The first week of June
kicked off NeighborWorks® Week.
Volunteers throughout the Northern Hills communities scraped and
painted homes, cleaned up neighborhoods, swapped plants, and engaged in
multiple community activities.
This year also included Revive Five.
Revive Five was the
result of five Western South Dakota residents attending the NeighborWorks®
America Community Leadership Institute (CLI). The Community Leadership Institute is an
invitation-only, three-day training event that aims to strengthen the voices
and skills of community, resident and volunteer leaders. The CLI is a vehicle
for learning and a forum for discussing community issues and sharing best
practices and solutions to the problems faced by low- to moderate-income
residents. Each CLI has a general theme determined by a team of resident
coordinators. At the end of every CLI, each participating team creates
an action plan so they can effectively bring the knowledge they gained at the
CLI back to their communities and use it to affect positive change.
Revive Five was the challenge that the attendees created to implement in
their communities.
The Challenge of
Revive Five is to impact five homes within visible sight of each another,
utilizing intergenerational partnerships, to make a positive visible impact on
the neighborhood and community.
The end result will improve the appearance of five homes, increase
neighborhood pride and bring the community together.
NeighborWorks® long-term
goal is to implement Revive Five in five communities within in the next five
years, but for now the project has begun with five homes in Rapid City.
Volunteers from the Rapid City Police Department assisted in the selection
process of determining what homes could utilize this service. Five homes throughout the College Park
neighborhood were selected.
Wedsenday, June 20th, Sargent Chris DeGroote, Senior Officer Ron
Terviel, Lemmon Avenue Block Club President John Hagg, and 16-year-old Fernando
Suliveres gathered at Rose Suliveres
home on Lemmon Avenue. The team of
volunteers began replacing and building new steps for her home. Rose stated that she was very thankful
for Revive Five and NeighborWorks®. “ Without this program I would not have
been able to do these repairs.” Rose stated. Rose’s home is greatly in need of new stucco, a fresh
coat of paint, and new steps. “ I have fallen down those steps multiple times,
one time I had to crawl inside before I could pull myself back up. Having new
steps will make my home much more safe.” Rose stated.
Volunteers from
Bank West, Rapid City Police Department, Ketel Thorstensen, Ellsworth Pol
Kats & College Park Block finished one Revive Five home on Blain Avenue, by painting the home and removing
a fence. Professional contractors
will complete rehab on the three of the five homes throughout the College Park
Neighborhood, and a professional tree trimmer will improve the landscaped one of
the five homes. NeighborWorks
America, NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources, and South Dakota Housing
Development Authority provide funding for Revive Five.
Although Revive Five was designed to
improve five homes in one neighborhood, NeighborWorks® offers home
rehab assistance for homeowners throughout Western South Dakota. NeighborWorks®
Dakota Home Resources is a private, non-profit organization that works to
assist families with their dream of homeownership and revitalize communities to
improve the quality of life. Through partnerships with NeighborWorks America, South
Dakota Housing Development Authority and USDA Rural Development, NeighborWorks®
Dakota Home Resources receives funding to provide rehab assistance to low to
moderate-income families. The rehab program offers assistance and a variety of
programs for homeowners.
For more information on the Home
Rehab Assistance, Revive Five or any other programs that NeighborWorks Dakota
Resources, offers please contact Stephany at 605-578-1401 or visit us on the
web at www.neighborworksdhr.org
