CommunityCollab latest work updates

Lisa: As a nfp healthcare org, launched a mobile produce truck 9 months ago in an effort to increase access to affordable fruits and vegs to neighborhoods of need in our community. Contract w/for profit home grocery delivery company to purchase the produce and manage the ops. We currently make 16 stops/week and accept food stamps as well as cash, credit and debit cards for payment. Our service is year round. We just exceeded 10,000 sales transactions in 9 months!

Karen: I am the Community Development Act Office of a community bank. I am also on the Board of a housing non-profit that is building permanent housing for disabled veterans and permanent housing for homeless families. We also want to have a preschool for homeless children in the building. Plus we already have transitional housing in both apartments and scattered site single family.

Andy: The Indiana Association for Community Economic Development (IACED) is supporting a Comprehensive Community Development Demonstration Program in Elkhart and Allen counties in Indiana. The goal of the demonstration program is to promote a holistic approach to healthy community building at the neighborhood level that integrates civic, social, physical, and economic development. The demonstration program will showcase a renewed approach to community development activities that promotes holistic and resident-driven improvements which will strengthen and sustain selected neighborhoods.

Kerry: Providing a safe, nuturing environment for 'other-abled' adults in a 30 year old community 100 miles from Chicago. Specifically, I have been working on community relations and education.

Susan: Economic development and revitalization of the Millersville area, a near NE community of Indianapolis.

Thomas: Indianapolis is part of National LISC's application for the federal Pathways Out of Poverty grant. If funded, Indy will work on expanding its deconstruction project and developing a credentialed training program for this emerging industry sector to provide viable career opportunities for low-income workers.

Thomas: LISC Indianapolis is launching a deconstruction project tied to offender re-entry. Selected properties will be taken down piece by piece, with usable materials (e. g., dimensional lumber and copper) recycled. This is a transitional jobs program. Services include job coaching, education assessments, and job referrals after their six-month transitional employment has concluded. National LISC received a grant from the Open Society Institute to launch green jobs initiatives in four cities.

Thomas: LISC Indianapolis is working on Centers for Working Families (aka Financial Opportunity Centers), where working poor families may obtain help with finding a new or better job, money coaching, and income supports. LISC sponsors this effort at neighborhood centers in areas where we are doing related community development work. LISC's primary role is to provide seed funding, technical assistance related to service delivery and design, frontline staff development, and marketing support.