Great Lakes Urban is now CommunityWorks!
See our new website, resources, and more here: comm-works.org
EVENTS
ABCD Workshop -- May 31, 2022
Moving from isolation to active participation and care for one’s neighbors takes strategy and intentional effort. Join Great Lakes Urban and Love INC for a two-part training on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD).
You pick the session that's right for you! Join us in the morning for an overview of the five key gifts present in every community. This session outlines the core theory of ABCD. Join us in the afternoon to learn the skills and habits for strengthening neighborhoods. This session describes how churches/organizations can implement ABCD.
Date: Tuesday, May 31
Time: Session 1: 9am-12pm
Optional lunch (add $12)
Session 2: 1pm-4pm
Location: Christ Memorial Church
595 Graafschap Road Holland, MI 49423
Cost: $50 half- / $90 full-day
Facilitators: Melissa Clay, Love Your Neighbor
Jay Van Groningen, Great Lakes Urban
See credentials here
Session 1 Topics:
*Five layers of gifts to harness for the
common good in every neighborhood.
*Care as the currency of participation
and action for the common good.
Session 2 Topics:
*Relief, Betterment, and Development.
*The role of churches & organizations.
*Listening to discover the change agenda.
*Organizing to get things done together.
Lunch+Learn -- June 8, 2022 (& Sept 14, Dec 14)
Our quarterly Lunch+Learn series is a live, open, virtual conversation with neighborhood and community leaders that are building strong neighborhoods and vibrant cities using asset based community development. Join us to be inspired and to learn principles and practices that you can apply in your context.
2022 Dates: June 8, September 14, December 14 (second Wednesday of the quarter)
Times: 12p-1p ET (US & Canada) via Zoom Webinar
Cost: Free, but registration is required (see link below for our June 8 event)
On June 8 we will visit with Rev. Damon Lynch, III from the Roselawn neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. Author of "Becoming Joshua: A Path to Economic Freedom," Pastor Lynch the winner of numerous awards. He is the Co-Founder of Community Economic Advancement Initiative (CEAI) and a founding faculty member of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute at DePaul University.
Also joining the panel will be Amber J. Twitty. Amber is a Cincinnati-based Extension Educator for Central State University. She is a management professional who has worked in all aspects of community development, planning and workforce development to help people move towards self-sufficiency. Amber is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a focus in Business Finance from the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
Rounding out the panel will be Eugene Ellington. Pastor Ellington has a Masters of Public Administration from Xavier University. As President of Ellington Management Services, Inc., he is actively involved in increasing opportunities for minority businesses. He also serves as President of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Collective Empowerment Group (CEG) and Board Member of The Community Economic Advancement Initiative (CEAI).
On September 14, we will visit with the North End Community Improvement Collaborative as they discuss the multifaceted, inside-out transformation happening in the North End neighborhood of Mansfield, Ohio.
On December 14, we will visit with the Neighboring Movement as they discuss their unique strategy for inspiring, catalyzing, and nurturing ground-up change in the South Central neighborhood of Wichita, Kansas and beyond.
Save the Date: September 10 is Restoring Our Cities
Restoring Our Cities (ROC) is a cycling event for amateurs and cycling enthusiasts alike. The tour is organized by Great Lakes Urban and is open to the public for participation. Cyclists will be able to ride 5 to 100 mile routes. Registration is $35 to ride per individual or $25 per person for a family of 4 or more. T-shirts, snacks, and support is provided.
All proceeds will go toward helping the Connectors we support build strong neighborhoods and vibrant cities.
Lunch + Learns
March 9, 2022: The Enduring Appeal of ABCD
Two of the great luminaries of the global Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) movement -- John McKnight, Co-Founder of the ABCD Institute, and Cormac Russell, Director of ABCD Europe -- join with Tecca Jones, a Grand Rapids connector, for a special edition of our Lunch+Learn series to discuss the upcoming book: The Connected Community: Discovering the Health, Wealth & Power of Neighborhoods
December 1, 2021: Growing Change in Grand Rapids
Listen in to a moderated discussion with Wayne Squires, Director of Bates Place Neighbors, and resident leaders, Tecca and Luke, to learn how neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, MI are growing into safe and strong communities, and how you can support these efforts in your neighborhood.
September 15, 2021: Learning to Listen in Godfrey Lee
Listen as Wyoming's Mayor, Jack Poll, our community connector in the Godfrey Lee neighborhood, Doris Perez, and Godfrey Lee resident and neighborhood team leader, Susan Van Bronkhorst, discuss how steady efforts to connect with neighbors add up to stronger, more abundant communities
June 2, 2021: Hitting the Road: ABCD from Around the Nation
Listen in as we gathered with leaders from Richmond, VA, Mercede, A, and Memphis, TN to learn about how Asset Based Community Development strengthens neighborhoods and transforms lives across the nation. We were joined by Cheryl Gross-Wright, Founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope Collaborative RVA, Amy Moritz, Founder and Principal of Amy Moritz Consulting, and Monika Grasley, Founder and Executive Director of Lifeline CDC.
March 3, 2021: Human Connection Growing in Holland
We heard from a sergeant of the City of Holland’s police force and resident leaders how neighborhoods in Holland are growing into strong and safe communities, and how you can support these efforts in your neighborhood and others in West Michigan. Watch the recording!
Workshops
Great Lakes Urban regularly provides introductory trainings on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and Dignity Serves. Demand is often greater than space allows. Register your interest with us now by leaving a message and we will put you on the list to attend our next workshop.
© 2022 Great Lakes Urban. All rights reserved.