Volume 1, Issue 5
DECEMBER 2011 1
Volume 1, Issue 5
IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE 3 Time for ACHANGE!
ACHANGE’S MISSION:
4 Chairman’s Corner 5
Principles of Community Development
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“A Place to Call Home”
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News
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Member News
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2012 Meeting Schedule/ Resources
To collectively promote quality affordable housing and community economic development in Arkansas.
10 Executive Committee/Poll/ Contact Info
To view the Christmas Greeting from ACHANGE,
Merry Christmas and a Joyous Holiday Season from
click here! “Transforming Communities, One Home at a Time”
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TIME FOR ACHANGE! Thanks to a generous invitation from Bank of the Ozarks, I was able to attend a performance of “A Christmas Carol, the Musical”. It was absolutely delightful, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. We all know the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his encounter with the ghosts of his past, present and the future yet to be. The funny thing was, another central theme revealed itself during the musical. That theme was home and what that word means to people.
As we discovered during the November meeting, the word “home” is a very evocative word. A messaging training was conducted during that meeting. Half the attendees were given a printed card with the word “housing” prominently displayed while the other half received a card with the word “home”. Those recipients of the “home” card described a home as safe, loving, warm, etc. Housing, on the other hand, was described in more technical terms.
What is a home? Is it a single family dwelling, a duplex, an apartment, or an assisted living residence? It’s all of the above. Broadening the definition of what constitutes a home is a part of the changing landscape of the housing market. It’s all about choice, and that choice should be affordable. In the next year, a great deal of work will be done to find funding for the Housing Trust Fund, and the words that we use will help to shape the conversation. We will be developing a list of words that will help to move that conversation forward in the most positive way possible. I hope that we are all ready to roll up our sleeves and get to it!
It’s “Time for ACHANGE”, and I know that you are ready!
Debra Banks Program Manager
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CHAIRMAN’S CORNER MY HOPE FOR ALL OF YOU The word “home” conjures up different images and feelings for each of us. For some of us, those feelings are of warmth, security, and happiness. For others, the feelings involve inadequacy, stress, and sadness. ACHANGE is more than just a membership of organizations providing “affordable housing”. We are people who are reaching out to our fellow man to change inadequacy to warmth, stress to security, and sadness to joy. This is each agency’s underlying mission. We must do all of these things with love. Love is more than a feeling; it is an action. We act in love when we show compassion and kindness to those around us. It is a time of year that we reflect on love, joy, and hope. My hope for all of you is that you ponder in your heart the mission of your organization and how you are fulfilling this mission. Is it a pile of paperwork in a raggedy office, or can you see past the piles into the faces of the children who can wake up Christmas morning to a safe, warm, home? May this season renew your love, joy, and hope as our calendars flip over to 2012 and may you accomplish great things to make “home” better for everyone.
Karen Phillips ACHANGE Board President
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE: Pt. 4: Enhancing Leadership Capacity
The fourth component of the Community Development Principles of Good Practice is to
"Work actively to enhance the leadership capacity of community members, leaders, and groups within the community.” The word community can be defined in many ways. The members of ACHANGE are a community. The member organizations share a common interest—affordable housing and it’s importance to the state’s overall economic development. To enhance the capacity of the members of that community, ACHANGE engages in a variety of activities, including training sessions, offering scholarships to NeighborWorks® institutes and sharing information via electronic channels. Continuous learning is not only encouraged but expected in order to retain certifications and enhance individual organizations. When presented with challenges, members come together to address those challenges. The same can be true of the communities where ACHANGE member organizations are located. Those communities may have only one main commonality: location. The presence of a particular challenge or issue will galvanize individuals, who despite disparate interests, wish to come together as a community and tackle the issue. What is the difference between the two communities? ACHANGE members have knowledge and experience in addressing challenges. Community members may not. ACHANGE members can change that dynamic by actively working to build capacity for those community members. Providing the tools so that communities can identify and provide solutions for themselves is an important job—one that ACHANGE members do well.
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“A PLACE TO CALL HOME” A place to call home offers seniors an opportunity to live and grow with independence and dignity. On December 14, 2011, a group of well-wishers came together in Harrison to participate in a ribboncutting ceremony marking the official opening of an assisted living residence that lives up to that message. The Maple Esplanade is a managed property of ACHANGE member Northwest Regional Housing Authority. The property provides senior citizens with a gracious, independent and affordable lifestyle. Residents have large suites with private baths and small kitchens, complimentary housekeeping, linen service, activities, wellness checks, certified staff, a fitness room, beauty salon and medication assistance. With nutritious, fresh meals prepared by a chef, residents can be assured of a healthy lifestyle in a comfortable environment.
Congratulations to NWRHA for providing a wonderful example of what assisted living can provide for senior citizens—a place to call home. For more information on the Maple Esplanade and the successful partnership that allowed the project to be completed, contact NWRHA Executive Director Ken McDowell at 870-741-5522.
To view more pictures of the Maple Esplanade, click here. 6
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NEWS January 25 Breakthrough Solutions Conference The Ultimate Community Development Road Trip How would you like to take two years to travel to over 80 of the most successful and innovative communities in the nation, and learn their secrets? Dave Ivan, a Michigan State University social researcher and community development practitioner, did just that. He will be the keynote speaker at the 2011-2012 Winter Breakthrough Solutions Conference on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at the Airport Holiday Inn in Little Rock. With the theme: “Creating Vibrant, Sustainable, Resilient Communities – Reassess and Refocus”, the conference will address how communities can survive and sustain their vibrancy in a rapidly changing environment. The conference will also include several communities sharing their breakthrough projects, exciting news and lessons from Harrison, and a unique opportunity to apply breakthrough strategies to the asset maps of three Arkansas communities.
“Breakthrough Solu ons is considered one of the most cu ng‐edge programs in the field because it incorporates asset‐ based work and innova ve tools to break beyond boundaries.” Gisele Hamm, Awards Commi ee Chairperson Community Development Society
To learn more about the conference, go to: http://www.vworks.org/.
PARTNER NEWS Did you know that…. ACE conducts a monthly network lunch training on the second Thursday of every month? For a minimal fee, you get lunch and training! January’s topic is “From Boomers to Echo Boomers: Giving Across Generations”. ACE’s office is located in the Charles Frueauff Foundation, 200 River Market Avenue, Suite 100 in Little Rock. For more information about the network lunches and other training visit www.acenonprofit.org.
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MEMBER NEWS!!! REMINDER—DUES INCREASE! Beginning January 1, 2012, ACHANGE membership dues will increase from $50 annually to $100 annually. This is the first increase in dues since ACHANGE began in 2004. The dues increase will assist with funding the work of ACHANGE.
NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS NEW MEMBERS Hope Credit Union, Little Rock RENEWING MEMBERS In-Affordable Housing, Little Rock
HOUSING ARKANSAS STEERING COMMITTEE EXPANDS The Housing Arkansas Steering Committee has recently expanded to welcome new members Rick Pierce, Rhonda Sanders, Pat Blackstone, and ACHANGE members Charles Vann and Tameka Edwards. The new members join current members Steve Copley, Lou Tobian, Rose Adams, and ACHANGE board members Darryl Swinton, Barrett Allen and Martie North.
ACHANGE, Housing Arkansas, and Partners for Inclusive Communities are working closely with Michael Anderson of the Center for Community Change in preparing the messaging to support funding the Housing Trust Fund.
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2012 MEETING SCHEDULE GENERAL MEMBERS MEETINGS 2/14/2012 1st meeting of the year, election and presentation by Wells Fargo! 4/10/2012 6/12/2012
8/14/2012 10/9/2012 12/11/2012
MEMBER RESOURCES Nonprofit Capacity in the Lower Mississippi Delta Region is a report prepared by the Housing Assistance Council. The report looks at organizational capacity of LMD organizations in terms of internal capacity, financial strength and programmatic activity. States covered in the report include Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. To read the report, click here.
__________________ Visited the Member’s Forum lately? Now, you can post topics for discussion. Get a discussion started today! If you need password assistance, just email Debra at dbanks@achange.org.
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ACHANGE Executive Committee Board Chairman—Karen Phillips 1st Vice Chairman—Barrett Allen 2nd Vice Chairman—George Holcomb Secretary— Frances Newsome Treasurer—Cathy Carlock Associate At-Large Board Member—Martie North At-Large Board Member—Darryl Swinton Committee Chairs Education and Training Committee Chairman—Roma Isom Finance Committee Chairman—Cathy Carlock Membership & Marketing Committee Chairman—George Holcomb Public Policy Committee Chairman—Darryl Swinton Resource Development Chairman—Charles Vann Ad-hoc Committee Chairman—Martie North
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A JOYFUL HOLIDAY SEASON TO YOU ALL!
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