The Renaissance Adult Day Service Center's (The Renaissance Center) Greenwood Senior’s Club located in the Chatham/Avalon Community on Chicago’s Southside.  The Renaissance Center provides a wide range of services, activities and health monitoring.  They partner with the Chicago ATLAS Senior Center for many activities. The Renaissance Center is a lovely ‘Home Away from Home’ environment and the primary goal is to assist our frail adults/seniors in aging with Dignity, Grace, Security and a belief in their God with 'Respect for their Individual Rights'! Our motto is 'Sharing the Caring' and ‘Caring Across the Generations!”.

           Melvin (Mel) E. Hicks and Carolyn Hicks,  are native Chicagoans, and the founders and Directors of the Renaissance Center.  They started  the Renaissance Center 14 years ago in the basement of their church as an outreach ministry and their desire to give back to the Community. Carolyn & Mel’s passion is to care for the frail adults/seniors are sometimes ‘forgotten and hidden treasures’  in our neighborhood.

           Mel and Carolyn have been married for over 35 years, they were college sweethearts!   They are blessed to have two wonderful gifted children and (7) beautiful grandchildren.

           Mel and Carolyn are retired executives from the IBM Corporation where Mel worked as an Senior/Advisory Instructor and Technical Educator and Carolyn worked as a System Engineer and Marketing Executive both for over 25 plus years.

           Mel Hicks has devoted his business and computer talents towards helping bring the generations together in the new millennium via inter-generational programs in the Southside Community.  He is active in a variety of programs and the recipient of many Community awards for his work in the following areas: the Chicago Park District Youth programs, the Greencorp Urban Gardening program, the Tree Keepers programs for educating and preserving the beauty of nature’s treasures.  Mel recently installed an internet program for the youth and Seniors called ‘Generations On Line’ allowing children and Seniors to share information via website and Email.  Mel was a member of the Frontiers, Internationals, a male youth mentoring group, Junior Achievement of Chicago and the recipient of the African-American Male Leadership Award Program.

           Carolyn also believes in the youth understanding and appreciating the wisdom and special talents and gifts of their Elders/Seniors and the Elders/Seniors giving a helping hand to the youth.  Carolyn started a Renaissance scholarship fund called ‘Caring Across the Generations’.  The fund gives scholarships to deserving students helping them further their education and community service work. Carolyn serves on many diverse Boards of Directors and is a member of many organizations in the Aging network. She is the past membership chairman and legislative advocate on the Governor’s Council of the Illinois Adult Day Services Association.  She is also a member of the Multi-cultural Diversity group of the American Society on Aging (ASA) New Ventures in Leadership.  She has received many awards for her contributions in the field of Aging and is a strong advocate for the adults and Seniors. Mel and Carolyn are committed to their work in the field of Aging & Health and continue to work on Advocacy and Research issues for the minority frail/adults and Seniors.
Carolyn and Mel believe in the Renaissance Center’s Motto of ‘Sharing The Caring’ and are happy to be living the vision while making the dream a reality!