Wildfires in California

Imagine all of your material possessions – gone in a matter of minutes. Imagine being forced to leave your home – not knowing when you’ll return – or if you’ll have a home to return to. Fire, tragically, puts many families in that position in our community each year. And right now, that’s the sobering reality for so many Californians this week– as wildfires tore through hundreds of thousands of acres of land - reducing thousands of homes to rubble.

It’s times like this when we all count our blessings. We’re lucky in the fact that – in Rochester- we’ll hopefully not have to face the threat of wildfires to that extent. But we do have a terrific Red Cross chapter, which we help fund, that is there for people in times of crisis. And in times of need, United Way and its programs are there. Thanks to you.

Because of your support of United Way, people in our community have access to critical emergency services - like those provided through The Emergency Service Providers Collaborative (a group of eight agencies that includes the Salvation Army, Baden Street Settlement, the Ibero-American Action League, and the Community Place of Greater Rochester).

Rest assured that United Way’s in California are helping the people in their communities during this time of crisis. If you are interested in making a donation to the Southern California Wildfires Recovery fund, please click on the highlighted text.

(link to https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/united-way-ca-wildfires-fund/donate/)

The Mural Unveiled

Everyone who attended the unveiling commented on how perfect the day was. It was perfect because it was 75 and sunny in late September, but it was also perfect because we were there to celebrate the unveiling of a mural that a determined team of neighborhood kids (& a few adults) completed over the course of the summer. I was there because we were able to support the project with a grant through our United Way - Bank of America Neighborhood Mini Grant Fund.

Located in the Upper Monroe neighborhood, the mural pays homage to the neighborhood’s history (original home to Crosman Brothers Seeds), as well as to its future, the kids ages 2 ½ to 17 growing up in that neighborhood. According to Joseph Sorrentino, neighborhood leader & artist, the kids haven’t always seen eye-to-eye and the mural was a great way to get them to work with one another. They all had a hand in its development – it’s colorful and busy and each of the elements contributes something positive to the overall composition – a great analogy for a vital neighborhood.

If you have a chance, you really should swing by to check it out. It’s comprised of three panels, carefully spaced along the curve of Laburnum Terrace where it meets the 490 sound-wall. If you’re walking west on Monroe, look to the right, just before you get to Wilson Farms – it will put a smile on your face.

Developing the Youth

Puerto Rican Youth Development has been developing Rochester’s youth for 37 years. Just a little background, it was started by students who weren’t happy with what they were getting out of the schools. They wanted to have an impact within the community so they started several clubs within the school and it developed into Puerto Rican Youth Development.
PRYD has programs at Edison, Monroe, Franklin, Jefferson, and East High Schools. These programs vary from preventing substance abuse to after school programs where tutors come in. United Way actually funds two of their tutoring programs; the PODER-Bry Achievement Mentoring Program and the Hispanic Youth Tutorial Program. Both of these programs help students that are at risk of falling behind. Last year was Bry’s first year in the city. It helped 200 students in the 6 schools and it improved attendance and performance.
One of the stand out students was Essence Coleman. She was a student at Edison who was doomed for failure until her English teacher took her under her wing and told her about the Bry program. To learn more about Essence’s story check out www.youpreventviolence.com

Cleaning up the streets

Last Friday a group of United Way staffers hit the streets to clean up our neighborhood. We teamed up with 450 other fellow Clean Sweepers to join the first Corporate Clean Sweep. Maybe you drove by some of us – wearing our day-glow t-shirts! Mayor Bob Duffy kicked the event off in front of all the volunteers and then we dispersed to our different assignments around the city. Here is Mayor Duffy with some of our staffers at the kickoff.

The United Way team worked together to clean up the neighborhood surrounding our building on College Avenue. I was shocked to see just how much garbage we picked up.

It feels pretty good to do something so simple for our community. So if you’re interested in having the same feeling, visit the city’s web site to learn about getting involved in the next clean sweep – www.cityofrochester.gov. You don’t have to live in the neighborhood to help out. If the City decides to have another Corporate Clean Sweep, I would definitely sign up….and not just for the awesome shirt!

The panels are up! Well, mostly.

Saturday was a big day for us. We began putting the mural panels up. There will be, when it's finished, three panels but Shawn was having trouble envisioning the third panel. He knows what he wants, just couldn't get it formulated. But I spoke with him today (Tuesday) and he's got it figured out. And to think we have four days to spare.

The panels look great and the comments have all been positive. Shika called it, "Mad hot" which I believe means she likes it. Two parents said they love it. It's cool to drive by and see people going up to the panels and pointing out stuff. It's been a lot of work but worth it.

After the panels were installed on Saturday, lunch was provided by Monroe Avenue Subway owner Andrew Hannan, which delighted everyone. Then, on Monday evening, after the kids put some finishing touches on the second panel, we retired to Corky's Craving Parlor where owner Mike Marrone gave everyone (about a dozen of us) free ice cream. He had promised ice cream when the mural was finished and came through in big way.

Now we're gearing up for Saturday. We're expecting a big crowd and are getting decorations, cookies, cake and soft drinks. Predictions are for near-perfect weather and I'm counting on the weatherman to be right this time.

A special gift to start the school year...

500 students at Rochester City School #22 are more prepared for school this week thanks to the generous support of our local labor unions. Last Friday, every student in the whole school received new backpacks full of school supplies.

I was among the staff members from United Way who went to the school to make the special delivery to the unsuspecting students. (Check out all the pictures!). Last year we had delivered backpacks to 200 kindergartners and first graders at Rochester City School #6 and #30. Again, this year’s backpack event wouldn’t have been made possible without generous donations from the Rochester Building Trades, Tops, and Wegmans.

It was so cool being a part of something so big. Just think about it: we gave 500 students the tools they need for a successful school year. For many of these kids, it was like Christmas came early – they were so excited! The event was even captured on camera, and ran on Channel 13 as the Bright Spot (click here to watch).

This really is one of my favorite events – it’s amazing how something that seems so simple can make such a difference.

Back to College

Last Thursday I got to go back to college. You may remember that I am not that far out of college, but it was still awesome to go back. My sidekick and I made an appearance at Roberts Weslyean College’s Volunteer Fair – to represent Campus Connection. (Check out the picture of our table... we gave away Frisbees and candy to students who stopped by – pretty cool!).

Ok, I should back up and tell you what Campus Connection is. We officially kicked it off Wednesday at East High School – where about 50 students and staff from nine area colleges teamed up to help clean up the Peace Garden and paint the boys locker room. (You can click here to see all the media coverage we received and to see more pictures).

Campus Connection is a new program that we’ve teamed up with Time Warner to make possible. Essentially, it’s a website that local college students visit to find volunteer projects. The coolest part of this program is that if students have a project that costs money to complete, they can apply for a grant to cover all costs (thanks to Time Warner!). We’re hoping that helps encourage more students to get involved in the community that they go to school in – and maybe it will encourage them to stay here after they graduate.

Tomorrow we’re heading to RIT’s volunteer fair – where we’ll hand out more candy, and more Frisbees, and continue to spread the word about Campus Connection. If you know a college student who should get connected, forward them the link to the site! Meanwhile, I think I could get used to this lifestyle all over again…. so look for me at a college near you soon!

Mural posts are in

It took a lot more work than we anticipated but we finally did get the posts in on Sunday. The NET Office coordinated with the Department of Special Services to dig the six holes we needed, which was great. Unfortunately, one day after those holes were dug we finally got the water line in (for the garden) and that eliminated three of the holes. That meant we had to re-dig them. Each hole had to be about four feet deep and there were some serious rocks in the soil. The kids were really enthusiastic but I'm not sure how much help they were in the end. Mostly they climbed on the dirt piles, sending cascades of dirt back into the holes. But, eventually, we got the poles in and the cement poured. The next step is this Saturday, when we attach the panels. We're really looking forward to that. And, of course, the official unveiling.

Charles Settlement House

In the middle of a neighborhood overwhelmed by gangs, the Charles Settlement House is a popular, safe place that neighborhood kids can go to escape the rough streets outside.

At the Charles Settlement House – located at 445 Jay Street, I found that the most important thing to these children is just a little recognition. In the offices hang beautiful murals that the children have created. It really brightens up the whole atmosphere. I posted a picture of one of the murals to the left.

The staff at Charles Settlement told me that many of the kids really grow up within the walls of the center. They usually start in the Ready Set Grow program, move onto the After School Program, and then onto Teen Club which is a right of passage for most of these kids. Not only does Charles Settlement help these kids with school work and getting them involved in activities like the Photography club or Step Team it also helps make their families stronger. That’s because most of the parents are pretty involved with the activities that their kids are taking a part in. The center actually requires the parents to either attend an art show or a game that their child is involved in.

Right before school started this year, there were eight lucky kids from the After School Program, Teen Club, and students from Jefferson who went on a trip to Lake George. It was an all expense trip that rewarded them for doing such a great job during the last school year. The students visited the Capital, received some valuable history lessons, and then got to let loose at Great Escape, an amusement park, the next day.

This year celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Charles Settlement House in our community. They have touched the lives of thousands of people who live here, and I know they will continue to work our neighborhoods a better place.

Mural post holes dug

OK, so "Mural post holes dug" isn't the most compelling title but it's concise and tells what's been going on. The city's Department of Special Services dug the six holes on Monday, Sept. 10th. Each hole is four feet deep and about a foot wide. This was a crucial step for us and I'm really glad it's done. If they hadn't done it, we'd be out there for hours digging. As it is, we do have to do some digging in two of the holes and that's enough to keep us busy. Shawn and I--and we hope--several of the older teens will be out there on Sunday finishing the holes and cementing the poles in place. If all goes well, we'll actually attach the mural panels the following week in preparation for the unveiling. Speaking of the unveiling, we've gotten conformation from State Senator Joseph Robach that he'll be there. The Mayor can't make it (he was at last year's garden dedication) but is sending two commissioners. We're hoping for a good crowd and some good weather.

She has a choice

In the Center for Youth, staff are often exposed to the many forms violence can take in a young person’s life. Whether violence comes in the forms of bruises, cuts, burns or even emotional scarring; we aim to help those young people who may be helpless and even hopeless reach some level of stability, reassurance and support. It is not easy from any perspective to handle trauma, abandonment, abuse or neglect on a daily basis. However, as prevention providers we understand that this difficult task is necessary in order to help those young people who are disenfranchised, disengaged and disregarded by so many.

Not too long ago a young girl came in need of emergency housing due to many of the most common issues we see in our adolescents today. Abuse, neglect, family dysfunction and rage surrounded this young girl day in and day out. She told me stories about her childhood that would bring tears to anyone’s eyes; yet she sat there as though she didn’t realize the significance of these events. In the midst of her stories, she told me that she was recently jumped by a group of girls near downtown as she was walking home. At this point I asked her: Why did they hurt you? Did you know them? What did you do? With a grin on her face she said she had no choice but to fight back. “I wasn’t gonna let those girls beat me down without a fight. Can’t go home looking like no punk” she answered.

Her answers exemplify how violence encompasses and consumes many aspects of our young adolescents. Aspects such as self-image, peer relations and decision-making were all involved in her decision to fight back. Much like this young girl, many adolescents may perceive they do not have choice in the prevention of violence. In addition, the manner in which adolescents think their peers may perceive them if they choose to walk away also acts as a heavy influence in whether young people choose to prevent or engage in violent acts. Our role as prevention providers must be holistic in our approach to violence prevention. For this young girl, no single intervention will prevent her from fighting repeatedly. However, consistent support found in counselors, case managers, healthcare providers, family or friends may assist this young girl in realizing she does have a choice. She has a choice in preventing violence. She has a choice in walking away without feeling like a punk. She has a choice…

We're getting closer

Closer to getting the mural installed, that is.

The kids involved with the project have all completed their "petals", metal cut-outs which will be attached to the panels. There were a variety of images, from Andrew's father's favorite football jersey to rainbows to smiling faces. The kids are anxious to see them on the panels and to see the panels in place.

Last week, Shawn and I marked where the posts that will hold the panels are to be placed. We were fortunate that not too many plants have to be moved and Shalese, one of the neighborhood muralists, took care of moving the ones that had to go. The next step is to dig the holes which, we hope, will be taken care of the the City. We really hope that because the holes have to be four feet deep. It's quite a job. Once the posts are in place, cement will be poured and we'll let them set for a few days before mounting the panels. We plan on cleaning and weeding the garden on September 22nd, another chance for neighbors to work together.

Joseph

Our New Billboard

Have you ever watched a billboard go up? Well I can now officially say that I have. I was there last week in the rain to watch our new billboard go up on 490 West behind World Gym. If you haven’t checked it out yet, click here.

We kicked off our new campaign last week. This year’s campaign is a year round effort that is addressing the issues that our community is currently facing. The first issue that we are addressing is violence. Since kids are heading back to school, it’s a perfect time to address the issue of violence.

The billboard states: “Doesn’t carry a gun.” It may be shocking but we are hoping that it will grab your attention and really make you think. You can also check out the website that ties in with this campaign www.youpreventviolence.com.

There is no single reason, and no one solution to the issues we face. We just have to act as one to effect the change and make a difference. Act as one and make violence an issue of the past in our community.

The Mural Project

I've been asked to talk a bit about a mural we're doing in our Upper Monroe Neighborhood and how it's affected our block. In order to do that, I think it's best to give a little background on how it all came to be. This is gonna be a little long bu here goes:

My wife, Nori, and I moved to Suter Terrace in May, 2005. Suter Terrace is a one-block long one-way street off Monroe Ave. We were happy to find the house, really liked it as soon as we saw it and liked what we saw of the neighborhood. To be honest, we didn't see much since we bought the house in February and the snow and cold kept people inside. Once we moved in, we learned the block had about 30 kids on it, most of them under 10 years old. We also learned there were some tensions simmering not too far below the surface. By August of 2005, those tensions had stopped simmering had boiled over. By that September, Nori and I were seriously talking about moving. We're glad we stayed. Most of the time, anyway.

Most of the problems really revolved around kids being, well, kids. There are no backyards in our neighborhood. I often marvel at the size of yards on other streets in Upper Monroe; it's like the builders ran out of room and crammed in as many houses as possible on Suter, Luzerne and Laburnam. Anyway, without any backyards, the kids are really forced to play in the street. The nearest playground is a few blocks away and Cobb's Hill even further. Most parents don't want their kids to go that far by themselves. So we have a lot of kids on the block, there's no place for them to play except for the sidewalk or street. This is a recipe for noise. Differences about what is an acceptable level of noise, about cursing, about playing football in the street and about other things led to some serious shouting matches between neighbors. This led to worse feelings and by mid-summer, regular police visits and some arrests.

I don't remember exactly how it happened but we got in touch with the NET Office on Clinton Ave. Pete Saxe, the director there, and Lt. Frank Churnetski were invaluable in setting up community meetings and bringing in other people to try and help diffuse the situation here. My feeling from the beginning was that most of the problems on the block were relatively minor-league and that the majority of people on the block wanted the same simple thing--a block that was safe, quiet (relatively) and clean. I really thought we could bring the block together. And through the meetings, we did for the most part. There were, and are, a couple of families on both sides of the issue that want nothing to do with the things we're doing to solve the conflicts. You can't please everyone. But most of us are working together to make this block and the surrounding block better places to live.

Those initial meetings led to weekly block clean-ups, participation in Clean Sweep, three block parties and planting a Children's Garden on a narrow strip of land adjacent to the sound wall on Laburnam Crescent. That garden started as a mix of flowers and vegetables and this year is being transformed in a Butterfly Garden that will be part of the Seneca Park Zoo's Butterfly Beltway next year.

So what about this mural? Well, I was walking past the garden last winter and suddently realized it'd be a great place for a mural. I contacted Shawn Dunwoody, a muralist, and applied for the United Way's Neighborhood Mini-grant and we got it. We had kids get together in April for a discussion about what they wanted the mural to be and also to talk about the neighborhood. They decided on the overall design and, over the course of the summer, painted their own little sections of the mural. We had about 20 kids participate with 11 0r 12 coming regularly. The United Way named this project the "Conflict Resolution Mural" and we've left it at that. I don't know if the kids will figure out a different name but that one's fine with me. And it's fitting. Toward the end of the project, we were meeting in New Life Church and one day only two kids showed up and none of them were from Suter Terrace. Turns out there had been a fight the night before and there were some bad feelings on the block. I didn't learn about it until I went knocking on doors to find kids. There were now two angry groups of kids and no one was much interested in the mural. I was really down and thought not only that the mural was sunk but that I was being unrealistic about the neighborhood getting much better.

I talked with the two groups individually and they agreed to talk to each other. Sitting for awhile on a front porch, the kids talked (I mostly stayed out of the way) and realized they weren't really angry at each other but at someone else who'd caused trouble. I thought that things had been patched up and went away feeling better. That night, there was another fight and I brought in my friend and neighbor, Johnny (who's a lot younger than me and great with the kids) to talk with them. Over the course of a couple of days we both talked with the groups individually and things really settled down. I don't know if the garden, the mural or block parties helped with this but I do know that without those things, there's no way I would have felt comfortable talking with the kids. And I do think all of these things helped because all of them got kids and adults together. It gave people a chance to get to know each other and work together in different ways.

The mural has been great for the neighborhood. We had excellent participation, the parents are completely supportive and we're all excited about putting it in. One of my favorite stories is from Karen, one of the parents here. We were talking about the mural and she said, "I don't know what's going on but Shika and Zay just looked at each other, said something about the mural and gave each other high fives." There's a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Shawn's putting the finishing touches on the mural and it will be installed in a couple of weeks. The unveiling is September 29 at 2:00. We're expecting a pretty big crowd. It's a chance for us to show off our work and our neighborhood, a chance to bring even more people together. I'll post some more blogs over the next few weeks but I don't want to leave anyone with the idea that we're now this perfect block that's all nice and quiet and clean and where everyone gets along. We still have work to do. The block can be neglected for periods of time and trash builds up. The noise sometimes gets to be a bit too much and there is still the occasional argument between neighbors. But, you know what? For the most part, we can talk to each other now. As imperfect as it is, it's a real neighborhood where you know everyone. I love walking down the street and saying hello to everyone, hearing kids from half a block away yelling out my name or when Angel comes running after me to say hello. As Johnny told me last week, he drives down the street and the kids are all calling out to him. "I never been in a neighborhood like that before." If that's not cool, I don't know what is.

Joseph

Tommy, can you hear me?

Fellow blogger Yamalis and I went on a site visit to Rochester Hearing and Speech Center (RHSC). United Way currently funds three of their programs, including Audiology, which provides a plethora of services, ranging from prevention of hearing loss to helping those that already have hearing problems deal with it through adaptive devices such as hearing aids.

During the visit, our host, Dr. Larry Medwetsky, gave us the chance to try an innovative hearing test. This service is free and you don’t need an appointment- you can just go the agency and either enter the hearing screening room (immediately to the right upon entering the Door # 1 entrance of the Golisano Building at the corner of Elmwood and South Avenue) or go to RHSC front desk and let the receptionist know that you want to do the free computerized screening. You sit in a sound proof booth in front of a computer and put on headphones. A series of tones are played in each ear of the headphones, and you indicate to the computer if you hear them. RHSC's software is set up to go into secondary screening if the initial test indicates potential problems.

Now, let me let you in on a couple of secrets. When Super United Way Girl was much younger, she played guitar (poorly) and sang (even worse) in a few rock bands. AND she waitressed (even worse yet!) at a couple of live music clubs. AND she wasn't always that great about protecting her hearing. She's also noticed that recently, she is having trouble hearing in certain situations. For example, at the Rochester Children Zone's Implementation Conference, the whole group was often broken up into small groups that met in different parts of the same room. She had difficulty hearing others in her group against the background noise of the other groups. So she was really interested to see if the test indicated any problems.

Yama went first and passed with flying colors. Then it was my turn- right ear was fine. Left ear, however... a different story. So the computer program went into further testing of the left ear and identified some mild hearing loss in the higher frequencies. (You can see the results in the graphic- I scored a 35 in the 3000Hz and 4000Hz frequencies, which is in the range between slight hearing loss and moderate hearing loss). Dr. Medwetsky gave me some very practical advice on how to cope with some of my hearing issues and to prevent future hearing loss.

To learn more about this and other services provided by RHSC, call 585-271-0680 [tel]585-442-2985 [tty] or check out the website at http://www.rhsc.org/.

Of safety and violence...

My daughter starts kindergarten in a couple of weeks. Like many kids her age, she’s nervous about a new school. New friends. Riding the bus. All the things that should be scary, I guess, when you’re five years old.

But, for so many kids today, riding the bus isn’t scary. It’s a relief.

There are multitudes of parents in the city school district who request their kids be enrolled in a school that's not in their neighborhood—just so kids can ride the bus for safety reasons.

Scary, actually, is walking to school when you are six—and in fear of the violence that can erupt around you.

Scary is going to the playground, and sitting on swings that have been gnawed down by pit bulls that were being trained to fight. I’ve seen the swings. It’s like seeing shattered glass on a favored childhood blanket.

There’s no one cause to this… and there’s no one solution. But, when we act as one—we’ll continue to cut down on what’s really scary, and prevent violence.

When I think about the school year ahead… I think, optimistically, of all the kids who won’t carry guns… because you’ve given them the tools they need to stay the course in school and graduate.

I think of the kids who won’t be abused… because their parents got critical help, and the cycle will be broken.

I think of the after-school programs that will be energetically beaming with kids, mentors, libraries—all the stuff that makes for good solutions.

Stick around. We’ll have some inspiring blog postings soon on how you help prevent violence.

Food for Thought

If you have children, you know how important it is that they eat healthy, well balanced meals – all year round. But in the summer – when school is out and school meal programs aren’t available - it’s sad to think that there some kids in our community who go hungry. But the Summer Meal Program - run by the YWCA - is there to make a difference.

I recently had a chance to see how this program works first-hand. Basically, it provides lunches to local children, 18 and under, during the summer. There are 70 sites that the City of Rochester funds and then an additional 30 sites that Foodlink funds.

Have you had a chance to read my blog on Stamp Out Hunger yet? United Way teams up with the Post Office to help collect canned goods for the local food shelters. During the summer months- the food shelters are drained do to more people needing their services. The summer meal programs help elevate some of the stress the food shelters feel.

I visited the Catholic Family Center site and had a chance to talk to a couple of the kids. They had just come from Baden Street Settlement where they had been swimming. United Way funds the Youth Development program at Baden Street. Without the kids even realizing it, they used 3 agencies that United Way funds and benefited immensely from them. It was nice to hear that the kids are aware of all the services that are available to them.

The coolest part of this specific location is that at the end of the summer, the kid’s get backpacks full of all the school supplies they need to help them jump start another school year. This reminded me of the backpack event that we team up with the Laborers to provide school supplies from RCSD School #22.

After visiting many of our agencies, it still amazes me all the different programs that are out there.

This is for Willy...

Every time I think about Hillside Family Services, I think of a little boy named Willy- who lived at Hillside. When I was growing up I swam on the YMCA swim team with Willy. There was one meet that I will never forget- it was the East Invitational’s. Willy was about 11 years old and he had been burned over 75% of his body. It came time for his race, and the other swimmers finished several laps ahead of him. Willy kept swimming and on his last lap, everyone in the pool area was on their feet cheering for Willy. When he finally finished- he said that it was the biggest accomplishment of his life! It still gives me goose bumps thinking of that day.

Not only did Hillside help Willy, they help about 7,000 families and 12,000 kids a year. They offer many programs to help kids and families stay on track. United Way funds 4 programs at Hillside. There are many programs that Hillside has all over NYS, but the one that stood out the most to me was the Alternative for Independent Youth. Under this program there are drop in centers where police take the kids if they don’t have a safe home. Hillside also offers the curfew center. At these centers they have programs for teens to get their GED’s or an apartment.

Walking thru the Hillside campus it almost reminded me of the University of Rochester campus- with the old beautiful buildings. They have everything a kid could possibly need and more.

If you haven’t already- check out my blog on Creastwood Family Center- it’s a part of the Hillside Family Agency.

I know that Willy impacted my life- has a Hillside child affected yours?

The Vineyard

Last week I visited The Vineyard – an pie-shaped, 2.7-acre parcel of farm land, tucked away in a northeast neighborhood, not far from the public market

The Vineyard is a project of the Northeast Block Club Alliance and the NorthEast Neighborhood Alliance, a group of neighborhood organizations who are intent on making their neighborhood vibrant again. The farm started as a “vacant” parcel of land, littered with garbage, a few dilapidated buildings, and trees downed by the 1991 ice storm. Now it is a wonderful site: tidy rows of vegetables, poking through black landscaping cloth, are all set up, ready for lots of water and cultivation. Shirley Edwards, who is leading the project, showed me the tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, shallots & onions that have already been planted. Carefully trained along wires, grape vines separate some of the vegetable rows. There are also several fruit trees on the property that provide pears & apples.

Shirley & her crew are in the process of developing an urban agriculture education & training center where the volunteers & neighbors who tend and harvest the crops can prepare food products & sell their wares. I was there because UW gave them a neighborhood mini-grant to purchase some of the equipment for the commercial kitchen. They are also selling their produce at the Public Market & to local restaurants – you’ll see their vegetables being sold under the name of GRUB – Greater Rochester Urban Bounty. Because they’re a not-for-profit, all of the funds that are raised go back into the farm & the neighborhood programs they run. In a neighborhood with fairly few grocery options, their hope is to reconnect the neighbors with healthy food choices that they themselves produce.

As you head towards the back of the property, there is a screened-in gazebo and a series of small flower gardens that have been developed by the neighbors. This may sound like a cliché, but its true: while you’re enjoying those gardens, you completely lose sight of the fact that you standing in the middle of a busy urban neighborhood because the only sounds you hear are the birds singing.

Goodbye to Douglass (but they will keep steppin’!)

Have you ever watched a step team perform? You feel the beat deep down inside and you just can’t sit still. At least that’s how I felt watching the Frederick Douglass Step Team perform. (Click here to see them in action!)

You might be wondering why I might be blogging about a high school step team. Community Place of Greater Rochester, which offers several United Way-funded programs, also hosts a Step Off competition each year. The uniforms each team wears are incredible, but they're also expensive. So, we wanted to reward the team that was able to -collectively - increase their GPA the highest over the school year by helping them pay for their uniforms. The Douglass team showed the greatest academic improvement, so we sponsored them.

To be a member of this step team, which is run by Community Place, the students have to fill several requirements. They have to have a GPA of at least a 2.25 and do community service. Most of the team members raised their GPA from a 2.25 up to a 3.75. They practice every day for several hours. Let me tell you- it’s a lot harder than it looks! I tried doing a couple step moves and my feet and hands were numb!

Since the Frederick Douglass school closed at the end of the school year, the members of the team are going on to different schools. They will be starting at School Without Walls, Edison, and Wilson – some will go to MCC in the fall. But all the steppers all agreed that they will stay together as a team - thru the Community Place.

Leaving Douglass was really hard for this 21 person team, but they have become more like a family because of this. As one of the steppers told me, it’s not just a past time- it’s an obsession. I saw this obsession first hand. Once they started steppin - they wanted to go thru all of their favorite routines.

These students have learned a bigger life lesson than they were planning on. They joined the team for fun and they walked away with more than they ever planned on… including better grades and a stronger commitment to our community. And, that’s the big win.