Over the past few months, Great Lakes Urban partnered with The Hopeful Neighborhood Project to lead their Neighborhood Project Lab. From Citrus Heights, CA to Glenwood, NC passionate individuals learned about Asset Based Community Development and took their first steps to implement this process in their neighborhoods!
Citrus Heights, California
The city of Citrus Heights is known for grassroots advocacy from everyday neighbors that was instrumental in obtaining cityhood. Through this process, eleven neighborhood areas were identified that, to this day, are active in mobilizing residents for the common good.
Earlier this month, our Project Director Megan had the opportunity to co-facilitate a Neighborhood Project Lab for all eleven of these neighborhood areas. Over fifty neighbors, city staff, and elected officials came together to identify the assets of neighbors and their neighborhoods and create an action plan utilizing these. By the end of the day, the neighborhood action plans included:
Revitalizing the neighborhood’s Veterans Garden
Creating a Toolbox Team that will help neighbors with small household repairs
Starting a neighborhood newsletter
Even more, neighbors left feeling motivated and capable to create change in their community starting with what’s strong. As one participant shared, as a resident of over 50 years in her neighborhood she has always loved where she lived. But this workshop made her fall in love all over again.
Glenwood, North Carolina
Just a few short weeks later, our staff was traveling again, this time to the Glenwood neighborhood of Greensboro, North Carolina.
In partnership with Glenwood Together, Megan and Sara facilitated another Neighborhood Project Lab where neighbors implemented the Hopeful Neighborhood Project’s three-step process to:
Discover the Gifts
Imagine the Possibilities
Pursue the Common Good
These passionate and caring neighbors have already begun the next steps of their action plan to connect with more neighbors and build belonging where they live! Fueled by creativity and passion for their neighborhood, the project team is determined to show neighbors and the rest of their city the beauty and connection found in their neighborhood.
Interested in learning more about the Neighborhood Project Lab? Reach out to Megan, at megan@greatlakesurban.org.