As we do neighborhood development in the East End of Henderson and in Evansville’s Jacobsville neighborhood, we consistently see a need to create collaboration between various resources in the community and the specific needs of the neighbors. Community One is a new organization formed out of Evansville to serve the Tri-State with the following mission:

Community One: Our mission is to create and maintain sustainable, low-income housing in our community by focusing resources on repair, weatherization and rehab projects that restore decent, affordable housing in under-served neighborhoods.

Our good friend and Outreach Pastor from Crossroads Christian Church, Eric Cummings is serving as the Executive Director of Community One. Eric has been extensively involved in the Glenwood Project and brings a diverse background of community development to the leadership of this local team.

The most important contribution that Community One brings to the work of Engage, community volunteers and local churches in Henderson and Evansville is a web based, database of specific projects in neighborhoods that have been identified as needs. Once the projects are identified and posted, coaches will validate the needs and resources and provide leadership to deploy teams to serve.

As stated on the Community One web site:

This website is the project coordination hub of our work. We invite homeowners in genuine need to seek assistance with housing repairs from their neighbors, and we invite community residents and organizations to join volunteer project teams to provide assistance to neighbors with these needs. 

Stay tuned for the opportunity to start the process of coach training and posting of local opportunities.

For more information go to Community1.org

There are 6 teams in the Engage Henderson process that are tackling the 6 big priorities that were identified by the community.

Are we making progress?

Here are some updates:

• East End Survey - The neighborhood has been divided into 31 grids, to identify where there are abandoned or dilapidated homes, vacant lots, broken sidewalks, homes that need new or repaired roofs, lots where there is trash that needs to be picked up,etc.  This survey data is being dropped into a mapping database, so that we can identify specific areas that need the most attention and where volunteer labor can have the greatest impact….by simply looking at a map. We would like to have this done by the end of April.
• Summer Block Party - The volunteer survey will give us an inventory of the condition of the neighborhood, but progress won’t happen without involvement of the very people we are trying to help.  A summer block party is being planned to provide food and fun,but more importantly ENGAGE neighbors in the East End vision. Survey results, a drawing/renderiong of a possible ‘future’ East End ‘look’ with bike paths, a Community Center, an Historic/Arts District, and other ‘possibilities’ will be showcased to get reactions from East End residents.  A Leadership team has been recruited for this event and planning on where and when is underway.
• WiFi - an application for a grant money to fund one WiFi node in the Arts/Historic District has been submitted to the State of Kentucky.  This technology would provide one more ‘draw’ for people to visit the ‘East End Arts/Historic District’.
• Community Garden - the City of Henderson is looking at a piece of property in the middle of the East End to establish a Community Garden that would be available for planting next Spring.  A native Hendersonian ‘Master Gardner’ has volunteered to lead this effort….so that East-enders who want to be ENGAGED in gardening make this happen….not outsiders.
• Crime Prevention - East End has experienced higher rates of both violent and property crime than the City of Henderson and state of Kentucky…..by significant  margins.  The City of Henderson Police Department is providing crime reporting data to the Engage Henderson mapping databse, so that a few pocket areas of the highest crime can be identified and new strategies for prevention and law enforcement can be tested.  This information is intended to be shared at the Summer Block Party.
• Increasing Home Ownership - When a neighborhood loses a high rate of owner occupancy, it often leads to decline.  To explore innovative ways to boost homeownership in selected areas of the East End, an initiative is underway with a consortium of Communtiy/Regional banks to offer mortage loans for rehabilitated properties.  It is the expectation that these properties would often be purchased in poor condition and then upgraded/repaired to like new condition.

Teams are evaluating kids programs, opportunities at South Heights to build on the school’s success and there is a team planning a trip to Paducah to look at their success in developing an arts district in an older neighborhood.

We also are working with USI to deploy facilitators for the teams and to help us with project management. Stay tuned.

Want to be on a team. Email engagehenderson@gmail.com.

In 2011, Engage Henderson began a journey of interviews, meetings, brainstorming and dreaming about what could happen in the East End neighborhood of Henderson.

Thanks to teams from University of Southern Indiana and several architects and engineers, we have developed some ideas and drawings and we are beginning to establish next steps around these priorities developed by the East End neighbors and Henderson leaders:

1. Create one community center for all in the east end

• Inclusive
• Parents feel child will be safe
• Broad ownership
• We think re-brand JFK and the vicinity
• Start with existing facilities

2.  Provide infrastructure improvements including WiFi, improved streets and sidewalks, streetlights, signage, off street parking and greenspace including community gardens.

• Improvements to the neighborhood aesthetics and infrastructure

3. Build on the strengths of South Heights School including:

• New facilities
• Adult programming
• After school programming
• Center of community
• Consider medical clinic
• Mentorship
• Student services
• Parenting skills

4. Have an arts and restaurant district

• Cafes – small family owned restaurants
• Way of re-branding the east end
• Attract others in
• Community incentives
• Consider signature activities that will bring outside people in

5. Provide a safe environment for kids from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

• Mentoring
• Tutoring
• Physical activities
• Consider South Heights as a center (how would we get all the kids here)
• Catalog existing facilities and programs
• Consider Saturday’s

6. Eliminate drugs from the east end

• Legal and illegal
• Close meth houses
• Develop close relationships between police and neighborhood
  • Community watch
  • Confidentiality
  • Trust both ways
• Consider satellite police station
• Quick response time by police
• Early Warning help to adult users and connection with others who have rehabbed
• Consider teen challenge