The Church and Proximity

How St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Westerville, Ohio created a new narrative for itself and been radically shaped by the community in which it lives and serves.

Restorative Practices: A Toolbox for Turbulent Times

Transcription of John and Peter's May 8, 2018 conversation with Thom Allena about his work in getting justice out of courthouses and into neighborhoods. Thom is a community and organizational psychologist who for nearly thirty-five years has worked in the fields of community and restorative justice, applying creative approaches to respond to crime, violence and group conflict. In Thom’s community justice work, citizens are invited to play active rather than passive roles in determining the shape of justice and become more directly involved in redressing the quality of life issues that are breached by crime.

Associating Associations: The Power of Convening

While many institutions are interested in enabling neighborhoods, they tend to focus on interventions and see convening as a means to their ends. An even more productive function could be to act as a neutral convener.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR the Open Streets Summit 2018 in New Orleans!

The Open Streets Project is partnering with Walk Bike Places and the City of Gretna to deliver an educational Open Streets Summit in Gretna and New Orleans, from September 15-16 2018. Summit Description The Summit will feature a behind the scenes tour of the City of Gretna’s inaugural open streets program, as well as breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and a World Café with open streets champions and organizers from across the continent. The Summit will provide inspiration and practical tips for both -novice and experienced- open streets organizers and supporters from public health, transportation, planning, public space, and policymaking fields....

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Open Streets Project Revamped

The Open Streets Project has undergone some changes over the last year. We bid a sad farewell to project co-founder, the Alliance for Biking & Walking, who are moving on to other things, and we happily welcomed a new partner, international Open Streets leader 8 80 Cities. We are excited for all the possibilities and energy this partnership will bring.

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All Economic Development, All the Time

Bill Taft, the longtime executive director of LISC Indianapolis, has been named senior vice president of economic development for LISC and will be spearheading our work to grow enterprises and create jobs in the places that need them. In the following Q&A, he talks strategy, practice and what it takes to build inclusive local economies in real life.

The Time is Now, to Build an Inclusive Economy

Over the next ten years, LISC will direct 50 percent of our annual investments to fuel inclusive economic development in underinvested communities across America. That means preparing people to take on high quality, well-paying jobs. And it means ramping up our work to help small businesses succeed and transforming vibrant commercial and industrial districts. “We have no doubt that this kind of progress is good for residents, good for communities and good for the country,’ says Maurice A. Jones, LISC CEO.

Catalyzing Kalamazoo

For 15 years, LISC has been investing in Kalamazoo's historic Edison neighborhood, where decades of deindustrialization and decline had severed residents from jobs, educational opportunities and accessible healthcare. Today, gleaming new community facilities and flourishing small businesses are generating good jobs, and preparing people for employment. And resident-led projects to beautify the district and create social bonds are nudging the neighborhood into a more connected, dynamic future.