| Monday, 01 June 2009 | |
6-Point Community Initiative takes a big step forward FreshMinistries’ 6-Point Community Initiative steering committee gathered for the first time Thursday afternoon at the East Jacksonville Neighborhood Resource Center.“This is an opportunity for all of us to be part of something really big,” said the Rev. Dr. Robert V. Lee, chairman and CEO of FreshMinistries. The 6-Point Community Initiative is a multi-pronged approach to revitalizing Jacksonville’s urban core and ensuring families in the 32206 community have the resources necessary to live healthy, happy, productive lives. The purpose of the meeting was to set up separate committees for each of the 6 Points: education, economic development, health, strengthening families, safety and affordable housing. These committees will be making recommendations and identifying partners to help strengthen existing 6-Point programs and bring new ones to the area. They will also help identify individuals to serve on the board of directors. “In other words, we’re putting all of the building blocks in place so the 6-Point plan can grow and become a permanent part of the community,” said Dr. Lee. “We’re already in the neighborhood,” said Beverly Toney, director of the 6-Point Community Initiative. “We’ve created a presence in East Jacksonville and have created numerous partnerships with other like-minded organizations. We hold the focus groups to find out what the community needs, and there are a lot of needs. Now we just need your help to bring it all together, here.” Dr. Jim Burt, co-founder of Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) will chair the health committee, working to bring new and better health care services to the Eastside and find new healthcare partners.  Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals will chair the education committee, also working to find new partnerships and working to bring higher-quality education to the area.Sheriff Rutherford, a long-time partner with FreshMinistries, will be working to further the safety component by working with the City, Code Enforcement and by building a multi-family anti-crime program. Other 6-Point Community Initiative steering committee members are: Janice Love and Michael Wicker, community representatives; Wayne Weaver, Carlton Jones and Rick Ferrin, economic development; Ed Burr and Kerri Stewart for the Mayor, housing and economic development; Toni Crawford and Dr. Steve Wallace, education; Brother Pete Jackson, strengthening families; and Councilman Johnny Gaffney, Council representative. Love and Wicker will be choosing community members to be a part of each of the six individual committees, ensuring the community is strongly involved in every step of its own revitalization. FreshMinistries’ role will be capacity building, working to make the 6-Point Community Initiative sustainable, able to function on its own, owned by the community.  Already, residents are beginning to take ownership of existing FreshMinistries initiatives in the Eastside. For example, the Eastside Neighborhood Association (ENA) has elected its own chairpersons and volunteers to help staff the East Jacksonville Neighborhood Resource Center (EJNRC) when needed, and planned a community garden and plans neighborhood clean-ups.One of the next steps will be to find a location to house the 6-Point Community Initiative; several buildings in the urban core area are being discussed as options. “It will be a hub for the surrounding neighborhoods, and a central location from which to administer the 6-Point plan,” said Dr. Lee. “But most of all, it will show the community that we’re here to stay.” The next 6-Point Community Initiative steering committee meeting will be Thursday, June 25, at the Resource Center. Individual committees will be meeting prior to then.           |
Coming Up
'7 Habits of Successful Families' workshop
(open to the public)
August 7 & 14, 8:30am - 1:00pm
Jacksonville Children’s Commission
Contact
1131 North Laura St.
Jacksonville, FL 32206
Phone: (904) 355-0000
Fax: (904) 355-3004
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
