OUR STORY
We often hear, "home is where the heart is," and we believe the Lansdowne neighborhood is a significant part of the heart of East St. Louis. Lansdowne's rich and storied history is a point of pride for both current and former residents. Today, the hope of the neighborhood radiates through the organizations and individuals who call Lansdowne home.
We greatly desire to see the Lansdowne neighborhood and its residents thrive well into the future. Lansdowne UP endeavors to partner with those who love this area and those who may just be getting acquainted with Lansdowne. Together, we hope to build avenues that help shine a bright light on the beauty of the community. Over the last eight years, Lansdowne UP has labored alongside incredible champions of the neighborhood. From abandoned property cleanup to employment opportunities, we have aimed to support the revival and revitalization of Lansdowne.
Our Neighborhood Headquarters: The Blue Building
Our Mission
To transform Lansdowne, East St. Louis, into a thriving neighborhood - one person, one property at a time.
Our Vision
To spark a revival of people loving God, each other, and their neighborhood!
Once a vibrant city, East St Louis has suffered decline due to many factors - loss of industry, population, crime, economic impoverishment...
We began as East St. Louis Wrestling Club in 2008, bringing kids wrestling to East St. Louis at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center. Located in the Lansdowne neighborhood of East St. Louis, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center offers kids and families hope. The JJK Center provides a safe haven, resources, and opportunities to rise above.
Beyond the JJK Center was a neighborhood marked with decline. Each block of the neighborhood was riddled with overgrown properties, derelict houses, illegal trash dumps and unsafe streets. The need for hope clearly continued beyond the campus of the JJK Center.
In 2013, East St. Louis Wrestling Club began the Lawns for Learning program. This program was designed to strengthen relationships between kids and coaches, provide workforce development and begin to clean up the neighborhood. Coaches and kids worked together to clear and mow lots. By 2021, our work had grown so vast that Lansdowne UP was established as a not-for-profit separate from East St. Louis Wrestling Club. We now employ 24 people full-time continuing our mission to transform Lansdowne into a thriving neighborhood one person, one property at a time.
Today Lansdowne UP strives to not only make the Lansdowne neighborhood clean and beautiful, but also to provide jobs, work force development, and housing for those who call East St. Louis home. At Lansdowne UP, we define success as honoring and glorifying God with our lives.
Learn more about the rich history of Lansdowne (and other neighborhoods) in East St. Louis
