NeighborWorks America Awards Organizations that Completed Community Leadership Institute with $228,000 in Grants

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Community Leadership Institute Offers Resident Leaders Top-Notch Coaching; Resident Leaders Will Use Grants to Revitalize Communities

Washington, DC – May 9, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Today NeighborWorks America announced that 107 organizations will receive a total of $228,000 to spearhead community projects. All of the organizations had resident leaders attend NeighborWorks America’s Community Leadership Institute, an annual training event that strengthens the skills of community leaders. Participants from around the country attend the Community Leadership Institute in up to 8 person teams from communities served by NeighborWorks organizations. The community leaders will use these grants to improve their communities. NeighborWorks America, which creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities, supports a network of more than 235 nonprofits, located in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

“We’re delighted to give these grants to organizations that will continue to enhance the quality of life for their neighbors,” said Eileen Fitzgerald, chief executive officer of NeighborWorks America. “The Community Leadership Institute provides top-notch training for resident leaders and the opportunity to identify new ways to enhance their communities.”

The focus of the 114 community projects include youth-targeted activities, community building events, resident leadership development, and environmental activities, neighborhood beautification and clean-up, and neighborhood safety.

Highlights of projects include the following:

Comite de Bien Estar (San Luis, AZ) is working to raise funds to purchase playground equipment for Bienestar Estates #9A’s park and install the equipment with the help of the following partners: the City of San Luis, Youth Build-AmeriCorps Group, Self-Help Construction Supervisors, and Bienestar Estates #9A residents.
La Casa de Don Pedro, Inc. (Newark, NJ) plans to educate residents of Newark, New Jersey’s Lower Broadway neighborhood about the availability of healthy foods. The organization will leverage the newly-opened healthy foods market in the neighborhood to promote healthy eating and encourage more residents to come to the commercial district for their goods and services. In addition, the organization will host healthy food demonstrations in the Spring and Summer to show participants different ways to prepare and create healthy food alternatives.
Avenue Community Development Corporation (Houston, TX) will offer a support network, comprised of educators, school administrators, parents and residents, to empower youth in the Northside neighborhood to reach their full potential. The support network will focus on service- and volunteer-driven projects after seeing firsthand the positive impact volunteering and service had on students. Avenue Community Development Corporation will administer a student network to facilitate coordination of student volunteer opportunities within the area. In addition, the organization will plan a few projects to help build the network and make it successful. The first project is a mural project, which will be unveiled in late May.

Since 1995, NeighborWorks America has conducted 25 Community Leadership Institutes. The next Community Leadership Institute is in Sacramento, California on October 17-20. NeighborWorks America is the country’s premier trainer for housing and community development professionals. To read more the Community Leadership Institute and NeighborWorks America’s other training opportunities, go to http://www.nw.org/training.

About NeighborWorks America
For 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $19.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.

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