Unify South Dallas

The Dallas Morning News published an editorial opinion in Thursday's print editions of the paper supporting the Unify South Dallas movement. 

Central Dallas Ministries' VP of Public Policy, Rev. Gerald Britt has been instrumental in the formation and work of the group.  The growing influence of the community-based group is really encouraging to watch. 

Here's a taste of our major news daily's evaluation of Unify Dallas: 

South Dallas group creates its own action plan


Many Dallas residents might not think it remarkable for the mayor to show up in their neighborhood and answer questions. The fact that Unify South Dallas considered it a big victory just to get Mayor Tom Leppert into the building Tuesday says a lot about the level of past city neglect.

Unify South Dallas, formed just a few months ago, is fast becoming one of the most effective organizations at work in this part of town. It exists to help residents and other stakeholders become full partners in shaping the revitalization efforts designed to bring economic growth to their neighborhoods.
The driving force is IKOJA, a group of young professionals and entrepreneurs, supported by people with experience in this struggle. Together they have rallied neighborhood associations, places of worship, businessmen and women, community advocates and such groups as SouthFair CDC and Frazier Revitalization.

The Forest Heights Community Center was packed for Leppert's appearance, with more than 75 people showing up in the middle of the day. The community meeting was significant for several reasons:

•Leppert not only carved out time to attend (and stay longer than he planned), but he listened to each agenda item from the group and generally gave thoughtful, frank answers. City Manager Mary Suhm was also there, as were staffers representing U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson and state Sen. Royce West.

•The group's action items, crafted through numerous grassroots meetings, are concrete policy proposals, rather than broadly stated desires. They include specific actions to create mixed-income neighborhoods, curb the havoc wrought by bars and liquor stores, and set aside jobs in city-subsidized commercial developments for South Dallas residents. (Leppert offered informed support for the first item, pointed out that the second is the responsibility of individual council members and largely rejected the third as unworkable.)

•The most immediate victory involves national developer McCormack Baron Salazar, hired to assess economic development opportunities in South Dallas. Leppert promised to have the developer brief the South Dallas community no later than it addressed the City Council's Economic Development Committee. (Of special interest to McCormack Baron Salazar is the Green Line through South Dallas.)

Although City Council member Carolyn Davis, who represents much of South Dallas, was in San Antonio on Tuesday for a weeklong National League of Cities conference, she's back in time to hold two town hall meetings today: 10 a.m. at the Exline Recreation Center and 6 p.m. on the sixth floor of Dallas City Hall.

We wouldn't be surprised if she fielded questions around the Unify South Dallas proposals. We certainly hope she does. South Dallas residents should hope that the ensuing dialogue starts a collaboration between their elected council member and an energetic, savvy new force.

Read the entire report, including other data in side bars here.

Standing on the shoulders of a hero

The iphone photo quality leaves something to be desired, but I wouldn't take anything for the moment or the image. 

Rev. Dr. Zan Wesley Holmes has led the way for two, and likely now three, generations of Dallas folks concerned about pursuing a community ethic defined by a commitment to and a concern for justice. 

For years Dr. Holmes led the influential St. Luke's "Community" United Methodist Church here in Dallas.  From his days over 50 years ago at Perkins Theological Seminary until this past week at the Justice Revival, Dr. Holmes has demonstrated an unyielding commitment to seeing justice established in our community. 

Arguably the most influential voice in the Dallas Civil Rights Movement across five decades, Dr. Holmes has pointed the way, paid the price and prompted all of us to join in the fight. 

This photo, taken on the last evening of the Justice Revival Dallas, captured a wonderful moment that I shared with him. 

I remember years ago when I was considering a job change, Dr. Holmes was the first person that I called.  He gave me good advice.  More than that, it was very clear to me that he cared about my life, my work and my future. 

Just before this photo was taken, I told Dr. Holmes that my generation and those younger than me were indebted to him and his leadership, that we are "standing on your shoulders" as we pursue our work.  He responded with his trademark humility. 

Dr. Holmes provided the keynote address on the first night of the Justice Revival.  But he returned each of the two following nights to lend his support to the effort.  Typical Zan Holmes. 

I consider myself blessed to know him and to count him as a dear friend and a trusted, proven guide.

Hal Samples and Willie Baronet: HOME

Picked this up from Front Burner, the DMagazine blog site.

Hal Samples has a studio next door to the Main Street offices of the Central Dallas Community Development Corporation.


Willie Baronet Exhibit at Hal Samples' Gallery from Cindy Chaffin on Vimeo.

Not knowing what to do with a radical Jesus

If you read the teachings of Jesus and observe what the Gospels claim that he actually did, you must conclude that he lived a radical life.  This conclusion appears especially evident when you stop to compare his lifestyle and expressed values with the ordinary, run of the mill U. S. Christian. 

Luke 4:16ff reports on an early speech that Jesus delivered in the synagogue in his hometown.  Many consider these words the basis of his first sermon.  During that address, Jesus outlined his understanding of his personal mission in life.  It is quite the litany, especially when compared to the apparent mission understandings of most churches and most church members these days. 

Here's the mission statement Jesus shared with the crowd who gathered in the Nazareth house of prayer:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

I've been pondering during the past few days how the church has rewritten that mission statement in America.  Here's what I believe is an accurate mission statement for many congregations in the mainstream church today and for typical members of such congregations:

"The requirements of common sense are forced upon me to bring a word of direction to the disaffected middle-class materialists among whom I live and with whom I identify so strongly.  God has sent me to proclaim release to those imprisoned in unsatisfying relationships and held captive by basic negative self-images; to unlock the chains of self-imposed limits and open every eye to the possibilities bound up in a life lived to the full, to set free slaves to unrestrained debt by means of creative 'work outs' and to proclaim the year of infinite possibilities, especially for our children."

I'm certain that there are other ways to rewrite the mission.  But this one will have to do for today. 

There is a reason why most churches don't act as if they share Jesus' concern for the poor, the impoverished, the economically distressed, as in "po folks." 

There is a reason why most churches don't reach out to the prisoners, those locked up in need of compassion, love, mercy and liberation.

There is a reason why the church is not positioned near the blind, and by implication the unhealthy, the uninsured and the cast offs of our culture.

There is a reason why most church members don't know what the "year of the Lord's favor" is all about; why they don't really know what the Year of Jubilee involved or why Jesus embraced it as his defining mandate for his entire life. 

It's all about mission and self-understanding; purpose and reason to exist. 

Of course, there are exceptions to my critique.  You easily can prove up the fact that your church falls into the exceptional category.  Just check this year's budget. 
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Permanent Supportive Housing 101 (Part 2)

National research and on-the-ground experience indicates that providing homeless persons with a permanent place in which to live with optional, supportive services available on location is by far the most effective intervention available. 

Go figure. 

The solution to homelessness?  

Ladies and gentlemen, we have it!

A place to call home. 

So simple it seems ridiculous, huh? 

So, what is permanent supportive housing (PSH)?

3.  Who lives in supportive housing?  Pretty much anyone who needs housing due to their homelessness.  People with mental illness, addictions, senior citizens, families with children, youth who "age out" of the foster care system, people with HIV/AIDS, the chronically homeless, the disabled--the list is almost as diverse as the full range of the human experience.

4.  What sort of services are available with PSH?  Almost whatever a tenant needs, requests or will utilize.  At Central Dallas Ministries we speak of our supportive housing service delivery team as our "Concierge Staff."  The list of services if almost endless and includes mental and physical health services, transportation, life skills, counseling, community interaction, legal services, entertainment, connection to churches, opera tickets!  A key factor in providing services is that the tenant must request them. 

5.  Is PSH more costly than allowing people to remain homeless?  No.  PSH reduces the use of some of a typical community's most expensive human services.  Included in the "services avoided" list are hospital emergency room visits, hospitalizations, psychiatric services, police and fire department, emergency medical response teams, countless non-profit programs and interventions. 

During the first year of CDM's PSH initiative we conducted a totally unscientific survey of just 7 of our tenants.  We asked each how many times they had been hospitalized in the year prior to entering our housing and how many times they had been in the hospital during the year since entering our program.  The results were stunning:  17 visits in the year prior to getting an apartment and just 2 vists during the first year in housing. 

Experts report that at the very worst the economic impact of providing and operating PSH compared to the costs associated with leaving people on the streets is a wash.  Most studies report a net cost savings when a community provides housing for its homeless population.

Awakened from my sleep while thinking out loud. . .

Please refer to yesterday's post.  Go ahead.  I'll wait for you.
_______________________________

Okay, now. 

Cost to keep a person locked up in Texas:  $140 per day or $51,100 per year.

Ready for this? 

Cost of one month of mental health care via Medicaid per patient:  $145 per month or $1,740 per year.

Anyone out there see any clue as to why we have a few problems in the Great State of Texas?

Anyone, just anyone at all awake in Austin? 

Hello, down there? 

Any preacher gotta sermon to preach?

Any voter a letter to write?

Any business owner a call to make?

Any neighborhood association a trip to organize? 

Come on, people, let me hear it for some better thinking! 

How on earth did we get here? 

Long way from "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Thinking out loud. . .

Fact:  $140 per day to keep a person locked up in a Texas Department of Corrections prison facility. 

Annualized cost for this "service" per inmate:  $51,100.00.

Is it just me or, with these kinds of readily available resources, might there be a better way to respond to much of the prison population than the manner in which we currently work? 

Given the rippling, better, long term tidal wave affect of incarceration on families, neighborhoods and individuals, I know there is a better way to use these funds. 

Just thinking out loud.

Permanent Supportive Housing 101 (Part 1)

As a social challenge, homelessness feels familiar to most of us. 

What are not so familiar in our experience are real, workable solutions to the problem. 

For most of us, the word "homeless" conjures up all sorts of negative images of shelter beds, panhandlers, extremely poor individuals with nowhere to go or rest or stop from the daily parade around the city.  Homelessness is about cardboard box cities and hunger and addiction and mental illness and near complete instability. 

But, there is another side to the story or conversation, an exciting, encouraging, workable, revolutionary dimension that needs to be more fully introduced to our urban centers in the United States.  This alternative narrative is being shaped, crafted and created by a new, very encouraging reality or technology:  permanent supportive housing.

Over the next several days, I intend to raise questions and provide answers regarding this fascinating approach to actually ending or drastically altering the status of the chronic homeless among us.

1.  So, what is permanent supportive housing (PSH)?   PSH is permanent, affordable housing coupled with robust supportive services that are available on site to assist formerly homeless residents get what they need and desire to live independently with personal satisfaction and a sense of well-being.  In most cases tenants in PSH projects hold a lease to a dwelling, usually an apartment, which ensures their housing stability.  Rents do not exceed 1/3 of whatever the tenant's income may be and usually are subsidized.  Support services prove most effective when they are offered as an option, with the decision-making left to the tenant as to whether or not to  take advantage of available services and benefits.  Service providers who do this work best often operate their case management protocols much like concierge services in a fine hotel. 

2.  What does PSH look like?  Usually a great deal like the surrounding neighborhood.  Our PSH units are identical to all of the other housing units in their complexes.  The PSH units at http://www.citywalkatakard.com/, the Downtown building redeveloped by the Central Dallas CDC, look the same and the building will be operated in the same high-quality manner as other buildings in our central business district neighborhood.  As one source puts it, the goal is "to be either the nicest building on the block or 'invisible' to enhance desirability for neighbors and tenants. 

More on PSH to follow.

[Thanks to the Corporation for Supportive Housing for the information, framing and background for this post.]

Sittin' at the "welcome table"

Here's a new look at the old, oft forgotten faith that works itself out in the real world with high- powered impact.




We're gonna sit at the welcome table.

We're gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days.

Hallelujah!. . .

All God's children around that table. . .

No more fightin' or grabbin' at that table. . .

I'm gonna walk the streets of glory. . .

I'm gonna get my civil rights. . .

We're goanna sit at the table one of these days.

Out my front door. . .

The photos below aren't so clear--taken with my phone from across the street and from an upstairs window.  The first shot doesn't capture very well the long line of men, women and children extending down the sidewalk to the left from our front door all the way to the corner, but they are there.

I wanted to capture the scene and the moment without being obvious or intrusive on our friends and neighbors. 

Over 100 folks waiting outside our door when I arrived for work at about 8:00 a.m. on Friday. 

This is reality outside my door most every day. 

So far in 2009, over 1.5MM pounds of high-quality, mostly nutritious food products distributed to the community in an attempt to provide a helpful supplement to household resources, mostly on the decline. 

Much to do. 

Much to consider. 

Arguments about responses of people of faith pretty well evaporate for me when I see scenes like this one. 

Brick City

Have you checked out "Brick City"?

Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, provides new leadership for all interested in total urban renewal and community redevelopment.

For a taste of the Sundance Channel series have a look:

Churches and support of urban development

At Central Dallas Ministries, as our revenue and budgets have grown, the percentage of income provided directly from churches has been on a steady decline for many years.  The decline concerns me.  I suppose my concern is rooted in how I understand the basic values of faith and the priorities of the faith community.

More recently, we've noted a real decline in funding provided, not only as a percentage measured against our budget, but in tems of real dollars sent our way. 

Our assumption regarding the more recent trend has been that the economic downturn has affected congregations in a negative manner. 

Then, I read a report from the Philanthropy News Digest. 

Here's a taste of the article: 

Most Congregations Saw Contributions Increase or Hold Steady in First Half of 2009, Report Finds

During the first half of 2009, and despite the deepening recession, more than two-thirds of congregations in the United States saw their fundraising results increase or remain the same on a year-over-year basis, a new report from the Alban Institute and the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University finds.

Based on a survey of more than 1,500 congregations — most of which are members of the Alban Institute — the 2009 Congregational Economic Impact Study (53 pages, PDF) found that nearly 37 percent of respondents reported a year-over-year increase in fundraising revenues over the period, 34 percent said their revenues were flat, and nearly 30 percent experienced a decline in revenues. Last year, about 22 percent of congregations reported a decline in revenues over the previous year.

In response, a third of respondents said they had cut their budgets in 2009. . . .

To read the entire report click here.

So, what do you think?  Why aren't congregations more involved in urban development and renewal efforts?

Today's Dallas Morning News: Justice Revival Dallas

Click here for to read Norma Adams-Wade's report on the Justice Revival Dallas!

Preview Dallas Justice Revival

Join us each night, November 10-12, 2009 at Dallas Market Hall for the Dallas Justice Revival!

Time for a new ecumenical action?

In the late 1940s here in Dallas, an ecumenical impulse paved the way for the formation in 1950 of a collection of churches representing a number of different denominations.  Originally formed as the Dallas Council of Churches, the group gathered at East Dallas Christian Church to launch its important work.  Eventually known as the Greater Dallas Community of Churches (GDCC), the ecumenical association spoke to some of the community's most pressing social, cultural, political and religious issues and concerns. 

Chief among the early concerns facing and addressed by GDCC were matters of race and civil rights.  Much of the discussion and progressive work accomplished relative to race relations and civil rights in Dallas throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s took place among and was orchestrated by the group. 

Much more could be reported concerning the history of GDCC.  Ecumenical dialogue and understanding, interfaith understanding, children's issues, education, community health and wellness, peace and justice work, livable wage and the economy--these and other important matters concerned and occupied the time and attention of GDCC. 

At one point the organization boasted a membership of over 300 congregations. 

By the late 1990s, GDCC moved into the last phase of its organizational life.  A number of reasons stood behind the dissolution of the group in 2005.  But, we can hold that discussion for another time, possibly by some other blogger.

I bring this up simply to say, Dallas needs a new ecumenical expression today. 

That said, I'd hasten to add that our very different times call for a much different response on the ecumenical front. 

What's needed to day, in my view at least, is not so much think tank, focus group or endless conversation.  Rather, what Dallas needs from Christians of all varieties and traditions is faith-formed action. 

Dallas needs a new, energetic, ecumenical action. 

To be successful, action must define, energize and direct any new, organized, sustainable ecumenical movement.

I think the upcoming Dallas area Justice Revival (November 10-12, 2009 at Dallas Market Hall) offers Dallas the platform necessary for organizing a completely new ecumenical presence, an interdenominational movement defined by determined, continuing action. 

The Justice Revival brings to Dallas a call to action on behalf of area public schools and in support of new housing policies and development for our chronically homeless neighbors.  Combining a robust ecumenism with insistence on continued action, the Dallas Justice Revival (click for great commentary) could launch a new, relevant, organized movement of unity and purpose among Christians of all sorts. 

That's the intention. 

That's the hope. 

Look for me at the Justice Revival.  I'll be looking for you!

Green is now!

The New York Times published an extremely interesting story about non-profit organizations and the arriving "green" economy.  In many ways, non-profits are leading the charge with groundbreaking moves. 

Here's a taste of the story:

Nonprofit Groups Spin Off Green Ventures
by Sally Ryan
October 28, 2009

Sweet Beginnings, a line of urban honey and natural body care products, is part of a growing trend among small businesses: for-profit ventures spun off by nonprofit groups that teach skills for green jobs. Mario Casasnovas was on the green roof of the Bronx County Building a couple of weeks ago, remembering the flowers there in the summer and offering some tips about handling the sedum that is the main plant on the roof.

“The roots from the clover,” a weed, “tend to wrap around the roots of a sedum,” he said, nine floors above the Grand Concourse, near Yankee Stadium. “You’ve got to be careful not to pull out the sedum with the clover.”

Mr. Casasnovas, an employee of SmartRoofs L.L.C., was doing routine maintenance on the vegetative roof, which his company installed in June 2003. The company, based in the Bronx, is one of the few green roofers in the New York metropolitan area. But what makes SmartRoofs even more unusual is that it is part of a tiny but growing trend among small businesses: for-profit ventures spun off by nonprofit groups that teach the job skills necessary to join the nascent green economy.

SmartRoofs was developed by the nonprofit group Sustainable South Bronx, which also runs the Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training, one of the country’s first efforts to train people for green-collar jobs. The program now trains more than 60 low-income workers each year, using funds from a variety of sources, mostly outside government.

Only a handful of these small businesses exist across the country. “These social enterprises are early adopters of green industry,” Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, chief executive of Green for All, a national organization working to create green economic opportunities in disadvantaged communities, said via e-mail. “These ventures are paving the way for mainstream business to integrate the concept of green jobs into everyday practices.”

Read the entire report by clicking here.

Reactions?
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"Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law." 

Immanuel Kant
Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

A Night to Remember and CDM

We love to be in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center every year for A Night to Remember!

A Night to Remember 2010???

Next year, maybe? What do ya think?

Gotta love this!

If you live in and love my world, you gotta love this!

10,000 hours

Take a look at this!

Randy Mayeux, Steve Martin and Malcolm Gladwell--great company!

Half the Sky

A book we all should consider reading. . .and acting upon in our various corners of the world. 

Conservative, Evangelical Christians on Immigration Reform

On Oct. 8 the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) voted without dissent in support of cmpre-hensive, national immigration reform.  NAE president Leith Anderson rallied and solidified the troops to see this position paper and value statement adopted after a couple of years of intensive study. 


The U. S. Congress would do well to read the document. 


Here's a taste for your consideraiton: 

Immigration 2009

The significant increase in immigration and the growing stridency of the national debate on immigration compel the National Association of Evangelicals to speak boldly and biblically to this challenging topic. The complexity of immigration issues provides an opportunity to mine Scripture for guidance. A biblically informed position provides a strong platform for the NAE to make a contribution in the public square that will be explicitly Christian. Out of commitment to Scripture and knowledge of national immigration realities comes a distinct call to action.

Biblical Foundations

Discussion of immigration and government immigration policy must begin with the truth that every human being is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). Immigrants are made in the image of God and have supreme value with the potential to contribute greatly to society. Jesus exemplifies respect toward others who are different in his treatment of the Samaritans (Luke 10:30-37; John 4:1-42).

The Bible contains many accounts of God’s people who were forced to migrate due to hunger, war, or personal circumstances. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the families of his sons turned to Egypt in search of food. Joseph, Naomi, Ruth, Daniel and his friends, Ezekiel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all lived in foreign lands. In the New Testament, Joseph and Mary fled with Jesus to escape Herod’s anger and became refugees in Egypt. Peter referred to the recipients of his first letter as “aliens” and “strangers,” perhaps suggesting that they were exiles within the Roman Empire. These examples from the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s hand in the movement of people and are illustrations of faith in God in difficult circumstances.

Migration was common in the ancient world. Outsiders were particularly vulnerable. They stood outside the kinship system that regulated the inheritance of property. They did not have extended family to care for them in case of need. The Law recognized their helplessness and stipulated measures that served as a safety net. The motivations behind this generous spirit were that the people of God were not to forget that they had been strangers in Egypt (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:33-34) and that God loved the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:18-19). The New Testament adds that all believers are spiritual sojourners on earth (Phil. 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11). Christians should show compassion and hospitality to outsiders (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2).

The Bible does not offer a blueprint for modern legislation, but it can serve as a moral compass and shape the attitudes of those who believe in God. An appreciation of the pervasiveness of migration in the Bible must temper the tendency to limit discussions on immigration to Romans 13 and a simplistic defense of “the rule of law.” God has established the nations (Deut. 32:8; Acts 17:26), and their laws should be respected. Never-theless, policies must be evaluated to reflect that immigrants are made in the image of God and demonstrate biblical grace to the foreigner.

To read the entire statement click here.

Reactions?
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An observation. . .

Jesus never told or asked rich people how they intended to "convert" the poor.

Rather, he offered invitations like, "Give all you have to the poor and come and follow me."

Maybe our ministry is really to and for the well-to-do--a ministry of giving it all away. 

What do you think?

Immigration: An Interactive "Explorer" Resource

The New York Times offers a very interesting interactive "immigration explorer" that allows users to target the entire nation, county by county to understand immigration patterns in the US since 1880. 

To view the map and explore for yourself, click here.

You and/or your group can furnish a home for a homeless person

People frequently ask me, "Larry, what can I/we do to help a homeless person?" 

Or, "What can I/we do to make a real difference in the life of a 'poor' person?"

Often, folks are looking for up close and personal moments, times that are very difficult to "arrange" without the loss of dignity or authenticity. 

Almost universally, though, those who ask about what they can do, really mean it. 

People want to do something.  They seek tangible involvement.  They want to look back and be able to say, at a minimum, "I did it!"

Defining the "it" is the challenge!

Well, here is something you, your family (possibly as part of an alternative Christmas giving approach), your business, your civic club, your Sunday School or Sabbath School class, your fraternity or sorority can actually do:  furnish one of the apartments set aside at CityWalk @Akard, our new building located at 511 N. Akard in Downtown Dallas.

Above you'll see a visual of the furniture for a typical studio apartment floor plan.  In addition, with my plan you'll also be furnishing the basics for cooking, cleaning and just living in a new place. 

The cost to completely outfit a unit with everything a person will need to set up housekeeping? 

$3,700.00.

Interested in putting your name on a unit? 

Email me at ljames@CentralDallasMinistries.org.

Prison and fathers

Working in inner city Dallas has made me very aware of the impact of prisons on neighborhoods and families. We spend far too much on locking people up, when we should be directing our resources at preparing people for life.

My good friend, Rev. George King sent me this clip created out of the experience of one young man.

Dallas police ticketed 39 drivers in 3 years for not speaking English | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

Dallas police ticketed 39 drivers in 3 years for not speaking English | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

Posted using ShareThis

Two other very troubling reports in our paper this morning. . .

1 of 6 Americans classified as "living in poverty"

a new homeless doll now available for children at Christmas this year

More later. . .

RBI

Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) has been at it for twenty years. 

My experience in coaching inner city youth a few years back taught me that baseball serves as a great tool for building community and cooperation across a number of traditional and useless barriers. 

Check out the RBI story here. 

CDM lands award for "digital connections" training for youth

Janet Morrison, Director of Education Outreach at Central Dallas Ministries, decided to write a grant to establish a "digital connectors" group in the Roseland Homes community to benefit teens involved in our educational efforts. 

Well, guess what?  Her grant was judged a winner and CDM received funding to provide this amazing training to our teens!

Wireless carrier companies donated $1 million to train 360 urban youth in the latest wireless and digital technologies. 

Learn more about the concept here.  Once at the site, scroll down the column on the left to "One Economy Wireless" to view the interview about the program and the awards.

Way to go, Janet!