Initiative works to revitalize South Side Cape
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – It takes a village, and a local initiative is working to bring that back into the community and to revitalize the south side of Cape Girardeau. Sommer McCauley-Perdue is a board member of the PORCH Initiative.
PORCH which stands for People Organized to Revitalize Community Healing is working to fix big problems on the south side of Cape Girardeau.
McCauley-Perdue shares how PORCH started.
“It was a group of people who lived on the south side and wanted to get more community involvement, get more exposure to the south side, get business over here” says McCauley-Perdue.
Sommer McCauley-Perdue wears many hats. When Shes not working as a board member with the PORCH Initiative she works part time at the DMV, is head coach at Cape Central for both girls’ volleyball and basketball, was part of TTF which allocates funds to fix city roadways, was recently on the board of the planning and zoning commission, and a mom of four!
She shares where PORCH got its name.
“If you notice if you drive around the south side most of the houses have big porches” says McCauley-Perdue. “We wanted to bring back that concept of back in the day when their grandmother was sitting on the porch and you see all the kids, and everybody was a village you didn’t have to worry about where your kid was, the neighbor knew and they were always on their porch. So, we came up with the porch name because of that concept.”
The PORCH initiative holds events like sneaker ball to give shoes to kids in Cape and flips real-estate properties on the south side of Cape and then helps community members become homeowners through their program.
Sommer McCauley-Perdue says they’re also working to provide health and wellness to the community.
She shares that PORCH is cleaning up the south side and bringing back a sense of community.
“Cleaning it up, bringing a sense of home ownership, you’re not going to have that type of situation there, bringing back a sense of a village and everybody is looking out for everybody.”
When McCauley-Perdue was asked why she stays so active in her community and in cleaning up the south side she simply says because that’s how she was raised.
“I’m a product of it and I also want to be an example not only for the community but for my kids too that you don’t sit around and be idle. Get out there and help, if you want things to be better and you want to make a difference you got to get your elbows and your hands dirty” says McCauley-Perdue.
PORCH Initiative – People Organized to Revitalize Community Healing
