| Conference Highlights From
Indianapolis
Representative from Waipahu, HI, accepts Coordination Award
from U.S. Assistant Attorney General Deborah Daniels and CCDO
Director Nelson Hernandez. |
|
Indianapolis, IN, hosted the Power of Prevention Regional
Meeting and the FY 2004 Weed and Seed Competitive Application
Kit Workshop on July 12–15, 2004. Why Indianapolis?
Maybe because the city has a long and illustrious history
with Weed and Seed. Today, six Weed and Seed sites are located
in Indianapolis, three of which were early leaders in the
Weed and Seed movement and now serve as peer mentors to other
sites.
Olgen Williams, cochair of the local conference planning committee,
has been called a role model for other community leaders. Director
of an original settlement house, Williams oversees Christamore
House and is a vital voice for resident involvement, strong
law enforcement partnerships, and dynamic prevention and neighborhood
restoration efforts. He convinced the Community Capacity Development
Office (CCDO) and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
to bring the conference to Indianapolis where they could see
and hear from residents and community leaders about how to
begin and sustain their efforts. As part of the workshop offerings,
attendees visited two sites to learn hands on from local leaders
how to develop and manage effective collaborations.
Representatives from Boston, MA, accept
their Coordination Award from U.S. Assistant Attorney General
Deborah Daniels and CCDO Director Nelson Hernandez. |
|
Deborah Daniels, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice
Programs, recognized the five winners of the CCDO Coordination
Awards for Prevention/Intervention/Treatment or Neighborhood
Revitalization: Boston, MA; Macon, GA; Atlanta, GA; Waipahu,
HI; and Highland Park, MI. An honorable mention went to Utica,
NY. Robert Samuels, former Deputy Director for the Executive
Office for Weed and Seed (which was folded into CCDO), was
also honored for his dedicated service to the program over
the years.
In addition to the basic instruction for competitive grant
applicants, community residents and other representatives learned
about a broad range of "seeding" activities and
best practices. Nelson Hernandez, CCDO Director, focused particularly
on energizing the neighborhood revitalization arena by bringing
together resources from the Office of Community Services and
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (for more information on
IRS resources, read "Fighting Poverty With a New Partner" in
this issue). This general session opened the door for Weed
and Seed sites to become engaged in asset development strategies.
"There is a great difference between living a life of
success and living a life of significance," Rev. Wilson
Goode, former mayor of Philadelphia and Undersecretary of Education,
told the participants. "My work today on behalf of children
of prisoners gives my life significance." Reverend Goode,
the son of an incarcerated father, urged the crowd to address
the needs of children of incarcerated parents. He called them "down
into the riverbed to help these children cross over the River
Jordan on dry ground." Amachi, Reverend Goode's
faith-based mentoring program, is being replicated in dozens
of cities; a number of Weed and Seed sites are seeking to replicate
his success.
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