Community revitalization | NeighborWorks America

Rising from the ashes: HomeStart helps senior return to home destroyed by fire

Read more about Rising from the ashes: HomeStart helps senior return to home destroyed by fire

After a fire ignited in Evera Moreland's house, she was in danger of becoming homeless. But thanks to assistance from NeighborWorks network member HomeStart, which serves Rockford and Freeport, Illinois, Moreland was able to stay in the home she has owned for years.

Too cold to play? Not for kids in Fairbanks, Alaska

Read more about Too cold to play? Not for kids in Fairbanks, Alaska

"It is a happy talent to know how to play." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Alabama nonprofit's weatherization program helps seniors save money, improve health

Read more about Alabama nonprofit's weatherization program helps seniors save money, improve health

Billie Dean and Jerry Stewart have been active in their Decatur, Alabama, community for decades. She ran her own daycare service for more than 35 years and is a volunteer with Community Action Partnership of North Alabama's foster-grandparent program. He is retired from the city of Decatur and is disabled.

Read more about When designing public spaces, start with half a plan

How do you design a public space for everyone—a space that is not only welcoming and inclusive but fosters a sense of community and well-being?

Kenneth Balfelt says you need to be strategically unprepared. That is, you should start with only half a plan for what your space will look like, because the other half must come from the users of that space—whether they’re young or old, working parents or retirees, or people who are homeless.

Read more about Value of the network: members from three states join to help Hurricane Harvey victims

Rich Clegg: Following his calling

Read more about Rich Clegg: Following his calling

In 2008, the West Granite neighborhood of Manchester, New Hampshire, was not what would normally be considered a desirable location. It had become the most troubled and deteriorated area of Manchester—with a high rate of neglected and foreclosed properties, absentee landlords, low homeownership and increased crime.

Gwyn Guidy: Doing the hard work of making change

Read more about Gwyn Guidy: Doing the hard work of making change

For a long time, Gwyn Guidy believed as her parents did: One person can’t make a difference.

“My parents didn’t think it was worth it to be generous with your time,” the Houston resident recalls sadly. “They didn’t even vote; after all, they thought, nothing we did would impact anything significant. And I carried that attitude with me for a long time.”

Read more about Disaster pro offers lessons learned

Samuel Sanders, Executive Director of Mid City Redevelopment Alliance (MCRA) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is among the NeighborWorks network’s “veteran” disaster responders. In fact, NeighborWorks Western Region partnered with the Houston LISC office to host a convening so others could learn from his hard-earned wisdom. Below is a Q-and-A with Sanders.
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Tell us about your organization’s past experience with natural disasters. How much damage did they cause to the areas you serve?

Read more about On the ground: a report from post-hurricane Houston

I recently spent a week working on Hurricane Harvey clean-up efforts with NeighborWorks network member Avenue and Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corp. in Houston.

Rural Neighborhood: Avoids Hurricane Irma's wrath and responds to resident needs

Read more about Rural Neighborhood: Avoids Hurricane Irma's wrath and responds to resident needs

Seventy-two hours prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irma — then a Category 4 storm that had carved a destructive path through numerous Caribbean islands — staff members at Rural Neighborhoods Inc. (RNI) worked to shutter nearly 1,000 rental homes on Florida's west and east coasts and urged residents to evacuate.

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