Community Matters

It is not more bigness that should be our goal. We must attempt, rather, to bring people back to...the warmth of community, to the worth of individual effort and responsibility...and of individuals working together as a community, to better their lives and their children's future. - Robert F. Kennedy

We all need community. Communities bring people together for a shared common purpose and goal. Community can foster a spirit of cooperation to accomplish big tasks.

The Eastside S.A. Promise Zone has 8 goals in revitalizing high-poverty communities, which are:

1) creating jobs & workforce training,

2) expanding economic activity,

3) improving educational opportunities,

4) increasing public safety,

5) leveraging private capital,

6) building mixed-income communities,

7) community engagement and sustainability,

8) & assisting local leaders in navigating federal programs.

Community engagement is absolutely crucial in getting anything done in these areas. Communicating with community organizations is a daily undertaking here at the Eastside S.A. Promise Zone. We do this by attending neighborhood association meetings, community events, and spreading the word about programs and services available to residents.

As I reflect on my work here at the Promise Zone I cannot help but to contemplate what community looks like in the 21st century. The way people engage in community has changed. In his book “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,” Robert D. Putnam uses data from a wide variety of sources to show that social capital and engagement has declined in areas such as organizational membership, attending religious services, attending club meetings, and interacting with others face-to-face in communities. It’s never been easier to “connect” with others with new communication tools, yet many seem to be disconnected with their communities.

So what does that mean for us? We have to be more creative and utilize non-traditional avenues (like social media) to communicate and connect with Eastside residents. We hope to use this blog as another means to tell the story of all that is happening in the Eastside S.A. Promise Zone.