First Christian Supports Children’s Creativity at Community Center

The ACE Project was founded in 2014, after a mourning mother turned her tragedy into triumph. Rose Smith lost her son Cory Crowe to gun violence in October of that year and within a few months, Rose was a on a mission to help other kids in Louisville. She began by founding a non-profit in her son's honor, called the "ACE (Acting Compassionately Everyday) Project."

Through ACE children find mentors, homework help and do good in their community. The non-profit was only the beginning. Three years after her son’s death, Rose purchased the abandoned home where Cory was killed and turned it into the "ACE Place" community center where the organization can provide youth with resources and experiences that will allow them to discover their talents and potentials and guide them towards being productive citizens in our communities. The property now has a new purpose and will serve young children for years to come.

What you feed grows, so if we feed these kids love and compassion and things like that it’s going to flourish and grow in them. ~ Rose Smith

First Christian Church was so pleased to partner with the ACE Project this year, providing a Wholeness Grant for the purchase of 4 sewing machines and an embroidery machine, thread, fabric, scissors, rulers, seam rippers, storage bins and other sewing supplies. The children in the program, ranging in ages 8-18, have made headbands and scarves, aprons, bow ties and hair bows!

If it’s just one child, one young guy, one young girl that we can change I feel like it would make a big difference. I feel like my son's life wasn't in vain. ~Rose Smith

To hear more about the ACE Project, click here for a 2018 WHAS 11 Story.

The wholeness grant used to fund this ministry was made possible through your faithful financial support of our church and its ministries and help fund a variety of efforts to make our world a better place.

You can find more examples of those efforts or apply for a grant to make the world a better place by clicking here.