Monthly Archives: August 2021

Applications areopenforawards up to $100,000 throughthe new Neighborhood Economic RecoveryFundfor community-led projects to reignite the local economy.

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and theSeattle Office of Economic Development (OED)announced theNeighborhood Economic Recovery Fund,which will support community-led strategiessuch as public and commercialspaceactivation, digitalequity, outreach and other economic recoveryprojectstorespond to the specific economic and community needs of neighborhoods across Seattle, with an intentional focus on racial equity.In total, the Office of Economic Developmentwill invest more than $6millionthrough direct grants to neighborhood business district organizations and othercommunity-basedorganizations through a public request for proposal.

Throughthe Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act,$1.2million is availablethrough therequest for proposal process.Eligibleapplicants include business, community, cultural or artsorganizations, cultural districts,andsmall businesses such as community event producers, artists, consultants or a collection of individuals supporting neighborhood strategies with broadly shared benefits.Grants will fund recovery strategies and activities such as:

The inequities and disparities we saw exacerbated by COVID were seen in the experiences of individuals and families and collectively at the neighborhood level, said Pamela Banks, Interim Director of Office of Economic Development. In order for Seattle to have a truly inclusive economy, we mustprovide substantial recovery investments for our neighborhoodsparticularly those who experienced the greatest economic, health and social devastationto help our communities, businesses, and residents recover and thrive. This investment seeks to do just that by partnering with our organizations already doing this work and welcoming the new ideas of others that arewillingand ready to contribute to our collective recovery efforts!

Eligible applicants can submit project proposals to theNeighborhood Economic Recovery Fund RFPfor awards up to $100,000. Selection of awardees and final grant amounts will be based on the following criteria:

Proposals are due to byWednesday, October7, 2021, at 5 p.m.The SeattleOffice ofEconomicDevelopmentwill also host three information sessions for interested applicants to describe the intent of this funding opportunity and answer questions regarding eligible activities, the application process and how to use the online grant portal. The online information sessions will be hosted onWebex.

If you needaccommodations,assistance or interpretationto completethe applicationor at theinformation session, please contact the Seattle Office of Economic Development atoed@seattle.govor(206) 684-8090.

More here:

More than $1.2 Million to be Invested in Neighborhood Economic Recovery - SPD Blotter

(This is the second post in a three-part series. You can see Part One here.)

The new question-of-the-week is:

How will your lessons, teaching, and classes look different this year and in the post-COVID 19 era from how they did in previous years?

In Part One, Sarah Cooper, Sheila Wilson, Keisha Rembert, and Tara Bogozan shared their ideas. All four were also guests on my 10-minute BAM! Radio Show. You can also find a list of, and links to, previous shows here.

Today, Amber Chandler, Cristiane Galvo, Taylor M. Jacobson, Sean Ruday, and Luiza Mureseanu provide their responses.

Amber Chandler is the author of The Flexible SEL Classroom and a contributor to many education blogs. She teaches 8th grade ELA in Hamburg, N.Y. Amber is the president of her union of 400 teachers. Follow her @MsAmberChandler and check out her website:

One of the lessons of this pandemic is that isolation is detrimental to mental health. It isnt that I didnt understand this on an intellectual level, but when forced to experience it myself, with my own children, and with my students, Im more convinced than ever that the impact of the forced isolation is going to linger. Many of us noticed this as kiddos came back to buildings. They werent talking. Interactions were limited. They clung to their phones like a security blanket, and in a way they were acting exactly as should have been expected. With limited interactions other than by devices, who wouldnt feel the need to hold onto all that kept them going for months?

As I think about how my classroom should look, feel, and operate, making connections is my number one priority. Some of the most important moments we are going to have with our students are going to be in the time-in-between interactions. My goal is to speak to students by name, with eye contact, and personalized conversations. Again, it isnt that I didnt do these things before, but post-pandemic it is going to be intentional, not incidental.

Additionally, Im going to put my Good Calls Home plan that I do every year into hyperdrive. Usually, I call or email five families a day until I have cycled through my roster, and then I do it a second time before Thanksgiving. This year, Im moving that up to a deadline before Halloween. Families have been isolated from the school community too, too often staring at Google Classroom notifications instead of interacting with educators. I plan to host an in-person (I hope) back-to-school potluck as well.

In previous years, Ive cared greatly about building relationships with students and families, but due to the pandemic, this task is going to be greater. Theres simply too much at stake to let anyone slip through the cracks. It comes naturally to me, but with 125- plus students and families, it is easy to take the path of least resistance, and I think that there is going to be resistance. The isolation and constant screen time has made the easiest of interactions seem momentous, further heightening the anxiety around social interaction.

The primary formalized way Ill address this socialization deficit is to build opportunities for structured conversation via our project based learning classroom. As I build resource groups (groups that are formed based on students strengths and weaknesses, as well as their interest), Ill make sure to do relationship-building activities. I like to use conversation cards that I create, laminate, and keep on a key ring. When we have a few down moments, Ill have students do a card together and observe which students need support and make sure to connect.

Weve known the importance of social-emotional learning, but post pandemic, classroom communities are going to be more important than ever. Perhaps, if there is a silver lining, we can look at this time ahead as a chance to establish best practices around social-emotional learning that include intentional community-building.

Cristiane Galvo holds a masters degree in applied linguistics from the University of Taubat, Brazil, and a doctorate in higher education leeadership from California Lutheran University. She has taught ESL for 20 years and has offered professional development to language teachers from around the world:

Teaching in the post COVID-19 era will certainly look different than previous to the pandemic. My lessons, teaching, and classes will differ not only in the planning aspect but in the social aspect as well. Teaching remotely through the pandemic certainly made my lessons look different than they would have been in the classroom. Not teaching my students in person changed the dynamic. Warm-up activities that required movement and interaction among the students were no longer possible. I am glad I could at least play some games through websites that I shared on my screen with my students.

Working exclusively remotely, I had to create a lot of new material for my classes. It was a year for search and research, learning how to integrate new tools in my lesson plans and classes. That knowledge cannot be ignored, and I like the fact that I can apply some online tools to my in-person classes as well. I will continue to take advantage of some platforms and websites. I believe that the use of technology will be more present in my classes, but I will make sure that my students have quality time for discussions without the pressure of looking at a screen.

I have always valued the personal connection in my classes, but many times this connection was not possible because of the unfamiliar technology or unstable internet connection. As we return to in-person teaching, among the many things that I will change is making sure that my students have space and time not only to connect with their classmates, but also to the school community through cultural events. In addition, I will add to my lessons topics that will emphasize the importance of friendship and how good relationships can support us in moments like the ones we have experienced during the pandemic.

I will include hands-on activities that require group work and discussion more than I did before. The lack of the physical space and contact was a challenge for educators and students. The cognitive and emotional effects of the lock-down and remote learning was undeniable. . The fact is that classrooms are not the only space where people can learn. Educators should take more advantage of the open space on their campus. I want my students to do activities outside the classroom as well. A walk around campus and sitting in a big circle under a tree playing a vocabulary game will certainly benefit my students.

Thinking about the practical side and being prepared for future changes, I will always rely on my Google docs and save as much of my previous remote work as possible. One strategy that I have adopted is keeping my bookmarks organized into topics. This will facilitate my reach to a useful technique, website, or lesson plan that I have successfully used previously.

I believe that remote learning contributed to the students ability to research online more purposefully and critically. Assigning an online task will also be easier since the students are already familiar with so many platforms available to them.

Taylor Jacobson is a 5th grade teacher in Virginia Beach, Va. You can follow her on Twitter at @mstjacobson.

Sean Ruday is an associate professor and the program coordinator of English education at Longwood University in Virginia and a former classroom teacher. Sean and Taylor are co-authors of Remote Teaching and Learning in the Elementary ELA Classroom. You can follow him on Twitter at @SeanRuday:

Teachers are superheroes. It was the resounding hum from parents, students, and politicians around the country when teachers were able to become Zoom experts with virtual lesson plans over the weekend of March 13, 2020. In the past year and a half, opinions may have changed, but the hard work and dedication of educators around the country have only gotten stronger.

With the mask mandates beginning to let up, vaccines being available for a large group of the population, and with many parents looking forward to sending their students on the bus to their first day of school, its now time for us to reflect on what we have learned since March 2020. In this piece, we will discuss three ways our classes and teaching will change based on what weve learned about the importance of rapport and relationships, the need to focus on equity and justice within education, and the necessity to use technology meaningfully.

Relationships

Our classrooms are intentionally set up to develop and foster relationships. We both find rapport an incredibly strong and important part of our classroom management. When we had to teach students virtually, we learned just how important that relationship building is. As we transition to post-COVID 19 teaching, we want to continue to be purposeful about the relationships we facilitate in our classrooms. No matter the instructional modality, we feel that it is essential that teachers work to construct communities that facilitate teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships. We have to ensure that our students feel happy, loved, and appreciated. Beyond the strong relationships we will build through our rapport, for students to feel that way in our classroom, they must know that they are valued, represented, and safe.

Equity

Shortly after the nation was put into shock by the COVID-19 pandemic, George Floyd was murdered and people across the nation took to protesting the abhorrent treatment of Black men and women in America. Teachers realized that they could not be silent about this and many teachers decided that they needed to educate themselves on how to have these conversations in the classroom. People like Liz Kleinrock, Ibram X. Kendi, and Paul Gorski continue to share their deep knowledge about anti-racist and anti-bias education. From here on out, we have to be intentional and direct about our inclusion and work towards justice. Teachers have a powerful position in the classroom to help students see that all people are deserving of justice and allow students to find out what they feel they can do about the inequities of the world.

Technology

In order to allow students to figure out what they find most important to learn about, we must begin to look critically at the technology we have in the classroom . One of the best ways to allow students to use technology beyond online worksheets and programs is to allow students to use inquiry to learn on their own. We can use technology to help students engage in authentic inquiries and apply knowledge in meaningful, student-centered ways. For example, we can help students identify concepts and essential questions they want to further understand and support them as they use technological resources to learn more about those concepts and questions and then ultimately convey their knowledge. Remote instruction has emphasized for us that technological resources be used in authentic, inquiry-based instruction and assessment.

Conclusion

The pandemic has exposed a lot of issues in the way that things have always been done. We have the unique and exceptional opportunity to take this as a learning moment and a fresh start.. By focusing on intentional relationships, working consistently to be anti-racist and anti-biased, and using technology meaningfully, we can ensure that we have a new and wonderful beginning.

Luiza Mureseanu is a secondary school teacher currently working as Instructional Resource Teacher, K-12, for ESL/ELD Programs in the Peel District School Board, Ontario. With over 18 years of teaching in Canada and Romania, she believes that all English-learners will be successful in schools that cultivate culturally and linguistically responsive practices and promote an asset-based teaching approach:

COVID19 significantly changed the world of education in ways that could not be anticipated before. Although the negative impact was strong, some positive outcomes came out of this global pandemic, too.

Educators around the world painstakingly explored and implemented new and functional delivery models, effective programs, various supports for students, and they continuously diversified instruction. A lot of know-how was built in a short amount of time, and this will serve education in the years to come. In particular, the use of technology will have a long-lasting impact in teaching and learning. The crisis required all teachers to become proficient, even if not always comfortable, with technology tools. Those who used these to augment and enhance instruction often found success with their learners.

The biggest lesson to take away from this crisis is the importance of using technology to improve teaching. Moving forward, I hope that teaching instruction in the post-COVID era will always include differentiating tools and help teachers constantly adapt as needed to spark engagement and facilitate learning.

The complexity that various technologies bring is both a gift and a curse at times. It is an asset for teachers if used to support independent work and student communication, and it allows for more diverse outcomes in the learning process. It is a deficit if technologies are used to minimize the time for classroom instruction or student interaction. Our students are savvy technology users. We must engage them in complex instruction demonstrating that teachers are not, simply put, a human search engine.

Thanks to Amber, Cristiane, Taylor, Sean and Luiza for contributing their reflections.

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at lferlazzo@epe.org. When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if its selected or if youd prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo.

Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. Its titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching.

Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email. (The RSS feed for this blog, and for all Ed Week articles, has been changed by the redesignnew ones are not yet available). And if you missed any of the highlights from the first nine years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below.

I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributors to this column.

Read the original post:

'Making Connections is my Number one Priority': Teachers Share Their Plans for This Year (Opinion) - Education Week

Well before the counterculture years of the 60s and 70s , 17th and 18th century America offered fertile grounds for those with utopian impulses. Groups like the Shakers, the Oneida community, and even the ideas of the Transcendentalists were founded on the notion that their societies would be so appealing and perfect that they would give rise to larger movements.

Most collapsed, torn apart by the realities of life and human nature. Today they provide interesting critiques of the worlds in which they came to be, and some even carry lasting legacies, like public schools and libraries. KCRWs Jonathan Bastian talks with Chris Jennings, writer and author of Paradise Now; The Story of American Utopianism, and traces the history of some of Americas earliest brick and mortar utopian communities

Chris Jennings is a writer and the author of Paradise Now; The Story of American Utopianism. Photo by Terri Loewenthal

The majority of those 18th and 19th century Americas utopian visions were on the extreme end of the spectrum imposing strict rules to achieve a perfect society had a habit of bumping up against human nature. Today, however, there are plenty of intentional communities all over the U.S., perhaps with less rigid rules and more realistic ideals. Many of them center around creative ways to share land and housing. KCRWs Jonathan Bastian talks with Anna Newcomb, founder and 20-year resident of Blueberry Hill, a cohousing community in Northern Virginia, about the joys and appeal of community living.

Anna Newcomb is the founder and 20-year resident of Blueberry Hill, a cohousing community in Northern Virginia. Photo by Brian Kent.

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The past and present of American utopianism | Life Examined - KCRW

Fireside at Five is on a mission to rekindle the flame for connection that began to fizzle out throughout the pandemic. What began as just another Zoom call in early 2020 turned into a much-needed break from long, monotonous days. Its five oclock somewhere, because each Fireside chat connects Denvers professionals and passionate individuals for Happy Hour. Raising a toast to battle the pandemic situation was in order, but not nearly the sole focus.

Instead, these chats began with a group of friends having meaningful conversations about life, bringing together those within one industry to talk about hardships, the future and solutions for their precarious situations. It pushed for intimacy in a time of isolation with that time potentially ending, the community-driven focus of Fireside at Five has extended its reach to continue to bring more members into the thoughtful circle.

(Left) Founder Gertie Harris and the first official employee, Jaclyn Drummond. Photo by Jeff Fierberg.

Founder Gertie Harris demonstrated the strength that COVID instilled in a lot of folks by continuing to move forward even when life seemed stagnant. Instead of wallowing in unfortunate circumstances, she fortified communities with intentional collaboration to grow beyond the homes people were locked up in. Over 120 chats have united more than 500 spirited minds. Even as more screens went black with summer in session and the pandemic softening, the capabilities for Fireside at Five programmings burn brightly.

The beginning of Fireside started innocently with strengthening connections I already had. Then in morphed into a resource for the people of Denver to find intentional and impactful partnerships all around them, said Harris.

The conversation continued to flourish without the accompaniment of blue light glasses, a rudimentary cocktail or WiFi. An official campfire event hasnt been added to their queue, instead Fireside at Five unites folks at each different pop-up series extending from summer and into the fall.

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Firesides first major collaboration, The Supper Club series, intermingled the community of chefs that tirelessly persevered in the face of the pandemic. Tajahi Cooke is the ring leader of these events bestowing it with the name of his inspiration, Ms. Betty. His idea of a pop-up series is meant to unite, connect and bond locals with chefs, thereby strengthening the communitys power through authentic engagements. He brings lightness and joy into a space thats painted with stress. Among the heat of one kitchen, Cooke welcomes Denvers food industry moguls to burn brightly alongside him. Fellow contributors include Frank Bonanno who has blessed Denverites with concepts like Mizuna and the Dairy Block and Natascha Hess who grew an authentic Asian street food truck into a new storefront. Well-recognized chefs foster intimacy through dialogue as they escape from the kitchen for the night. This cocktail party has the chefs hosting.

As the momentum of these monthly dinners grew, so did the possibility for action and impact. This summer they partnered with Sophies Neighborhood, a local organization for the awareness of Multicentric Carpotarsal Osteolysis Syndrome (MCTO). Sophie Rosenberg, Hosea Rosenberg of Blackbelly and Santo in Boulders daughter, was diagnosed with this bone degenerative condition last year. MCTO affects 30 individuals in the world at a diagnostic level, but from the support of The Supper Club series and the community, it now affects many Denver individuals that have signed up to help. Each dinner gave a portion of the proceeds to the foundation. The dinner Rosenberg co-hosted donated all its proceeds and resulted in over $35,000 raised for MCTO research. Fireside helped define the aspect of a neighborhood within this organization.

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Fireside at Five revolutionizes the idea of fundraising. Many organizations and individuals are uplifted on their track to a higher goal. Firesides current project is for the betterment of the RiNo Art Park and allows artists and creative minds to utilize tools, space, kitchens and each other for their newest projects. Their major events have been the Summer Swing Series and Gin and Jazz nights. The Summer Swing Series hits its final note on August 27, 2021. DJ Bella Scratch mixing music livens up the lounge location. Live artist Buddy Bravos reminds attendees what the Art Park can cultivate. Libations from Mythology Spirits quenches any dancers thirst. Pop-up veteran Heart of Vintage makes yet another appearance to elevate anyones closet.

READ: Summer Speakeasy Series Is A Fun New Fundraiser

The summer fun might be settling down, but Harris ability to rally the community through events is amplifying. Now Fireside works with developers to bring more unique pop-ups to the Denver space. These outlets being art, food and music.

Scene from the RiNo Art Park. Photo Courtesy of Rino Art District.

A current project partnered Fireside at Five with a local startup, Pocket Change, which converts social media engagement into fundraising dollars. Founder Christian Dooley saw the potential a like and repost could have. A user of Pocket Change engaging on the app converts to a microloan from a cloud of funds provided by investors. It draws out the action as well as awareness. Fireside at Fives partnership with Pocket Change builds on their funding to grow the RiNo Art Park. However, users can also start their own fundraising ventures for their personal passion projects.

Harris brings the best of memories collected at a campsite bonfire to the city of Denver. Intentionality and impact continue to light the way for the future of this community.

See the article here:

Beyond the Bonfire Fireside at Five Finds Community - 303 Magazine

During August, Northridge Christian Church has worked to proclaim Gods love for the Milledgeville community in 1,000 different ways.

Outreach Pastor Kristin Meier said the churchs 1,000 Acts of Kindness initiative came about as leaders began discussing how Northridge could be known as a church that shows the love of Jesus in the place where their members, or partners, live, work and play.

The idea of really doing some intentional efforts to invest in this community was brought up, and once we had the idea, it became very clear that there were a lot of different areas that we could focus on blessing, Meier said.

Each Sunday in August, the church has focused on a certain group within the community that they could bless and pray for. The campaign kicked off on Aug. 1 when the church donated 120 backpacks filled with school uniforms to Communities in Schools of Milledgeville/Baldwin County.

It made a big impact in our community, said CIS Program Coordinator Courtney Bentley of the donation. Because we serve all of the public schools, were always looking for ways to get resources. So, partnering with Northridge Christian Church was a way for us to increase our supply that we have so that we were able to reach out to more of the students in our community.

The church also recognized educators by inviting all teachers in Baldwin County and beyond to attend service on Aug. 1 and blessing each of them with a $25 gift card.

On Aug. 8, Northridge supported Chard Wray Food Pantry by collecting food items through bumper bags. Church members had the opportunity to bring a bag of pantry items and leave them at their bumper while attending church service, and elementary students came around to collect them. Meier said about 200 bags were collected that day.

On Aug. 15, the church began working to highlight local businesses.

We know that local business owners are the heartbeat of our local economy, and we wanted to spotlight a few of those, Meier said.

Four local businesses were featured through Facebook posts, and people who liked and shared the posts were entered into random drawings for $25 gift cards each day that week.

On Aug. 22, a dollar club was sponsored where church members were asked to bring $1 donations for the Baldwin High School Resource Room, a place where students can go to get necessities such as hygiene and food items.

This will be one way that we can help them to be well-stocked for the school year, Meier said.

The campaign will close Sunday with a special breakfast for First Responders with gift cards presented to them in church service.

In addition to the planned activities, the church has also encouraged members to do random acts of kindness throughout the community and to let leaders know so that they can be counted toward the 1,000 cumulative acts. They can do this in ways such as cutting a neighbors grass, making someone a meal or paying for the persons coffee in the car behind them in the drive-thru.

Thats another way that we are hoping to engage our community in knowing that we can really transform things by doing small things with great love, Meier said.

Though the planned activities are ending in August, Meier said the hope is that these random acts of kindness will simply become a way of life.

We want this to really become the culture of our church, she said.

Meier said Northridge Christian Church believes in transforming the community through outreach.

We believe that were blessed to be a blessing, so we really take those values into account when were thinking about how we show love to Milledgeville.

Spreading a little joy along the way is a bonus.

Its my belief that the church should be the most joyful place on Earth, Meier said. I think that we should be the ones that are really leading the charge of spreading love, showing kindness, and not so people see us, per se, but so that people see Jesus and see how he loves. Thats our ultimate goal.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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1000 ACTS OF KINDNESS: Northridge Church spreads love through special initiative - The Union-Recorder

In 2006 I worked for a small nonprofit that provided financial assistance to children of low-income families to attend private schools in Philadelphia. Most of the families were Black, Asian, or Latinx. At my first board meeting, I was struck by how many members were not only white but also suburban residents. There just seemed to be a disconnect.

And it seems change takes a long time.

The 2021 BoardSource report found that 38% of executives felt that their boards represented the communities they served. The report also showed that only 10% of board members were African Americans.

Sulaiman Rahman has a long history in Philadelphia board service and leadership, including a mayoral appointment to the board of Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation. He also chaired the board of the African American Chamber of Commerce.

Sulaiman Rahman. (Courtesy)

But it was through serving on predominantly white-led boards such as Mastery Charter Schools, the Kimmel Center and Community College of Philadelphia that Rahman saw firsthand the void in diversity.

There was this social club of wealthy white business and civic leaders solving some of the most important problems in our city yet without the cultural proximity to their communities, Rahman said. And, said Rahman, it is not because the talent is not out there.

Rahman had tapped into a pool of Black professionals while an engineering student at the University of Pennsylvania. He began recommending these accomplished Black professionals for board positions but learned something else. African Americans lacked an appreciation for the value of board membership. Rahman said he realized there needed to be education around the potential exposure board service offered.

There was another hurdle he personally experienced.

As a minority on the board, I realized you can get caught up in group think. You second guess how you should insert your story but in a way that doesnt cross the line. The result, Rahman said, is that often you end up just being quiet.

Rahman had a theory: create a program for professionals of color to have a clear understanding of board membership. The program would help them find their voice and confidently tell their stories, and it would provide personalized leadership development.

That program, DiverseForce on Board (DFOB) launched in 2017. DFOB is a six-month training combining board governance, and leadership development. The program has graduated 160 leaders of color from its certificate program and counts over 300 nonprofits as potential matching partners.

A key component of the program is pairing graduates with nonprofits.

DiverseForce partnered with U Penns ImpactEd, which provided instructional and evaluation support. The two organizations collaborated for months to create a customized curriculum incorporating DiverseForces core values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Since its first cohort, Rahman said that over 30% of its alum have been promoted to executive board committees. DFOB has also helped to weave a web of connections that spread throughout the nonprofit community.

Regina Hairston. (LinkedIn)

One example is Regina Hairston of the 2019 cohort. Following her DFOB training, Hairston was paired with a board chaired by David Cohen, senior advisor at Comcast, who appointed her as a committee chair. Later, in January of this year, Hairston was named President and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce.

You never know exactly where all this goes when you sit people within proximity to power, said Rahman; adding that there is a connection happening which is breaking down dividing lines.

Dr. Melinda Johnson is also a 2019 program graduate. She had been working at Drexel University when a colleague asked her if she had considered board service.

Melinda Johnson. (LinkedIn)

She described so many benefits, Johnson said. It was the lending of your time and talent to areas that are important to you and connecting to other professionals, Johnson recalled.

Johnsons passion is serving youth in the South Jersey region. She was able to attend the training on a scholarship which covered the $5,000 tuition. (DFOB offers a limited number of merit-based scholarships funded by donors.)

Johnson was matched with the Center for Aquatic Sciences, a nonprofit in Camden that develops leadership skills in inner city youth, while exposing them to the environmental sciences.

I had found my tribe, said Johnson, and we all knew it was a match the night we met.

Months later, the Center partnered with Compass Pro Bono. Compass was looking for a new executive director, and Johnson was hired for the position. She continues to serve on the Centers board and has even started her own faith-based nonprofit in south Jersey.

These stories are not just anecdotal.

Dr. Claire Robertson-Kraft has led ImpactEds evaluation of the program since 2017. Their findings show that one year after graduating, 80% of participants have secured board placement, some to multiple boards.

Claire Robertson-Kraft. (LinkedIn)

I have evaluated a lot of programs over the years and DiverseForce offers far more than standard skills-building, Kraft said. She considers the data meeting expectations, especially for a relatively new program; but their goal is to reach closer to 100% over time. However, Kraft said, we want meaningful board matches and that takes time and cultivation.

Kraft is encouraged at the quick appointments given that many boards retain long serving members with little turnover. Kraft said ImpactED is preparing longitudinal studies which will examine boards commitment to equity work.

Corporations participate by sending employees to attend the training. Comcast sponsored Lauren Blevins (2021 cohort). Blevins said it is a win for both the company and the employee.

Lauren Blevins.

Its an investment in the person and in the community, she said, and that investment speaks to the value a corporation has on their employee. Blevins has already been matched with The Wardrobe, which she met at a DiverseForce event. Blevins was even able to shadow a few board meetings before making her decision.

When Darryl Bundrige became executive director of City Year Philadelphia, one of his immediate goals was to diversify its board. Bundrige, who is African American, started inviting CYP board chairs to DiverseForce events where they learned the importance of an inclusive board and creating a welcoming environment for diverse candidates.

Darryl Bundrige. (Courtesy photo)

City Year now has five DFOB graduates on its board including Hairston. Bundrige said each has brought beneficial perspectives from their various sectors. They have helped us build our network and given us access we didnt have before, he said. Bundrige also said the alum have a lived experience with CYP communities.

ImpactEds evaluation further found that 100% of graduates said the material was high quality and fully prepared them for board service. The alum that spoke with Generocity also considered the networking and connections they made invaluable.

Blevins said DFOB offered an opportunity to meet people she may not ever have met; and that [our cohort] is intentional about being a bridge for others. Were family now, she said.

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Becoming intentional bridges: Grads of DiverseForce on Board speak to the impact of serving on boards - Generocity

National Night Out returned to the Martin Bunky Reid Park in the New Cassel section of Westbury on Aug. 2. It was held as a virtual event last year, thanks to the pandemic.

It is so important that we work to foster unity in the community, and thats exactly what National Night Out does, said Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth. This annual event focuses on neighborhood anti-crime efforts and drug-prevention awareness while also building better stronger relationships between police and the community.

It is held annually in many communities across the nation. The event in New Cassel featured a parade that began on Prospect Avenue and ended at the park. music, singing, dancing, health care services providers, crime prevention information, education resources, cultural entertainment, refreshments, arts & crafts, raffles, games, health screenings, giveaways, and more.

If this last year has taught us anything, it has taught us all, as a community that we stand stronger together, said North Hempstead Councilmember Viviana Russell, a New Cassel resident. That is the purpose of National Night Out. Creating a stronger relationship between underserved communities and the officers charged with the task of serving and protecting them. This years National Night Out serves as a symbol of continued efforts and intentional steps moving in the direction of fostering positive community and law enforcement relations.

This years corporate sponsors include Target, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company, PepsiCo Foundation, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, and DPR Scrap Metal with event support from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Pi Pi Omega Chapter, Westbury/New Cassel NAACP and the Salvation Army Westbury Corps Community Center.

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Where The Community Gathers | NY State Senate - The New York State Senate

Pennsylvania Downtown Center has announced it will host its 2021 Annual Statewide Conference in downtown Reading on September 12th through September 15th.

With the theme, DESIGN: Beyond the Structures, the conference will discuss designing for the future: integrating new approaches, ideals, values and cultures all while preserving the historic characteristics that make communities unique. In addition, conference goers will explore the many facets of DESIGN: How buildings are used, streets, sidewalks, all spaces of cities, towns and neighborhoods.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Mariela Alfonzo, founder and CEO of State of Place and Mary Means, Founder of Main Street, will take conference goers on immersive mobile workshops in the City of Reading and the boroughs of Boyertown, Hamburg and West Reading along with sessions at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading led by experts in the field.

PDC is excited to bring PAs premier revitalization conference to Reading and Berks Counties surrounding Main Street and Elm Street communities. This region is an ideal place to celebrate the past and the present; highlighting local cultural heritage as we add our own 21st Century twists to the events and celebrations that many of our Main Street and Elm Street communities revel in today, said Julie Fitzpatrick, executive director, Pennsylvania Downtown Center.

Our host sites provide excellent examples of how people live and move, and how those activities are changing. We need to consider designing for the future from creating Smart Cities, and reinventing our parking challenges, to identifying ways to integrate new approaches, new ideas, new values, and new cultures into our communities. We look forward to seeing you in Reading, in September.

Mayor Eddie Morn added, we are thrilled to welcome all participants of the Pennsylvania Downtown Centers conference to Reading. It is most appropriate for Reading to host this conference as we earnestly engage in a transformational plan for our own Downtown corridor. Participants will leave our Downtown and our City inspired by its history, architecture, vibrancy, and potential.

The community is also invited to attend a free Community Revitalization 101 presentation on Sunday, September 12th. Registration is required.

The County of Berks is thrilled to host this years downtown conference and foster the ongoing discussion about how to breathe new life into our communities while maintaining our distinct local flavors, said David N. Hunter Sr., Executive Director of the Berks County Planning Commission.

We believe it is important to be intentional about every choice we make while planning for the future of our County to effectively meet residents needs in a creative and meaningful way. Were excited to learn and grow together at this years conference.

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Downtown Revitalization Conference 'Beyond the Structures' to be held in Reading - Berks Weekly

It is supposed to be a lifeline: more than a billion dollars in federal rental and utility assistance funds earmarked by Congress for Americans hit hardest by the pandemic.

Illinois received a decent chunk of those funds: more than $800 million.

But records obtained by NBC 5 Responds show much of the states funding still sits in an account -- not yet disbursed -- all while the cloud of uncertainty over how long eviction moratoriums will last lies overhead for fearful tenants.

Housing and legal advocates, along with state officials, are preparing for a potential flood of housing woes.

In a recent U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey, more than 109,000 Illinoisans answered it was likely they would face eviction and a little over 19,000 said the same about their homes falling into foreclosure.

Thats why Congress Emergency Rental Assistance program -- born out of the CARES Act -- is poised to save many from homelessness.

The problem, though, is the process of getting the money into the hands of those who need it most.

NBC 5 Responds examined the latest figures for two Illinois government bodies that currently hold the bulk of the rental assistance funds: the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the Department of Human Services (IDHS).

IHDAs figures show it has distributed about 46 percent of the $504 million it has been tasked to deliver to tenants and landlords. To date, the office has received more than 96,000 applications for assistance through its online portal.

IDHS has taken a different approach to deliver its allocated funds.

Working through a network of community providers across the state, IDHS records show since April it has disbursed about 11 percent of the $117 million to more than 4,000 applicants.

State officials and advocates said many people in Illinois are finding themselves in a scenario theyve never experienced before: facing the maze of procedures and processes in eviction court while trying to find both financial and legal assistance to keep them afloat. NBC 5 Responds.

Housing advocates told NBC 5 these findings show the need for the recent extension of the states eviction moratorium (to read more about that, click here). They explained more time is needed to get rental assistance into the hands of those who need it most.

In a virtual interview, IDHS Secretary Grace Hou agreed with the move to extend the states moratorium and stressed that the programs are working as swiftly as they can while also ensuring the funds are handed out in a responsible way.

We have a very compassionate, but yet cautious kind of science-driven approach, Hou explained. We don't want our program to be negatively scrutinized down the road.

Hou said IHDAs rental assistance program was built to take in thousands of applications across the state virtually through an online portal and deliver funds directly to tenants and landlords.

But IDHS plan is different.

We know that that one size doesn't fit all for tenants and landlords who are seeking assistance, Hou said.

The IDHS plan for distributing rental assistance, Hou explained, is an in-person, ground game; played out by a team of grassroots, immigration, and faith-based organizations working with the agency to help assist communities that are most in need, and that may be fearful of asking the government for help.

People may be aware of the programs but there may be fear, in some communities, to actually access some of these programs, Hou said, adding that some families need more than just rental assistance.

We are working with families who potentially have an array of other challenges, Hou said. The programs are designed to kind of work hand-in-hand in targeting different households who are in different situations.

The call for more rental assistance funds delivered faster is not unique to Illinois. This week, the Treasury Department acknowledged the bulk of funds earmarked nationwide -- 89% -- is still in the pipeline.

If state and local agencies do not distribute rental assistance funds by Sept. 30, the Treasury Department has the right to reallocate those funds to areas with continuing needs.

But, a local silver lining: the feds said Illinois is one of the most improved programs with its climb from handing out no funds in May to more than $96 million the following month.

Hou said she understands the sense of urgency, but state officials also have to balance it with thoughtful and strategic, and intentional processes.

While the IHDA application portal for tenants or landlords seeking rental assistance is temporarily closed, Hou said it will open back up in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, tenants and landlords can apply for assistance through IDHS provider network.

Continue reading here:

Where's The Money? Millions of Illinois Rental Assistance Dollars Still Waiting To Be Disbursed - NBC Chicago