Neighborhood
Technical Assistance Center (NTAC)
A
collaborative project of the East St. Louis Community Development Block Grant,
Inc.
and the
University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Monthly Report - October,
1997
Summary
#
of Neighborhood Organizations assisted:
#
of Faith-Based Organizations assisted:
#
of Municipal Agencies assisted:
#
of Individuals assisted:
Introduction
October
saw the commencement of the NTAC’s Training Schedule which includes Internet
Training (October), Non-Profit Management Training (November) and Grantsmanship
Training (December) and was also a month that saw NTAC staff members give
presentations at national conferences about positive changes occurring in East
St. Louis.
NTAC
staff conducted Internet training for five (5) organizations, including
Operation New Spirit, the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities,
Emerson Park Development Corporation, Neighborhood Law Office, and Aldersgate
Community Development Agency. The
purpose of this training is to familiarize local residents and organizations
with the Internet and encourage them to utilize it for research, fundraising,
and data gathering necessary for their non-profits. A copy of the materials are attached.
NTAC
staff gave presentations on East St. Louis community planning activities at the
National Society for Experiential Education/Association of Collegiate Schools
of Planning in Kansas City, Missouri and at the American Society of Planning
Historians in Seattle, Washington. The
Kansas City, Missouri presentation, given by Patricia Nolan, focused on
University-Community partnerships, while the Seattle, Washington presentation,
given by Damon Smith, focused on the history of planning in East St.
Louis. All of these opportunities are
used by NTAC staff to highlight the positive changes occurring in East St.
Louis because of the partnership between East St. Louis CDBG Operations, the
University of Illinois, and the neighborhood organizations throughout the city.
Aldersgate Community
Development Agency
NTAC
staff provided Reverend Marcheta McCoy with Internet training and access so
that she could search for potential funding sources for her agency.
Alta Sita Neighbors, Inc.
The
NTAC was asked to recruit twenty-four University of Illinois volunteers on
October 17th and 18th to clean 17 lots, backyards and basements, demolish and
reconstruct a fence, clean an URPS mini-park, and clear a lot around a
CDBG-funded rehabilitated home. All of
these efforts were in support of low and moderate income residents in the
neighborhood identified by Alta Sita Neighbors, Inc.
Community Sites /Operation
New Spirit
NTAC
staff, in partnership with Rev. Johnnie Davis of Community Sites and Toya Nash
of Operation New Spirit cleaned and cleared lots in Olivette Park. Community residents outnumbered University
of Illinois volunteers at these sites.
East St. Louis Planning
Commission
NTAC
staff attended the East St. Louis Planning Commission meetings on Thursday October,
9 and provided sample bylaws for review by the commission.
Edgemont Neighborhood
Association/ Ms. Bootchee
At
the request of the Edgemont Neighborhood Association the NTAC staff spent Friday,
October 31 winterizing the home of Ms. Bootchee, a mentally impaired low-income,
elderly resident at 8316 Grimont. Ms.
Bootchee receives $465/month in income and owes $350/month in rent. Ms. Bootchee’s windows were caulked and
sealed by the entire NTAC staff.
Emerson Park Development
Corporation (EPDC)
NTAC
staff developed Emerson Park recruitment brochures and flyers for the
neighborhood organization. Twelve
University of Illinois volunteers worked with local residents to knock on
doors, pass out flyers and informed residents how to get involved in the
neighborhood organization. NTAC staff supervised
twelve other students who conducted a land use survey that collected building
condition, site condition, number of street trees, and land use for all 2,000
parcels in Emerson Park.
Good Shepard Shelter
NTAC
staff assisted Rev. Parthenia Morgan with tracking her utility bill and budgeting
her expenses for the rest of the fiscal year.
In addition, staff researched the feasibility of DCCA funding and CILA Group
Home state certification for Good Shepard.
As a result of that research staff will assist Good Shepard in preparing
a DCCA grant.
Katherine Dunham Centers for
Arts and Humanities
NTAC
staff provided Internet training to Jeanelle Stovall, Associate Director of the
Katherine Dunham Centers, and developed an Annual Report for the centers. In addition staff assisted with the
preparation of a quarterly report for the Benton Foundation grant that was used
to purchase a computer.
Volunteers
were recruited to rebuild a porch at the Dunham residence. This project was led by Craig Miller, NTAC
design specialist. Mr. Miller also
conducted an assessment of the Dunham Museum and began preparing specifications
for plumbing repairs to be funded by CDBG.
Lansdowne Improvement
Association
NTAC
was asked to recruit University of Illinois volunteers to clean lots as part of
Lansdowne’s URPS project. University of
Illinois volunteers were used as in-kind match on this project.
Olivette Park Neighborhood Association
NTAC
staff assisted Olivette Park with their largest annual gathering, the Olivette
Park Neighborhood Halloween Party.
Staff assisted by drafting a fundraising letter, recruiting volunteers
and staffing the event. In addition,
staff recruited 12 University of Illinois volunteers to clean and clear the
Bolden Community Garden in preparation for future landscaping with URPS funds.
Senior Citizens Services of
St. Clair County (SCA)
NTAC
staff assisted SCA with the development of a fundraising letter and scheme for
their annual open house.
Winstanley/Industry Park
Neighborhood Organization
The
NTAC asked the University to supply volunteers to clean out an abandoned
apartment building and adjacent property at 1845-47 St. Louis Avenue. This site is a part of a CDBG-funded rental
rehabilitation program.
Budget*
Vendor |
Budget Category |
Amount |
Damon Y. Smith, Director |
Salary |
$3,210.00 |
Craig Miller, Architect |
Salary |
$2,633.33 |
U of I Benefits |
Benefits |
$1,198.47 |
C.L. Wicks |
Rent |
$750.00 |
Union Electric |
Utilities |
$157.05 |
Illinois Power |
Utilities |
$19.47 |
|
TOTAL |
$7,968.32 |
*
See attached bills and time sheets