The Conrad Prebys Foundation’s Post

"In community, we have everything we need." This is the motto that shapes much of the work of GatherFor and its founder, Teju Ravilochan, who we interviewed for this week's edition of Connective Tissue. GatherFor organizes neighborhood teams to support one another like a family, then links these teams together to build the neighborhoods they want. Teju and GatherFor exemplify what it looks like to put the principles of solidarity, proximity, and reciprocity into practice each day—and they are doing so in Brownsville, Brooklyn, home to the largest concentration of public housing in North America. A conversation with Teju is an invitation to imagine a different future built on belonging and care. What does it take to truly center neighbors to shape their neighborhoods? How can celebration help cultivate a community’s collective efficacy? What could it look like to reimagine and re-embed care within neighborhoods? So consider this post an invitation—actually, a forceful encouragement—to read our full Q&A with Teju. https://lnkd.in/e2QRS_pz

What is community weaving In the practice of Community Weaving, individuals learn from Master Weavers who share their experiences and instruct them in the utilization of tools, techniques, and technology to cultivate their own social support networks within various spheres such as schools, neighborhoods, organizations, and businesses. Like-minded individuals, termed Good Neighbors, collaborate to establish shared resources such as furniture warehouses, childcare cooperatives, clothing exchanges, and community gardens. Additionally, they organize recreational activities like rafting trips, campouts, ropes courses, barbecues, softball games, paintball competitions, and vision quests. Furthermore, Community Weaving facilitates community improvement initiatives through the application of FSN technology, spearheading endeavors such as the closure of problematic venues, disaster response, establishment of neighborhood watch programs, fundraising for beautification projects, revitalization efforts, and the incubation of new businesses. To support these endeavors, local organizations such as the American Red Cross, Public Health Department, schools, faith leaders, businesses, and various civic, social service, and youth organizations are enlisted as FSN Partners. They provide essential resources such as free space for activities, access to speakers and educational materials, and complimentary trainings for FSN volunteers. FSN partners are equipped with the necessary training as Community Weavers, enabling them to effectively leverage the resources of the FSN to better address the needs of their clients. #communitydevelopment #educationalleadership #healthcare

🌟 Community Engagement Spotlight for #EconDevWeek 🌟 The PCDC has funded $250,000 in community engagement grants for Parks and Recreation improvements! 🌳 Shade structures at Black Locust Park and Pflugerville Heights Park help extend playtime, protect children from UV rays, and keep playgrounds cooler. With these upgrades, 25 citywide playgrounds now have shade. 🌤️ Improvements to Royal Pointe Park, including new shades, an upgraded basketball court, new swings, and hardware, rejuvenate the park system, lowering the average age of equipment to just 7.7 years! ❓Why are these upgrades important? Enhanced parks and recreation facilities attract families, increase property values, and promote health and wellness—key elements that boost community engagement and economic development. #PflugervilleGrows #ParkImprovements #InvestInProgress #CommunityDevelopment#pflugerville #PflugervilleTX #EconDevWeek #InvestInProgress #EconDevWeek2024 #EcoDevWeek #EDWeek2024 #EconomicInnovation #CommunityDevelopment #EconomicDevelopmentHeroes #IEDC #PCDC

Addressing community issues in an impactful way requires collaboration across organizations and doing things a little differently. Unity in the Community is making an effort to do just that. 🤝 #communitybuilding #communityimpact #community

❗Boston is the 3rd most gentrified city (behind San Francisco and Denver), according to a report released in 2020 by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition - NCRC. Discriminatory housing practices implemented over the years have displaced  hundreds of thousands of BIPOC residents nationwide since 2000. 🏠 Since the 1960s, Community Development Corporations (CDCs) like Boston’s very own IBA - Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción, NOAH (Neighborhood of Affordable Housing), SOUTHWEST BOSTON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, and Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (VietAID) have sought to prevent displacement through access to affordable housing, job training, and other programming.  Interested in learning more about the CDCs highlighted above? Check out the LINK IN COMMENTS to learn more about how you can advance their work. Want to be part of making housing more affordable or closing gaps in health outcomes? Apply to our Housing Justice or Health Equity Fellowship via LINK IN COMMENTS #cdc #gentrification #boston

Learn about 3 powerful strategies in community engagement to build trust, impact and civic pride - from Akron, Detroit and Macon, Georgia. Read this Medium article for inspiration for your own practice. https://lnkd.in/ePYMaavv #communityengagement #strategy #urbanplanning #publicspace #akron #detroit #macon

Positive transformation

With public #school enrollment on a major decline, many #K12 districts are turning to family-school-community partnerships to promote more inclusive engagement. Learn more about the importance of family and community engagement with this blog https://hubs.ly/Q02k15DD0

🌟 Grassroots Innovation in Action: NewmanFrancis Shines! 🏆 Inspiring showcase of community transformation at the #NewFranGrant event. NewmanFrancis, a stalwart mainstay in community development, is redefining what's possible with: 🏘️ Innovative housing solutions 🔄 Cutting-edge regeneration projects 🤝 Ground-breaking community engagement strategies 📚 Transformative training programs Their tailored approach is transforming challenges into opportunities, one community at a time. The projects funded by NewmanFrancis and their sponsors are not just changing landscapes – they're changing lives! Key impacts include: - Empowering local voices - Creating sustainable communities - Bridging gaps in urban development - Fostering local innovations for the future This isn't just development; it's a revolution in how to build and nurture communities. Question: How can other organisations learn from NewmanFrancis' innovative model to drive meaningful change in their own communities? #CommunityDevelopment #SocialInnovation #UrbanRegeneration #SustainableCommunities https://lnkd.in/d2wE6wpw

New community hub in Barrett Township