Grand Valley Magazine Winter 2014 - (Page 23)
Ludie Weddle is
a Host Neighbor
for her block on
Paris Avenue in the
Dickinson School
neighborhood.
photos by Bernadine
Carey-Tucker
Transforming
neighborhoods by
empowering residents
by Dottie Barnes
Ludie Weddle walks along the streets
of her neighborhood on Grand Rapids'
southeast side, encouraged by the
changes she sees.
"It's cleaner, the neighbors know
each other better and look after each
other," said Weddle. "The children at
the elementary school are getting free
tutoring after school."
Weddle has lived in what's known as
the Dickinson School neighborhood
for 35 years. The area covers 36 blocks
between Hall and Griggs streets and
Jefferson and Union avenues. About
2,000 residents live in the area - 30
percent are living below the poverty
level, 66 percent are single parents and
75 percent of the children at Dickinson
Elementary qualify for the state's free
lunch program.
Despite those statistics, positive
changes have been made in the
neighborhood since a grassroots
initiative called Seeds of Promise began
in 2005. Dozens of volunteers from area
businesses and organizations have come
along side Seeds of Promise, including
students, faculty and staff from a
broad spectrum of departments at
Grand Valley.
The philosophy behind the initiative
is to empower residents to make their
own decisions to improve their quality
of life.
"Empowering people is the only way
to be successful," said Ron Jimmerson,
president and co-founder of Seeds of
Promise. "It's a 'bottom-up concept.'
The people of the neighborhood come
up with their own strategies to direct
their destiny."
Norman Christopher, executive
director of the Sustainable Community
Development Initiative at Grand Valley,
has been on the board of Seeds of
Promise since the beginning.
23
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Grand Valley Magazine
http://www.gvsu.edu
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Grand Valley Magazine Winter 2014
Campus News
International Education
Arts
Athletics
Donor Impact
Covenant House provides education, opportunity
Going the extra Medical Mile
Seeds of Promise
Student media: creating community, content and careers
Q&A Bill Holsinger-Robinson
Research
Off the Path
Alumni
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