Evansville, Indiana (February 20, 2010) – Habitat for Humanity of Evansville and its partners with the Glenwood Community Development Initiative met Saturday, Feb. 20, for its fifth Community Discussion. They gave updates on progress seen so far and discussed forming a development corporation to drive the initiative. A corporation with an executive director will allow greater concentration on community mobilization and economic development.

“There are a lot of things that need to happen that we can’t do,” said Lori Reed, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Evansville. “We can help start up new ideas, but there’s no entity that can own the entire initiative and push it long term.”

Partners of the initiative include the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation, the Welborn Foundation, the Glenwood Neighborhood Association and many others. They have been meeting for nearly two years to map out strategies that will revitalize the Glenwood neighborhood, bordered by U.S. 41, Veterans Memorial Parkway and Riverside Drive.

Last year they formed six priority teams to focus on areas that residents said in focus groups needed addressing. These areas are housing, education, clean and green, business and commerce, safety and health and well being.

The teams and residents already have undertaken several activities to improve the neighborhood, including clean-up days, a community garden and a health fair. Habitat for Humanity of Evansville has planned a development called Shadewood Place, next to the Glenwood Middle School, that will include 19 Habitat homes and four market-rate homes built by Bussing Construction. Construction on it will begin in the summer.

The business and commerce team is working on developing a retail district at Riverside Drive and Governor Street. Team leader Steve Moore has had conversations with several businesses that indicated they will consider locating in the Glenwood area if the district comes through. Moore also wants to bring in restaurants and a farmers market.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation is transforming the Glenwood school into a K-8 Leadership Academy that will focus on leadership development and community partnerships. Last year school officials hosted a Leadership Summit with Leadership Evansville, and students are engaged in research projects to write a book about the history of the John M. Culver Elementary School.

There are also plans to implement Project CHILD, a research-based teaching model that emphasizes reading, writing and math with social studies and science incorporated into the curriculums. Three teachers will form a cluster and will work with the same students for three years, k-2 and 3-5.

“Project CHILD schools have proven to be effective,” said Carrie Hillyard, principal of both the Glenwood and Culver schools. “Students are independent, self-regulated and engaged, and they are problem solvers.” Hillyard will be principal of the k-8 school next year when it opens.

Partners also created a blog for Glenwood residents and other interested parties. You can sign up and discuss what you would like to see in the Glenwood neighborhood.

After the teams gave updates about their plans for this year, they discussed what they needed as well.

• Housing – Habitat will need volunteers to help with construction of homes. If interested, call Alaina Bartley, Habitat volunteer coordinator, at (812) 423-5623.
• Education – Glenwood school officials want to connect students with the community through service-learning projects. The school also needs a digital marquee to inform the community of ongoing projects. Call Carrie Hillyard at (812) 435-8242 for more information.
• Health and Wellness – Anyone with a passion to create a healthy community is welcome to join this team. Contact Andrea Hayes at (812) 437-8260 for more information.
• Business and Commerce – The Business and Commerce team wants more information on what retail Glenwood residents want in the neighborhood. Contact Steve Moore at (812) 987-8045 for more information.

If you would like more information about the Glenwood Community Development Initiative, please call Lori Reed, Habitat executive director, at (812) 423-5623.