SynerGeo History by Greg Jarrell
The Start-up of SynerGeo:
Synergeo officially began in 2000, but the forces behind were many years in the making. Bill Berry, the founder of SynerGeo, was then the Baptist campus minister at Virginia Commonwealth University. Berry had worked in several organizations prior to coming to VCU, and began dreaming of some ways he could remain involved with students, while forging relationships and collaborations in the context of a specific community away from a campus.
This idea was multi-faceted, but the primary part of this dream was to have a small group of young people living together as an intentional community in a struggling neighborhood. This intentional community of young adults would be called the Jonah House. These students would be expected to be involved in the life of the neighborhood of which they were a part. As Berry began looking for a place to house this community, he stumbled across an old building in Oregon Hill, the neighborhood where his parents had served as local missionaries during his youth. The old storefront was constructed in 1901, and had a large open space downstairs, with suitable living quarters upstairs for up to four people.
The Steinmann family, who owned the building since its construction, and had operated a store out of it for all but the last 10 or so of those years, was overjoyed by Berry’s idea. They had been sitting on the property, not wanting to sell it to just another real estate developer. The Steinmann family wanted something good to happen with this property that had been so important to them and to the neighborhood for nearly a century. The Steinmann family offered the old storefront building to Bill and thus, the Jonah House was born. Young adults moved in not long after the sale was complete. Berry’s dreams had begun to become a reality, but a larger vision than just the Jonah House was needed. By purchasing the storefront with all of its space, the opportunities seemed limitless, and the birthing of a larger organization was taking place. The organization became Synergeo, from the Greek ‘to work together with,’ and took on several dimensions beyond the Jonah House. Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond graduate, Bonnie Hofmeyer, became part of the work of Synergeo, and together with Bill and the Jonah House residents, a staff for the new organization was secure, the possibilities limited only by their imaginations. Bill began actively searching for funding through grants, and was able to secure a grant though Americorps. With significant funding in place, Synergeo’s first staff grew to nine people working on a variety of projects and programs which fell under the umbrella of Synergeo.
Programs and Services SynerGeo offered:
“Dare 2 Care” was designed to connect volunteers with homebound adults in order to offer companionship and assistance, this later became “Faith in Action.” “Just Housing” was conceived as work against the problem of gentrification by either providing or connecting long-time Oregon Hill residents to securing affordable housing. “BreakOut!” connected students with struggling communities around the world through short-term projects and trips. The “Steinmann Neighborhood Arts Center,” perhaps the focal piece of Synergeo at this time, connected the neighbors with art and music opportunities not available elsewhere in Oregon Hill. The Steinmann Center, now the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Art Center, was the most visible project, and garnered the most support from the neighborhood. This was in large part because of the importance of this particular corner to the neighborhood, as well as the communities interest in art and music opportunities.
As the gathering place for the community, this corner is the site of friendly encounters, an occasional near-riot, countless hours of hanging out and pitching pennies, and participating in the local economy of the neighborhood. One of the favorite stories regarding this formative period of Synergeo involves the floor of the Steinmann Center. At the time of purchase, the room was full of collected junk, and the floor was covered in carpet. Berry had been told that underneath the carpet was the original hardwood floor. Wanting an original, authentic look, the staff decided to devote much of their beginning period at Synergeo to restoring the room to a more original look. This included stripping the plaster off of a brick wall, and restoring the hardwood floor. So, the junk went out and the carpet came up, but underneath the carpet was a layer of plywood. The plywood came up next, followed by a layer of linoleum tile, a layer of plyboard, and then a final layer of linoleum tile. This layer had been adhered to the hardwood with a thick layer of glue, so that it was necessary to use an iron to slowly peel each tile away. Finally, after more than a month of gradually peeling back tiles, the rich maple was exposed and ready to be sanded down and refinished. During the process, large sections of rotted wood had to be cut out and new subflooring installed. Finally, after months of intense labor, the floor was finished and ready for guests. The process was important in establishing connections among the staff as well as between the staff and the neighborhood. As much of the work as was possible was done with the doors open, and folks stuck their head in often to reminisce about the old corner store. Many new connections were made, and much sweat and blood were spilled over the new floor in the Steinmann Center.
At one point during the renovation, a week-long break was taken to host an event that the neighbors still talk about and look forward to each year. Halloween is much anticipated in Oregon Hill, and on the evening of Halloween the streets are alive with people of all ages enjoying the company of their neighbors, and befriending costumed, hungry children.
Synergeo’s building has a dark, damp a genuinely spooky basement, the perfect site for a haunted house. The staff and volunteers prepared for several days to create a fun carnival in the upstairs of the building, and a scary haunted house downstairs. The event was a hit, one that neighbors still talk about and look forward to yearly, and marked the first opportunity for Synergeo to invite the neighborhood into the building.
Synergeo has been the recipient of much assistance by volunteers in its brief history. There have been numerous teams of volunteers who worked to make the quick growth and success of Synergeo possible. Neighborhood volunteers have been the chief source of success as well. Many of these have been students, but others have been artists, musicians, parents of participating children, or an interested passersby who decided to come back and lend a hand. Many of the programs and services provided by SynerGeo allow community members to share their talents and interests. There have also been youth/student teams from around the city and the region helping, especially during the restoration work. Numerous student groups from the Richmond area have been involved, from middle schoolers to seminarians. Students and adults from Raleigh to Long Island have also been a big part of accomplishing the necessary work to keep Synergeo running smoothly.
Current Status:
Synergeo took on numerous projects in its first year, probably more than was possible for its new staff to handle. Some programs were very successful at first, especially the Steinmann Center programs. Folks in the neighborhood were excited about the various opportunities offered for kids and for adults, including classes and performances. Participation was widespread throughout the neighborhood, with much support being offered by the neighborhood association, community organizations, and churches in the area. Coverage in the local press helped to boost interest in the Steinmann Center within Oregon Hill, as well as around the city. Additionally, the Dare 2 Care program experienced some success, quickly adding volunteers and serving numerous clients within and outside of Oregon Hill. This program was eventually picked up by a national organization called Faith In Action. However due to funding and lack of volunteer support, this program no longer is in operation. The Breakout! program continues to provide individuals with a cultural immersion and hands-on experience. However, Breakout! does not have as many volunteers serving as it once did, which impacts the number of trips that can be planned. The Just Housing program had to be dropped due to overlapping a service already provided in the community, and lack of funding. This project was overlapping some of the services provided by the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council (OHHIC), so the properties that Synergeo owned for the Just Housing program, were sold to OHHIC, helping that organization continue its excellent work.
Currently, SynerGeo offers a tutoring and mentoring program called, “Kids on the Hill.” This is in partnership with the Oregon Hill Baptist Center. Computer classes are offered to children and adults. “Artsplosion!” is an art education program offered through the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Arts Center (OHNAC). OHNAC also provides music programs to the students of Open High School, and coming this fall music lessons will be offered to seniors attending William Byrd Community House as well. Coming also this fall, pottery classes opened to the community and St. Andrew’s School will also be available.
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SynerGeo is located at 349 South Laurel Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220. This was a corner store owned by the Steinmann Family. Residents purchased maple syrup, black walnuts, and homemade preserves. Popular brands, ABC Bread Pie and cakes, and Tip Top were also sold here. People could even purchase oysters for 30c per quart. This store on the corner of Laurel and Albemarle has served as the local gathering place for generations. Today, 349 South Laurel is the home for up to four individuals committed to serving the Oregon Hill community through after-school art/education, tutoring/mentoring, and computer programs. To learn more about programs and services offered please check our volunteer opportunities link or calendar link.
