transformation will be the fruit of investing in this generation; one youth at a time. We have witnessed the tremendous ripple effect that can come from just one student’s commitment to being a ‘peacemaker,’ and we move confidently into the future with the HOPE of witnessing a wave of peacemakers victoriously shifting a culture of violent chaos to one where peace reigns.
The City Peace Project exists to empower youth to thrive in every sphere of life. Through personal mentorship, TCPP promotes life altering values and skills that equip students to cultivate lives marked by love and peace.
To witness a generation empowered and transformed by active love, hope, & peace.
TCPP provides personal mentorship that emphasizes essential disciplinary skills, fosters consistent accountability, and instills character defining values in youth.