Title: In-Sites Magazine (Spring 2004)
Series: Magazine
Author: Office of Weed and Seed
Published: May 2004
Subject: neighborhood restoration, law enforcement-general, drug abuse prevention and education, community policing, police patrol, gangs, school-based programs, crime prevention
32 pages
86,154 bytes

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U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Community Capacity Development Office
Office of Weed and Seed

Weed & Seed
In-Sites Magazine
Spring 2004
Volume XII, Number 1 

On The Cover

Albuquerque Police Department Officer Joe Zitkus (left) and Bernalillo County Deputy Sheriff Ray D. Chavez (right) brief Albuquerque Police Department Lieutenant Ed Perea (center) on joint patrol operations at the Alamosa Community Weed and Seed Safe Haven.

Weed & Seed In-Sites 
is a publication of the 
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Community Capacity Development Office 
Office of Weed and Seed
810 Seventh Street NW.
Washington, DC 20531
Phone: 202-616-1152 
Fax: 202-616-1159
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo

Contents
o Open Letter From Nelson Hernandez
o Letter From the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
o No Greater Love
o Conference Corner
o Whats Working
o Sustainment

The Office of Weed and Seed is a component of the Community 
Capacity Development Office in the Office of Justice Programs.

Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/abouteow.htm to learn about the functions of OWS and its staff and www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/publications.htm for information on submitting articles and comments.

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FROM NELSON HERNANDEZ 
DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

Open Letter

There is nothing better than earning a living at doing what you love. I love working on community development! Working on community development has never "felt like a job." Instead, it has been a calling. And, after 20 years at various levels of government, I am as enthusiastic today as I was the day I left the warm confines of graduate school.

Accepting the position to direct the new Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO) is a tremendous honor and a great responsibility. My new office will continue the proud successes of Weed and Seed, and assist communities around America as they seek to sustain their efforts to prevent crime, increase community safety, and revitalize neighborhoods. As Deborah Daniels, the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs said, "CCDO is an exciting concept that brings into focus our agencys core mission of working with local communities to develop solutions that deter crime, promote economic growth, and enhance quality of life."

The Department of Justice is my third federal employer. Previously, I served as the Area Director for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Los Angeles. 

More recently, I was the National Coordinator for Community Affairs at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, where I directed the FDICs national community reinvestment, community development, and public outreach efforts. While there, we focused on bringing low and moderate-income people into the banking system in order to help improve their economic opportunities and quality of life. But I have not always been a "fed." In fact, most of my career was spent at the local level working on implementing community, economic, and housing development projects and programs.

The Community Capacity Development Office is going to be modeled after the successful strategies employed by Weed and Seed. CCDO will help communities to help themselves, enabling them to develop solutions to community safety problems confronting them, as well as developing leadership to implement and sustain those solutions. We dont have an "official" motto yet, but if we did it would go something like this: "You can do it, we can help." The emphasis is on you and us helping you to achieve your community goals.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank each person who contributes to the success of Weed and Seed. When all is said and done, Weed and Seed is about people. Weed and Seed is about people working together to improve the quality of life. The success of Weed and Seed reflects the amazing dedication of thousands of community members and law enforcement officers. Your leadership, your devotion, and your commitment have not only helped your communities, but have shown the nation how to successfully turn our at-risk neighborhoods around.

Again, I look forward to working with you and learning from you.

Sincerely,
Nelson Hernandez 
Director 
Community Capacity Development Office

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THE U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE 
EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Letter

Operation Weed and Seed was created 13 years ago to take communities back from criminals, to empower the law-abiding citizens who live and work in those communities, and to help citizens realize their dreams of prosperity and happiness. I could not be more pleased with the tremendous success of Weed and Seed and the revitalization of so many distressed neighborhoods over the past decade. In 1991, I worked with then-Attorney General Bill Barr to establish Weed and Seed in response to the tragic reality that crime had deprived many citizens of the freedom to realize their dreams and enjoy their lives. As an original stakeholder in the Weed and Seed initiative, I consider it a special privilege to write an introductory letter for In-Sites magazine, the publication dedicated to the national Weed and Seed family. The initiative has grown and flourished under the able leadership of Deborah Daniels and Bob Samuels, two veterans of Weed and Seed who were there at its inception. I applaud them for their efforts in making Weed and Seed successful.   

When I think of Weed and Seed, I think of the face of an elderly woman who came running out of her row house to greet Attorney General Barr as he walked through her neighborhood. She thanked him because she was no longer afraid to come out of her house. Her community had been held hostage for years by violent crime and drug trafficking, and the residents had little hope of enjoying a safe and prosperous community. Many were prisoners in their own homes, living behind bars on their doors and windows. Extensive weeding efforts changed all of that. The day we visited, residents were out in front of their homes for the first time in years, enjoying their neighbors and watching their children play safely. 

Our original vision was to "weed" out the drugs, guns, gangs, and violence in these areas and to "seed" them with revitalization initiatives to make them safe, healthy, and economically viable places to live. The goal of "seeding" is to prevent reentrenchment of the criminal element. The collaborative efforts of residents; Federal, State, and local law enforcement; local government; the private sector; and faith-based organizations form a neighborhood of stakeholders in the community. These partners work together to create and sustain safe, drug-free environments. 

As U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, my involvement with Weed and Seed has come full circle. During the past 3 years, I have had the opportunity to support and cultivate three new sites in eastern Virginia. Newport News, Petersburg, and Portsmouth have joined Richmond as officially recognized Weed and Seed sites. I share the hopes of these communities to create an environment that fosters safety and economic prosperity. 

Virginia is the cradle of our Nation and of our democracy. Every Virginian has a right to demand the freedom to be safe and prosperous. On March 20, 1775, at St. Johns Church in Richmond, Patrick Henry said "Give me liberty or give me death" as he stirred his fellow Virginians to fight for independence. A stones throw away from this church is a Weed and Seed site where the fight for the American dream continues today. This fight continues in all Weed and Seed neighborhoods. With the powerful partnerships facilitated by the Weed and Seed initiative, that fight will succeed just as the Virginians of the 18th century succeeded in their fight. 

The Weed and Seed initiative has grown, flourished, and reclaimed neighborhoods across America. I am so pleased to have been a part of its beginnings, and I am even more pleased to have a role in implementing it in eastern Virginia. It works, it inspires hope where hopelessness has settled in, and it makes our communities better places to live, work, and raise a family. 

Paul J. McNulty
United States Attorney
Eastern District of Virginia

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No Greater Love
There is no greater love than a man lay down his life for his friends.

On the afternoon of January 30, 2004, Officer Nicholas Sloan, age 24, was shot with his own pistol and laid down his life for an entire community of friends. Sloan and his partner, Officer Gabriel Keithley, age 26, were patrolling near Taylor and Enright Avenues in St. Louis as part of the Weed and Seed program to remove drug dealers from that community. Detectives were told that while the officers were frisking a man suspected of dealing drugs from his car, a violent confrontation broke out between the man and the officers. The suspect grabbed Sloans pistol and began shooting. Keithley returned fire. Both officers were shot, as was the suspect. Sloan was shot through the shoulder, and the bullet veered through his heart. Keithley was shot in the hip and shoulder. The suspect, Dennis E. Hawthorn, collapsed and died clutching several rocks of crack cocaine and Sloans gun.

Kim Norman, Director of the Weed and Seed site, said that Sloan and Keithley worked in an aggressive squad that always wanted to do more. "These two officers have been doing extraordinary work," she said. 

The impact of these two officers on those with whom they worked could be seen by the outpouring of emotion of more than 100 officers, many high ranking, who rushed to the hospital upon hearing of their fallen comrades. Chief Joe Mokwa struggled to keep his composure when publicly announcing the death of Officer Nicholas Sloan, who was the father of a 13-month-old child and son of police Sergeant Terry Sloan.

The mission of Weed and Seed and its community partners is to restore hope in neighborhoods by removing the people whose blatant disregard for others threatens to destroy the communities in which they fester. Through Weed and Seed and with the aid of local law enforcement, communities are fighting to take back and revitalize their neighborhoods. In times like these, we are reminded that this war against destructive elements in our society is not without its cost. We must honor those who make sacrifices for others with their time, their money, and ultimately with their lives. Officer Nicholas Sloan lived to serve his community and made the ultimate sacrifice to bring a brighter tomorrow to many. As Mayor Francis Slay said outside Barnes-Jewish Hospital, "We will not forget Officer Sloan, who gave his life for the citizens of St. Louis."

The Office of Weed and Seed would like to recognize all of the officers and their families who dedicate their lives every day to make our Weed and Seed communities safer. Your sacrifices foster hope in many lives across the Nation.

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Conference Corner
2004 Continuation Application Kit Workshop and Power of Prevention Regional Meeting

The 2004 Continuation Application Kit Workshop was successfully held this past February 24-27 in Dallas, Texas. Application Kit Workshops are important meetings for Weed and Seed, and the recent meeting in Dallas was especially significant. There were groundbreaking announcements, powerful speakers, and a strengthening of the partnership with the Power of Prevention providers. 

A training session for new coordinators took place on February 23, the Monday before the conference. This training is always popular, and it helps get things off to a good start. The next 2 days were devoted to the "nuts and bolts" issues of the application kit preparation, and there were informative breakout sessions on a wide variety of topical issues related to the operation of Weed and Seed sites. The last 2 days of the conference were devoted to the Power of Prevention Regional Meeting.

Deborah Daniels Addressed the Conference 

A high point of the conference was when Deborah Daniels, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), addressed a plenary session. Ms. Daniels was the U.S. Attorney who helped launch the Indianapolis Weed and Seed site, and she helped shape the program nationally as the first director of the Executive Office for Weed and Seed (now the Office of Weed and Seed). With this rich background, she has been able to bring the Weed and Seed concept to OJP as a whole.

Community Capacity Development Office Announced

Ms. Daniels announced the creation of the Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO). Weed and Seed will be the flagship component of this new office, which will encourage greater cooperation among and sustain Department of Justice programs. 

Ms. Daniels introduced Nelson Hernandez, Director of CCDO. Mr. Hernandez spoke briefly about his background in coordinating community affairs for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and he outlined an FDIC program, Money Smart. Money Smart, which reaches out to communities and helps residents with financial issues, will prove to be valuable experience for Mr. Hernandez as he begins working with Weed and Seed communities. Mr. Hernandez began his new position at CCDO on March 15. He is excited about the opportunity to head this new department, and Weed and Seed sites are looking forward to working with him. The Office of Weed and Seed (OWS) reports directly to CCDO.

Speakers Stimulated Discussion

Outstanding speakers challenged the attendees on a variety of subjects:
o OJPs Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative. 
o Project Safe Neighborhoods.
o Sustainability tips for Weed and Seed sites.
o Data collection for identifying best practices in the field.

The Reentry Initiative 

The following reentry issues were a major concern for attendees:
o The needs of people returning to the community.
o The role of Weed and Seed sites in the reentry process.
o The care of the children of people incarcerated.
o The role of faith-based groups in reentry programs.

Cheri Nolan, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP, began the discussion of these issues. Ms. Nolan, who has been leading the development of the reentry initiative, shared statistics and facts as well as human interest insights about this critical topic. She set the tone for much of the discussion that followed during the conference.

Reverend Wilson Goode, Sr., Director of the Amachi program, spoke at a plenary session about Amachi, a successful mentoring program focused on the desperate needs of children whose parents are incarcerated. Amachi is a South African word meaning, "Who knows but what God has brought us through this child."

Robert Woodson, Sr., President of the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, discussed the important role that returning ex-offenders can assume in helping to develop a successful reentry program. He cited specific cases in which young people had assumed leadership roles that provided direction for others.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

Paul M. Warner, U.S. Attorney for Utah, described the important role that Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) can play in controlling gun violence. He also stressed the importance of combining the strengths of Weed and Seed and PSN to reinforce each other with good results for the neighborhoods.

Dozens of sessions demonstrated the advantages of collaborating with prevention programs, faith-based groups, housing authorities, and myriad local efforts. They also provided opportunities to showcase local success stories and encourage further cooperation. These sessions invited discussion and the lively exchange of ideas.

The computer lab was a special attraction that was available during most of the conference. The exhibitors booths displayed valuable information from local sites, prevention agencies, and myriad groups. 

Power of Prevention Regional Meeting

In addition to the Weed and Seed Continuation Application Kit Training, Weed and Seed site representatives were able to attend the Power of Prevention Regional Meeting held in conjunction with it. More than 800 participants, from a broad range of prevention and community initiatives, in a variety of sectors ranging from public health, substance abuse, economic development, and violence prevention to coalition building, took part in the Power of Prevention training. Workshops and plenary sessions focused on helping participants learn about the full scope of resources and programs targeted toward communities that address critical social needs and facilitate the collaboration between various prevention-focused efforts at the national and grassroots levels. Effective program models were highlighted on a wide variety of topics, from preventing underage drinking to gangs, from working with public housing to homeland security, and from achieving outcomes to evaluation.

The Power of Prevention Regional Meeting is a partnership between the Office of Weed and Seed and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, and a number of national prevention partners, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, the National Crime Prevention Council, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, and others. Workshop presentations can be found on the OWS Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/whatsnew.htm under the "Conferences" section.

The next Power of Prevention Regional Meeting will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, in conjunction with the OWS Competitive Application Kit Training, July 12-16, 2004. Registration for this event will be available on the OWS Web site in the spring.

The Office of Weed and Seed wishes to thank all of the participants in this years conference. Weed and Seed sites throughout the country benefited not only from the information and training disseminated at the conference, but also by having the opportunity to learn from each other.

New Official Recognition Guidelines are posted on our Web page at
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo

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Whats Working
LAW ENFORCEMENT

U.S. Attorney Melgren Announces Project Ceasefire

Eric Melgren, U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas, held a press conference in Wichita last May to launch the media campaign for Project Ceasefire. The project was launched as part of President Bushs Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative to reduce gun crime nationwide. The PSN initiative directed U.S. Attorneys to implement a PSN strategy to reduce gun violence in their districts.

"The Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative will bring Federal, State, and local prosecutors and law enforcement officers together to take firearm violators off our streets for a long time," Melgren told the Federal, State, and local officials at the news conference. "With the help of our media partners, we will get the word out to potential violators and to their loved ones that those who commit gun crimes will do hard time."

Melgren stated that the Project Ceasefire media campaign is intended to warn convicted felons not to possess firearms. The campaign has put up 20 billboards, 4 in Spanish, throughout the Wichita area and run media spots on local stations. 

"The message is clear: If you are a felon caught with a firearm, you could spend at least a year in a Federal prison," said Melgren. "If you commit a crime of violence or drug trafficking with a firearm, you will receive a minimum sentence of 5 years. If you brandish the firearm during the commission of your crime, your minimum sentence will be increased to 7 years, and if you discharge the firearm during the commission of the crime, you will receive a minimum sentence of 10 years. If you commit a crime with a firearm and you are an armed career criminal with three prior convictions of a violent felony or serious drug offense, you will receive a minimum sentence of 15 years. Each of these minimum sentences is in addition to any sentence imposed for the underlying crime." 

Wichita/Sedgwick County Weed and Seed, in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Wichita Police Department; Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office; and the Kansas office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, held neighborhood meetings throughout the city to explain Project Ceasefire to the public in advance of the press conference.

"ATFs Wichita field office stands committed to working with all law enforcement agencies in the Wichita area in bringing armed violent offenders to justice," said Mark James, Resident Agent in Charge of ATFs Kansas City Field Division. "Furthermore, we appreciate the support and partnership of the U.S. Attorneys Office in prosecuting numerous armed criminals violating Federal firearms statutes."

Riley Williams, Weed and Seed Coordinator, reports that the Wichita community has been very supportive of Project Ceasefire and other programs that help to reduce violence and remove violent criminals from city neighborhoods.

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Weed and Seed Sponsors Training for Norwalk Police

The Community Policing Unit of the Norwalk, Connecticut, Police Department received training in community oriented policing presented and sponsored by the Office of Weed and Seed (OWS) last May. Lt. Thomas Kulhawik, unit commander, requested the training because many of his officers were new to the unit or had no background in community oriented policing.

After the training was approved, Lt. Kulhawik contacted Chief Edward Brodt (retired) and Lt. Col. Cynthia Shain (retired) to discuss the specific needs of his department. Chief Brodt, Assistant Director, and Lt. Col. Shain, Associate Director, both of the Kentucky Regional Community Policing Institute at Eastern Kentucky University, are experienced instructors and law enforcement practitioners.

"Chief Brodt and Lt. Col. Shain were very adaptable in tailoring their program to fit our needs," said Lt. Kulhawik. In addition to 14 officers and supervisors, he invited community residents and the Norwalk Weed and Seed coordinator to attend the training.
"I felt that by bringing the community and the police together into the classroom, both would gain a greater understanding of the perceptions each were bringing to the table," he said. "By working together in the classroom environment, we were able to gain a better understanding of each other, thereby allowing us to better work together towards common goals."

Training began with an overview of community policing and then covered various topics, including the SARA (scanning, analysis, response, and assessment) model and steps in problem solving. Part of a day was dedicated to a discussion about building effective community partnerships. The training concluded with the students learning about and then conducting community surveys in their respective community policing neighborhoods.

According to Lt. Kulhawik, the instructors brought real-life examples into each area of the training and provided a solid base from which the unit can grow. He said, "The training far exceeded our expectations. The instructors did a tremendous job."
Norwalk was recognized as a Weed and Seed site in August 1995. Lt. Kulhawik noted that the Weed and Seed initiative has had a tremendous impact on reducing crime and bringing residents and police together to work toward a common goal.

Community Policing Resources 

OWS provides site-driven technical assistance. Ask your OWS program manager for more information on available resources.

Regional Community Policing Institutes developed by the U.S. Department of Justices Office of Community Oriented Policing Services provide innovative community policing education, training, and technical assistance. Visit www.cops.usdoj.gov and click on training.

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Whats the best way to have your site featured in In-Sites? 

Submit a story to In-Sites, and our staff will help you develop and polish the text! Please e-mail draft text to darcey.donehey@usdoj.gov or submit it on disk. Send your disk and/or original photos via Federal Express. 

Please include captions with your photos and send them to:
In-Sites
Attention: Darcey Donehey
Office of Weed and Seed
810 Seventh Street NW., Room 6142
Washington, DC 20001

Your photos will be returned if you include a self-addressed envelope. 

Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/publications.htm for more information on submitting your story to us. 

Whats happening in your neighborhood? 
We look forward to hearing from you! --Darcey Donehey

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Criminal Drug Enterprise Shut Down in Utah

Following a year-long investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement agencies, a criminal drug enterprise affecting several Utah Weed and Seed sites was brought to justice. Overall, more than 40 individuals were charged as a part of the investigation. Significant amounts of drugs were taken off the streets as a part of this case. Homes, vehicles, cash, and other assets of the illegal activity were also seized.

One of the people arrested in connection with drug trafficking and money laundering was Juan Romon Olmedo Cruz. "Mr. Olmedo Cruz brought kilos of cocaine and pounds of methamphetamine into Utah, where he used his criminal operation to facilitate drug distribution into Utah communities," said Paul M. Warner, U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah. "This case was particularly important to us because the organizations drug activities were impacting our Salt Lake City and Ogden Weed and Seed sites, where we are working hard to weed out drug activity."

Olmedo Cruz will spend 15 years in Federal prison for his leadership role in the drug distribution ring he operated in Salt Lake City, Utah, and forfeit $412,000 in assets. U.S. District Judge Paul G. Cassell issued the sentence last May after Olmedo Cruz pled guilty to operating a continuing criminal enterprise and money laundering scheme.
Weed and Seed is a U.S. Department of Justice program that works to prevent and control violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods across the country. Weed and Seed sites range in size from several neighborhood blocks to 15 square miles. Utah has three Weed and Seed sites--Salt Lake City, West Valley City, and Ogden.

Targeting drug organizations like the one Olmedo Cruz operated is an important effort in Weed and Seed sites because of the amount of drugs and crime one organization can bring into an area. For example, as part of his plea agreement with prosecutors, Olmedo Cruz admitted to distributing approximately 250 grams of cocaine at the Lexington Square Apartments in Salt Lake City. He also admitted to conspiring to bring 4 to 8 kilograms of cocaine from California to Utah in April 2000. Later that month, he brokered a deal for a half pound of methamphetamine and facilitated a delivery of cocaine. In May 2000, Olmedo Cruz negotiated the sale of a quarter of a kilogram of cocaine and requested a pound of marijuana from another associate. He also admitted to obtaining substantial income from his violations of Federal drug laws and that trafficking in illegal drugs was his sole or primary source of income.

Drug organizations not only bring drugs into a neighborhood but other criminal activity as well. As part of his money laundering operations, Olmedo Cruz directed others to withdraw money from bank accounts for transport to Mexico in May 2000. He admitted that the $25,326 seized by law enforcement officers at the Salt Lake City International Airport that May came from illegal drug sales and that the money was being taken to Mexico to conceal its source and nature.

Olmedo Cruz admitted that he conspired to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. He admitted to having an organizational and leadership role in the drug organization, working in concert with at least five other people as he committed violations of Federal drug laws. "Fifteen years, with no parole, is a significant amount of time to spend in prison," said Warner. "Mr. Olmedo Cruzs sentence sends a strong message that there is a high price to pay for illegal drug trafficking in Utah."

Thanks to cooperative efforts by federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Salt Lake City and Ogden Weed and Seed sites are closer to their goal of revitalizing their communities.  

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PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND TREATMENT

DEFY Takes Top Honors in Drug Demand Reduction
Lt. j. g. Paul Noel, DEFY Public Affairs Officer

The U.S. Department of the Navys Drug Education For Youth (DEFY) program has been recognized as the best community drug awareness program in the U.S. Navy for fiscal year 2002.

The designation came in conjunction with the honor of receiving the Secretary of Defense Community Drug Awareness Award, which is presented annually to a program in each military service, the National Guard Bureau, and the defense agencies. The award was created in 1990 to promote community drug awareness efforts in the U.S. Department of Defense community.

"DEFY made great strides in fiscal year 2002," said DEFY Program Manager Timm Bentley. "We feel very fortunate that the efforts of everyone involved with DEFY around the world have been recognized."

DEFY began in 1993 as a program of the Secretary of the Navys Drug Demand Reduction Task Force and is designed to produce 9- to 12-year-old graduates with the character, leadership skills, and confidence to engage in positive, healthy lifestyles as drug-free citizens. DEFY gives youth the tools they need to resist drugs and gang involvement.

"Youth leave DEFY with a better sense of self," Bentley said. "It goes beyond learning about drugs and what drugs can do to their brain. They learn who they are, what they are, and the difference they can make in their own community."

During fiscal year 2002, DEFY increased program participation on Navy and Marine Corps bases by 32 percent. It also hit a milestone during that time by adding its first program for military and Department of Defense dependents sponsored by a reserve center. The Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center at Bessemer, Alabama, added a DEFY program last summer.

Commander Angela Kemp, Volunteer Director of the Bessemer program, said DEFY has made a noticeable difference for youth who have participated in the program.

"We are amazed at the changes we saw in the children," Kemp said. "A lot of them met challenges they didnt think they could meet. When they wear their DEFY hats and shirts outside of camp, they are saying something very positive. Theyre saying they have the power to make a positive choice."

DEFY celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2003. Since 1993, more than 30,000 youth have graduated from the DEFY program worldwide. Bentley attributed the programs success over the past decade to its volunteers around the globe.

"The award serves as a message to all our volunteers that what they do is important, what they do makes a difference, and what they do is valuable," he said. "Theyre showing youth that there are people who care about what theyre doing. Theyre giving them a better understanding of themselves, of others, and how they fit into the community."

Bentley wants to build on DEFYs success by getting the word out that DEFY is a free program and that any Navy, Marine Corp, or Air Force command can take advantage of it to expand its drug demand reduction effort. This marks the second time since 1999 that DEFY has won the Secretary of Defense Community Drug Awareness Award. The award was presented on October 27 at the Pentagon during the opening ceremony of Red Ribbon Week.

Other winners of the Secretary of Defense Community Drug Awareness Award include the following:
o For the Army--Army Substance Abuse Program, Ft. Stewart, Georgia.
o For the Marine Corps--Camp Pendleton Drug Demand Reduction Campaign, Pendleton, California.
o For the Air Force--Drug Demand Reduction Program, Edwards Air Force Base, California.
o For the National Guard Bureau--"Knight Vision," Florida National Guard Drug Demand Reduction Program, St. Augustine, Florida.
o For the defense agencies--Defense Logistics Agency: Defense Supply Center Columbus Employee Assistance Program, Columbus, Ohio.

For additional information about the DEFY program, contact Lt. 
j. g. Paul Noel at 202-433-3113, or visit the DEFY Web site at www.hq.navy.mil/defy.

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DEFY Sites Drum Up Noise in Central Florida
William Daniels, Law Enforcement Coordinator/Community Resource Specialist, U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida

Last May 17-18, youth and mentors from central Florida converged on the Florida Youth Elks Camp, in Umatilla, Florida, to mark the districts sixth DEFY Kids & Mentors Team Building Conference. The theme was T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Accomplishes More). 

Coordinated by the five districts participating in DEFY programs and the U.S. Attorneys Office, the group of youth and mentors took control of the 400-acre camp for the weekend. DEFY themes of developing character, leadership skills, confidence, and drug-free lifestyles were integrated throughout the activities that included courses on confidence building, rope and wall scaling, swimming, relay races, and competitive basketball tournaments.

The pregraduation talent show featured dance, rap, and skit teams, which conveyed DEFYs antidrug messages and the benefit of banding together for positive choices. Other high points included performances by international percussionist Tony Vacca and Senegalese drummer Diop Massamba, a percussion orchestra from among the DEFY group, and the World Rhythms duos Hip-Hop West African beats that undergirded a message of uniqueness, diversity, and common ground among all peoples.

Complete with a formal graduation and awards ceremony, this years event was another success for the partnerships fostered by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida. The districts continue to hold quarterly regional DEFY meetings to provide technical assistance, coordination, and resource development for participating sites. Even without using the U.S. Department of Justice as their primary funding source, the Florida DEFY sites have sustained their efforts and grown to 10 programs in Brevard, Hillsborough, Immokalee, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Ocala, Orlando, Seminole, St. Petersburg, and Tampa.

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Cosby Inspires Youth
Antwan Diggs, Buffalo Weed and Seed Youth Service Coordinator Erin Sharkey, Buffalo Weed and Seed Coordinator of Community Initiatives

You never know where the ubiquitous Bill Cosby will turn up next. It might be on an episode of one of his television series, in a movie or commercial, on a televised comedy performance, or live on stage. For some fortunate members of Buffalo Weed and Seed and the Youth Opportunity Movement he turned up at the Kleinhans Music Center in Buffalo, New York.

"Bill Cosby was so hilarious that my cheeks hurt," said Elliot White, one of several youth who met with the famous comedian between his performances. It had been an amazing performance. Cosby jumped off stage and joked with members of the audience, then later he talked with a small group of selected youth backstage.

"He was really tired after the first show," recalled Marlon Sanford. "I asked if I could go on tour with him; he said no, he doesnt need any help."

Some youth got Cosbys autograph. Others received a little more.

"He gave me his towel and he inspired me to follow my dreams and achieve my goals," said White. "Every time I see him on TV now, its totally different because Ive met him."

This is an experience that will stay with these youth for a long time. Cosbys comedy and wit impressed them, and he impressed upon them the importance of having a goal in life and sticking with it while they pursue their education.

The Youth Opportunity Movement is a U.S. Department of Justice initiative. It helps youth ages 14 to 21 who live on the East Side, Lower West Side, and the area south of downtown Buffalo to overcome challenges and succeed in school. Buffalo Weed and Seed partnered with the Youth Opportunity Movement to provide Buffalo youth with job and skills training, career exploration, and leadership development.

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Anchorage Weed and Seed Addresses Assisted Living

The Anchorage Weed and Seed site was officially recognized in 1998 and has had great successes with community patrol, neighborhood revitalization, and prevention and intervention initiatives. The target area encompasses a 6-square-mile section of Anchorage, Alaska, that is a community of diverse ethnic composition. This diversity includes South Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, African Americans, Caucasians, and a large population of migrant workers of various cultural backgrounds.

Major concerns in the area are alcohol abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, elder care, and problems in the schools, such as violence, low literacy rates, and high attrition. Alaska also has the particular problem of a population whose median age is in the early 30s, which indicates that many children grow up without grandparents or elders nearby.

To address the needs of both youth and the elderly, Anchorage Weed and Seed partnered with the Southcentral Counseling Center (SCC), a division of Anchorage Community Mental Health Services, to create Day Break II, a unique program that seeks to improve the quality of life of the residents of assisted living facilities through increased activity and social bonding.

"The need for cognitive and social stimulation within assisted living communities is a compelling community problem that must be addressed," said Tim Sullivan, Weed and Seed Coordinator.

Anchorage Weed and Seed donated space in its Northeast Community Center Safe Haven for the Day Break II program. SCC provides staffing and resources for the program, which has helped build meaningful relationships between youth at the safe haven and seniors at Day Break II. Project partners have learned that bridging the gap between these two generations is important to the well-being of both seniors and children.

Bringing the Wisdom of Elders to Safe Haven Youth

By bringing Day Break II to the Weed and Seed safe haven, program collaborators strengthened the prevention and intervention services offered to area youth. Participants and youth served through the safe haven have illustrated the natural affinity that exists between seniors and youth.

"In Alaska, many children grow up without grandparents or even the influence of elders in the community at large," said Ken Helander, SCC Director of Senior Services. "Day Break II has shown the benefits of having elders as a natural part of a childs daily life." The ease of communication, affection, and attention to each other that is demonstrated by children and elders is a fundamental strength of the partnership that exists at the safe haven.

Northeast Community Center Safe Haven houses many community-based services such as the Anchorage School District migrant education program, a computer lab, Kids Kitchen, a Boys & Girls Club, and outreach counseling and crisis intervention services through the Anchorage Center for Families. Most programs target at-risk youth, but including a program for older adults allows for a more representative cultural experience for all who participate at the center.

"Children have limited role models today," said Sullivan. "The Day Break II program is an intergenerational response to providing the adult attention that children need. The program is a great benefit to the entire community."

Many of the youth who participate in safe haven activities are children of migrant workers, primarily from the fishing and logging industries. According to Sullivan, "The language and educational barriers are difficult for these children. The safe haven provides a place to learn and interact within the community."

According to volunteers and staff, children from the migrant education program interact freely with the seniors in Day Break II. Additionally, the program provides a way for seniors to participate in and contribute to the community. After all, they are a priceless asset.

For more information about this program, contact Tim Sullivan at 907-244-1948.

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Lowell Weed and Seed Takes the Middle Path To Fight Crime
Tricia Camire, Weed and Seed Coordinator

In summer 2002, Lowell, Massachusetts, Weed and Seed leveraged Federal funds from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to address violent crimes as they relate to missing and runaway youth in its target area. The idea for this project resulted from a study done by the Lowell Police Department that revealed that all juveniles who committed violent crimes in the city of Lowell were once missing or runaway youth.

The project had a research component to examine the root causes of youth running away in an effort to reduce violent crimes committed by juveniles. Another component was to fill gaps in family support services. To that end, Weed and Seed and SAMHSA staff met with sector Capt. Robert A. DeMoura to brainstorm some common threads that would get families involved. They quickly thought of the faith community.

Lowell has a significant population of Asian origin. Chanda Soth, Lowell Weed and Seed Project Assistant, had a long-standing relationship with the Venerable Khon Sao from the Tairatanaram Temple, a local Buddhist temple, and scheduled a meeting with him in April 2003. Venerable Sao is the President of the Community of Khmer Buddhist Monks in the United States and he eagerly embraced joining forces with Weed and Seed to address this problem. He said Weed and Seed and Buddhism are alike in that they both work to take out bad things and replace them with good.

Since April, six families of missing and runaway youth from the target area have attended temple twice a week for counseling and the program has been named Operation Middle Path. Most of the six youth in the program are involved in gangs but report that "it doesnt matter when we are at the temple." The program has received press coverage from local media, the Associated Press, and the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The families of the youth are pleased to have them spend time at the temple because it has taught them respect and has connected them with their parents Cambodian culture. In turn, this has led to improved communication between the youth and their parents and the youth are striving to do better in school. A partnership with SAMHSA helped the community identify problems that lead youth to run away. But community efforts to address these problems brought together police officers, religious leaders, family members, and Massachusetts Department of Social Services staff in a voluntary partnership that is changing lives--just because they care.

For more information about Operation Middle Path, contact Tricia Camire at tcamire@ci.lowell.ma.us. Additional information on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration funding opportunities is available at www.samhsa.gov.

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Weed and Seed Students Participate in Innovative Air Cadet Program
Ron Lopez, LECC, U.S. Attorneys Office, District of New Mexico

An F-16 fighter at Kirkland Air Force Base formed an impressive backdrop as U.S. Naval Reserve Capt. David C. Iglesias and Senior Cadet Amber Eicherly exchanged salutes. Behind them, in their blue Air Force uniforms, cadets from Albuquerques Van Buren Middle School Civil Air Patrol Squadron stood at attention. Eicherly, an eighth grader at Van Buren, led the cadets on this field trip to the New Mexico Air National Guards 150th Fighter Wing for a tour of the base and a close-up look at the modern fighter. Iglesias, who is also the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, proudly notes that his district has pioneered the infusion of a Junior Reserve Officer Training Cadet (ROTC) program into several Weed and Seed site middle schools.

"Junior ROTC programs are normally restricted to high schools," said Iglesias. "What we have done here in New Mexico is marry up the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet program with our Weed and Seed middle schools, thereby introducing these younger students to the military discipline and role modeling which are cornerstones of a Junior ROTC."

CAP is a nationwide, paramilitary program for both children and adults and is designed to augment National Guard and public safety organizations. CAPs cadet program offers training and experience in basic military bearing and organization, leadership, aerospace science, safety, first aid, search and rescue, and other military and high-tech subjects.

Van Burens program began 2 years ago as an extracurricular pilot project after Iglesiass staff proposed the innovative project to the New Mexico Civil Air Patrol Wing, the New Mexico National Guard Counter-Drug Support (CDS) Task Force, and Van Buren Middle School. Van Buren is located in the heart of the Trumbull/ La Mesa neighborhood, which has been a Weed and Seed site since 1998 and is an active partner in the sites steering committee. Carmen Graham, Van Burens Principal, embraced the opportunity to provide this unique, positive alternative to the areas gangs and other negative influences.

Van Burens CAP program is now an academic elective at the school and is taught by two full-time New Mexico National Guard CDS Drug Demand Reduction program soldiers. The program has an enrollment of 45 cadets and a waiting list of students eager to join the squadron. At a recent awards ceremony, Graham credited the program with helping to improve cadets academic performance and reduce disciplinary problems. She added that the CAP awards program was the best attended family event held at the school.

The CAP cadet program has been adopted by other New Mexico Weed and Seed site middle schools in Albuquerques west side and the city of Las Cruces. To learn more about the CAP middle school initiative, contact your nearest CAP unit.

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Weed and Seed Provides Summer Transportation for Youth
Sylvia F. Stone, Weed and Seed Coordinator

Councilman Robert DeLane Shaw had a vision of providing free transportation for area youth during the summer, out-of-school months. There were many summer programs for youth in the city but there was no way to get them there. Many parents work and grandparents or guardians were unable to provide transportation. The Weed and Seed Steering Committee appointed a Study Committee, chaired by Councilman Shaw, to research the type of transportation available, its cost, availability of free lunches, and the discounted swim fees at Britt Park.  

The South and East Lumberton Weed and Seed sites of Lumberton, North Carolina, have a population of 9,026 residents. The sites are parts of a city/rural community that does not have a mass transit system.

A pilot transportation program was instituted for summer 2002. The Robeson County public school system leased two buses to Weed and Seed for $1 a mile and contracted with two certified drivers, Vera Ellis and James Williams, to provide transportation for 1,661 at-risk youth to the Boys & Girls Club, Parkview Activity Center/ Safe Haven, East Lumberton Police Station/Safe Haven, Bill Sapp Center, Britt Park, and the Robeson County Library. The buses traveled 1,300 accident-free miles that summer. They picked up youth at about 9:45 weekday mornings and returned them home by 6 p.m.

The Summer Transportation Program for at-risk youth, which served youngsters ages 10 to 17 in the Weed and Seed sites and other areas of Lumberton, was such a success that it was made permanent last summer. The program ran from June 2 through August 1, 2003, and transported 3,044 youth to activities at the Boys & Girls Club, Britt Park, Bill Sapp Center for team basketball, and to Pembroke State University for swimming, free movies, bowling, skating, and to attend sessions by medical professionals on various health issues.  

The Lumberton Recreation Department provided two college students, Resheeda Ghaffer and Candace Foster, to help supervise the youth. The students are studying education with an emphasis in the field of recreation and helped devise many activities for the youth. The summer 2002 program averaged 35 to 40 students daily. The summer 2003 program had as many as 92 youth on any given day and averaged 65 to 70 youth daily. 

The Schools Nutritional Program provided 645 free lunches through July 12 for youth who went swimming each day at Britt Park. Some 425 lunches were provided by McDonalds, Scottish Food Systems, Dominos Pizza, Scottish Packing Company, Bullards Restaurants, and Lumberton Christian Care.

The Schools Nutritional Program at Janie Hargrave School provided another 2,524 free lunches. The program was scheduled to close on July 11 but with the help of  Jack Morgan, Director of the Robeson County Schools Nutritional Program, it was extended another 2 weeks. During those 2 weeks, lunches were provided by Dairy Queen, Wendys, McDonalds, and Pet Milk. A pizza party on July 25 was sponsored by Weed and Seed with pizzas donated by Dominos, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars, Pizza Caf, and Papa Johns.  

School resource officers who work the communities in the summer were pleased that their jobs were made easier by the Weed and Seed Summer Transportation Program. By transporting area youth to supervised and structured activities, it helped to keep them out of trouble during the summer. In addition to providing supervised activities, the program enabled youth to meet new people, improve their social skills, increase their awareness of how city government works, and learn about the history of Lumberton. The youth were asked to write 100-word essays thanking the city and Weed and Seed for making a positive difference in their summer.

To celebrate the conclusion of the 2003 program, 77 youth and chaperones went on a 1-day field trip to Carowinds Amusement Park. Native Angels Home Health Care provided $2,000 for the admission tickets and Lumberton Mayor Raymond B. Pennington and the City Council designated $2,350 from their discretionary funds for two buses to transport the students and their chaperones to Burger King for dinner. The trip closed out a 9-week program that proved to be another great success. At the August 19 Steering Committee meeting, certificates of appreciation were presented to all participants of the summer program.

For more information about the Summer Transportation Program, contact Sylvia F. Stone, East Lumberton Weed and Seed Coordinator, at 910-671-3997 or e-mail sstone@ci.lumberton.nc.us.   

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Incorporating Food in Your Weed and Seed Strategy: Information and Funding Resources
Maryn Olson, Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow

Q: Do schools in your Weed and Seed community participate in the National School Lunch Program and the Federal School Breakfast Program?

A. Talk to the school food service directors and find out! If they are not participating, work with them to serve students through these programs. Hungry children cannot learn.  

If your schools participate in these programs, make sure information about and applications for free and reduced-price breakfasts and lunches are available and advertised in the community. For more information, see www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch and www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Breakfast/Default.htm. 
Find your State administrators contact information at www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Contacts/StateDirectory.htm.

Q. Do you have after-school programming?

A. You may be eligible for snack or supper funding through the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Find more information and your State administrator through the U.S. Department of Agriculture at www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Care/CACFP/cacfphome.htm.
If your Safe Haven is in a school, you may also be able to receive funds for snacks or suppers through the National School Lunch Program at www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Afterschool/NSLP_QA.htm.

Q. Do you offer summer programming for children?

A. Consider becoming a Summer Food Service Program site. You can receive reimbursements for a meal and a snack each day. Find your State administrator and more information at www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Summer/Default.htm.

Q. Are there elderly people in your community?

A. If so, they may likely benefit from Meals on Wheels or congregate feeding programs. Find more information at www.aoa.gov/eldfam/Nutrition/Nutrition.asp. 

Elderly and disabled people may also be able to receive food through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Find program and eligibility information and your State contact at www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/
csfp/about-csfp.htm.

Q. Are low-income community residents receiving adequate nutrition?

A. The Food Stamp Program provides assistance for individuals and families with incomes below 130 percent of the Federal poverty level. For more information, or to access outreach materials, see www.fns.usda.gov/fsp. You can also locate your States food stamp hotline through this site.  

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) offers nutrition assistance in the form of vouchers for grocery stores or food packages to pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women who have infants and children up to age 5 and whose income is below 185 percent of the poverty level. To locate a WIC clinic in your community, or for more information, go to www.fns.usda.gov/wic.

Q. Are community food pantries connected to the Americas Second Harvest network?

A. Americas Second Harvest (A2H) is a national network of more than 200 food banks and food rescue programs that distribute donated food through 50,000 agencies to hungry people in the United States. Last year, almost 1.8 billion pounds of food were distributed, and more than 23 million Americans were  served through this program. To learn more about A2H, visit www.secondharvest.org. To find a program or food bank in your area, see www.secondharvest.org/foodbanks/foodbanks.html.

Q. Have you considered planting a community garden in your Weed and Seed community?  

A. Community gardens can revitalize abandoned spaces, teach skills, bring community members together, and provide nutrition. Find your States community gardening coordinator at www.reeusda.gov/food_security/scgc.

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NEIGHBORHOOD RESTORATION

Wichita Officer Recognized for Humanitarian Efforts
Riley Williams, Coordinator, Wichita/Sedgwick County Weed and Seed

It was a cold day in February 2002 when Community Police Officer Lamar Wallace stopped by a house on North Estelle in Wichita, Kansas, to check on an elderly, disabled resident named Dorothy Lott. He had known Lott since his rookie days. She did not like the police and in earlier years had caused disturbances on his beat. It had taken Officer Wallace a year to win her confidence and establish a rapport with her. She had come to trust and depend on him.  

On that February day she seemed to be doing okay, but asked if Officer Wallace could look at her back door because cold air was blowing in. He had never been invited into her house before and what he saw broke his heart. The house was uninhabitable. The ceiling throughout the residence was falling down, the kitchen floor was sinking, the concrete floor leading to the back door was badly cracked, the plumbing was in deplorable condition, and the back door had deteriorated beyond repair.

Officer Wallace also noticed that Lott was using her gas stove to heat the house. He temporarily fixed the back door until it could be replaced. On his own initiative, he contacted the citys Office of Central Inspection to request an evaluation of the property and an inspector confirmed that the house required extensive repairs. Lott would have to move out of the house and her landlord indicated that, rather than make the repairs, he would no longer rent the property. He would just board it up to comply with the city code.

Searching for a New Home

Officer Wallace contacted Social and Rehabilitation Services, which had a house available, but Lott would not move into it because no pets were allowed. Her pets were her primary companions and she would not part with them.

Officer Wallace went back to the drawing board. He remembered from patrolling the neighborhood that Lott had family members at another house on North Estelle and that her brother had lived in the vicinity. Her brother was now deceased and a family member indicated that his house was to be sold to a local mortuary to cover his funeral expenses. Officer Wallace met with his superior, Sgt. Alex Robinson, to discuss options. The officers contacted Jackson Mortuary and explained the circumstances to the owner, who agreed to allow Lott to pay $150 a month on the debt, which was the same amount she was paying to rent her current residence.

Her brothers house could be probated over to Lott but that would require a lawyer. Officer Wallace contacted a local probate attorney, who became excited about what the officer was trying to do and agreed to donate his time. The house was deeded over to Lott but, although an improvement from her previous residence, was far from habitable.

Cleaning Up: A Community Effort

Officer Wallaces next move was to have the property inspected. An inspector from the Office of Central Inspection found the house structurally sound but cited numerous repairs that would have to be made. Officer Wallace began to recruit volunteers, including Wichita/Sedgwick County Weed and Seed, to help refurbish the house, which is right in the middle of the Weed and Seed site.  

In June 2002, Officer Wallace, six other officers, and an employee from the Wichita Maintenance Department began work on the property. The officers brought along some youth from the Juvenile Offender Program and Wichita Childrens Home to help out.

They worked all day mowing the grass, raking leaves, and picking up trash and debris. They trimmed dead tree limbs off the roof of the house and nearby utility wires. They removed boards from the doors and windows, cleaned out the inside of the house, and filled two 40-foot commercial dumpsters.

The next step was to find the funds to make the necessary repairs. As usual, contractors were available if the money was right, but there was no money. Officer Wallace was discouraged after his request for financial support was turned down by several social agencies, but he did not give up. Finally, he was given the name of Mike Hollimon of the City of Wichita Neighborhood Improvement Services Program.

Hollimon toured the house and gave Officer Wallace the best news he had heard in months: Hollimons program could fund the project. More meetings occurred with other players, bids were solicited for the renovations, and John Baker Construction Company won the contract. While the construction work was going on, Officer Wallace solicited household items and other donations from community residents, police officers, and local businesses.  

Moving Day

On March 21, 2003, Officer Wallace coordinated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Lott to take possession of the remodeled house. Pastor Kevass Harding, of Dellrose United Methodist Church and a Weed and Seed Steering Committee member, blessed the house and offered a prayer of good will for Lotts future. The yard and house were filled with police officers, local residents, Lotts family members, and the news media.

In recognition of his humanitarian efforts, Officer Wallace received a Distinguished Service Award from the Wichita Police Department and a Certificate of Appreciation from the Mayors Office. But his greatest reward was undoubtedly the gratitude of Lott and the simple pleasure of seeing her in her new home.

Project Sponsors
o City of Wichita Neighborhood Improvement Services Program
o City of Wichita Public Works
o Dellrose United Methodist Church
o Disabled American Veterans
o Jackson Mortuary Agency
o John Baker Construction Company
o Juvenile Offenders Program
o Kansas Department of Aging
o KWCH Channel 12 TV station
o Lockett Photography
o Probate Court Attorney Ronald Wilkerson
o Social and Rehabilitation Services
o Wal-Mart/North Rock Road store
o Wichita Childrens Home
o Wichita Patrol North Bureau community policing officers and staff
o Wichita/Sedgwick County Weed and Seed
o Wichita Senior Services

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Weed and Seed Hawaii Plants Seeds for Success

Whats the secret to building strong communities? Weed and Seed Hawaii sees it as people working together, sharing ideas, and establishing solid relationships. So, when residents of Hawaiis Weed and Seed Site 1 in Kalihi wanted to demonstrate their commitment to taking responsibility for the health and well-being of their own neighborhood, word got out and hundreds of volunteers and area businesses stepped forth to contribute to the effort.

"Its encouraging to see so many committed people dedicated to making our communities safer and better," said Ed Kubo, U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii. "While Weed and Seed is succeeding in efforts to reduce illegal drugs and crime, its the continued involvement of the people who live in these areas that sustain the success of these programs." 

More than 700 volunteers gathered in Kalihi to take part in a special community cleanup. It is the first of a series of restoration activities planned by and for the Kalihi, Palama, Chinatown, Downtown, Ala Moana, and McCully communities. Armed with garbage bags, gloves, power washers, paint brushes, and cleaning supplies, groups of volunteers set out to make a visible difference in their community. To achieve that goal, volunteers gave up their Saturday to paint over graffiti, clean up litter, and landscape some of Kalihis most overgrown lots.

"This is the celebration of new efforts to revitalize the area visually and bring the community to work together," said Dean Masuno, Cochair of the Restoration Committee. "Our goal is to have people that drove down King Street on Friday not recognize the area on Monday. The positive impact will be noticeable." 

"People are showing pride and confidence in their communities," said Maile Kanemaru, Executive Director of Weed and Seed Hawaii. "No one is ever happy with crime and ugly neighborhoods. Through collaborative efforts like todays cleanup, these people are taking action and sending the message that theyre not going to tolerate unsafe conditions anymore."

Cooking Up Economic Development

Cleaning up the neighborhood is just one positive change that is taking place in Kalihi. The Pacific Gateway Centers culinary business incubator recently opened its doors to those with an appetite for success and a mind for culinary innovations. Situated in the heart of Kalihi and boasting 20,000 square feet of culinary equipment, it is the Nations largest kitchen incubator. A kitchen incubator is a licensed commercial kitchen where culinary entrepreneurs can lease space to prepare and store their food products. 

The incubator evolved from discussions with Kalihi residents, Weed and Seed staff, and other interested parties, in an effort to elicit economic development ideas. The community made it clear that their primary interest was to provide opportunities for low-income and disadvantaged residents to become economically self-sufficient. Tourism is Hawaiis major industry and the thousands who visit the islands each year need to eat. A popular suggestion was the establishment of a commercial kitchen that could provide training and prospects for self-employment in the food industry. Once that was decided, support was sought and received from the Pacific Gateway Center. 

The center is a private, nonprofit organization established in 1973 and has a staff of 50 who speak more than 35 languages. It has been a frontrunner in devising economic development solutions for low-income immigrants and refugees in Hawaii. The center, which is the only U.S. Small Business Administration Intermediary Leader in the State, embraced the project. Additionally, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has certified the center as a Community Development Financial Institution and a Community Development Entity.

The kitchen incubator offers low-income, disadvantaged, and minority entrepreneurs the opportunity to create and build their own businesses in the culinary field. It provides them access to a 24-hour kitchen facility rental, training and technical assistance in the field of food preparation, help with business development and management, English language courses, computer training, and practical experience learning to deal with individual clients. The incubator already has a waiting list of more than 80 individuals eager to train there. 
The incubator will have an onsite daycare program so students can leave their children in a safe environment while they use the kitchen facilities and attend classes. The Pacific Gateway Center will also provide loans for qualified small businesses through the RED Manini MicroLoan Fund program.

For more information on the incubator, contact Dean Masuno, Manager, Pacific Gateway Center, at 808-845-3918. 

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Operation Weed and Seed To Rebuild Ward 17 Neighborhood
Maureen R. Harper, Public Relations Manager, City of Cleveland, Office of the Council

The area of Ward 17 between West 73rd and West 85th Streets, from Lorain Avenue to Lake Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio, is now an official Weed and Seed site. The Weed and Seed strategy unites residents, law enforcement officials, and civic and community organizations in a common goal to reduce violent crime and drug trafficking as they rebuild the community.

"We are the first community in Cleveland to receive the designation as an official Weed and Seed site," said Councilman Matt Zone of Ward 17. "The reason this area was selected is because it has the highest crime rate and the most challenging housing stock in the First Police District."

The Weed and Seed strategy is coordinated through the U.S. Attorneys Office and involves all levels of law enforcement, including the Cleveland Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and the county prosecutors and sheriffs offices. The strategy requires that community organizers for the Weed and Seed program use all available resources for neighborhood restoration.

"The combination of weeding out the criminals and planting seeds of hope through intervention and revitalization is what makes the plan effective," said Councilman Zone. 

The weeding process relies heavily on community policing--which includes foot patrols, victim referrals to support services, and community relations activities--to help prevent crime and to keep repeat offenders from returning to the targeted area. The seeds of revitalization will grow as the program establishes itself in the target area. Neighborhood restoration will include community and economic development; intervention services for drug abuse, child abuse, and domestic violence; and improved youth activities and community education to maintain a safe and healthy neighborhood. 

"We have the law enforcement groups at the table," said Interim Project Coordinator Collette Appolito. "Now, we are looking for residents to take an active role on the Steering Committee and the subcommittees because the residents are the most important part of the Weed and Seed strategy."

A survey was distributed to residents in the target area inviting them to participate in the program and provide feedback regarding pressing neighborhood concerns, suggestions for improvements, and what resources are most needed in the community. A community meeting was held in April, and a Steering Committee comprising local residents, business leaders, and community groups worked diligently for months to receive designation as an official Weed and Seed site.

"We are beginning the process of taking back our community and it will take a community effort for it to be a success," said Councilman Zone. "Residents are critical to the success of this program, and without their extensive involvement, the Weed and Seed strategy wont be as effective."

For more information about Clevelands Weed and Seed program, contact Councilman Zone, at 216-664-4235, or Collette Appolito, at 216-664-3674.

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Original Aurora Renewal Delivers Education and Training to Residents

To equip new immigrants and low-income residents with the basic skills needed to find jobs, the Weed and Seed site in Aurora, Colorado, has launched an innovative Workforce Development Project. Developed in 2002 by Original Aurora Renewal (OAR), the municipal division that administers the Weed and Seed program, the project delivers basic education and English-language instruction to Weed and Seed residents in Colorados third-largest city.  

The project is made possible, in part, with a Weed and Seed grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, which since September 1998 has awarded more than $1 million to reduce crime and improve the quality of life in the 128-block area of Original Aurora. Coordinated with the Community College of Aurora and implemented with help from Wells Fargo Bank, several Catholic churches, and a faith-based nonprofit organization, the effort has served more than 250 residents.  

The number of Hispanics in Original Aurora has increased by 689 percent over the past decade. Hispanics now account for 48 percent of Original Auroras population, compared to 9 percent of the population in 1990. The 2000 Census reports that half of the areas residents speak little or no English and that many are under-educated. In the Original Aurora Weed and Seed site, nearly 40 percent of its residents age 25 and older lack a high school diploma.  

This low rate of education hampers residents ability to tap into the unprecedented prosperity that is on the horizon. The Weed and Seed area is located at the epicenter of three major economic development projects, with the most significant being the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Base. The base is being redeveloped as a 500-acre "health sciences city" which will be home to the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, University Hospital, Childrens Hospital, several Veterans Benefits Administration facilities, and a bioscience campus. 

Adjacent to the health sciences city is the former Stapleton International Airport, a 7.5-square-mile property which is being redeveloped as a housing, commercial, and retail destination. South of the airport lies the former Lowry Air Force Base, which will become a 1,866-acre urban village complete with residential, educational, retail, recreational, and service facilities.

OAR designed the Workforce Development Project to prepare Weed and Seed residents for the thousands of public- and private-sector employment opportunities that will stem from these projects. "We hope that when employers move into the three major redevelopment areas, they will first look for employees in their own backyard," said OAR Weed and Seed Coordinator Dawn Barrett. "The Weed and Seed project will help our residents acquire the skills that will ultimately help them compete for those opportunities."

Timed to coincide with the community college calendar, the Workforce Development Project offers two beginners English classes each semester. For a small tuition that covers the cost of materials, participants learn conversational English and basic phrases during 90 hours of instruction. 

"The program is helping me to fulfill one of my dreams, which is to learn English," said Miguel Diaz, 28, a Mexican immigrant who has lived in the United States since 1998. "It will help me progress in this country and have a better future."

General equivalency diploma (GED) preparatory classes are offered through the project in both Spanish and English. The GED classes in Spanish give residents, many of whom were white-collar professionals or industry certified in their native countries, an opportunity to contribute again in their field. Such is the case with 37-year-old Angela Badilla-Gonzalez, who earned her GED through the program. An elementary school teacher in Mexico who currently works as a teachers aide, she sees her new certificate as a way to get in front of students again. 

"I hope to teach in this country someday," Badilla-Gonzalez said. "I want the children to see me and know that they can become professionals and achieve great things too."

Although a major portion of the program is geared toward immigrants, the areas longtime residents and English-speaking families have not been forgotten. The project incorporates the services of Self-Improvement Opportunities (SIO), a local faith-based nonprofit organization that provides self-paced GED preparation and computer literacy classes to English speakers. SIO also hopes to roll out their computer literacy classes to Spanish-speaking residents. 

"We dont want to see anyone in our neighborhoods left behind," Barrett said. "These skill-building classes are leveling the playing field for growing numbers of working poor in our community."

The Workforce Development Project has been embraced by the community. Class enrollment has increased each semester and the partners regularly explore new options. For more information on the project, call 303-739-7928, or visit www.auroragov.org.   

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Aurora Uses Weed and Seed To Ease Integration

In addition to boosting the employable skills of new immigrants, Original Aurora Renewal (OAR) is using Weed and Seed to facilitate immigrants assimilation. Last year, this city division, which administers the Weed and Seed program, developed  "Welcome to America," a 6- to 8-hour course that offers civics training to help immigrants integrate into Original Aurora neighborhoods. Immigrants are taught about the rights they have while living in the United States, the public and private resources available to them, and their responsibilities as residents. 

The course explores topics ranging from building code enforcement to crime prevention. Classes touch on immigration issues, landlord/tenant rights, neighborly etiquette, domestic violence, and more. Taught in two to four sessions, the course has been rolled out to several area churches, schools, and resource centers.

OAR also provides a course on diversity for longtime residents. Led by a diversity consultant, the course informs neighborhood residents about the differences and distinctions between cultures to foster an appreciation and understanding of their Spanish-speaking neighbors.

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Tree Giveaway in Shreveport, Louisiana
Mary Ellen Hoffman, Weed and Seed Coordinator

Green space is an important part of a healthy community. It improves the look of property and helps combat the "broken window theory," which asserts that if a neighborhood gives the appearance of being run down it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Trees can reduce utility bills by providing shade in the summer and, according to realtors, add value to property. But landscape improvement can prove a costly venture.

Owing to a fortuitous set of circumstances, the Weed and Seed Area Two site in Shreveport, Louisiana, was able to distribute more that $10,000 worth of trees to target area residents. The 700 fruit trees were donated by Gandys Nursery in East Texas. The trees became available because of a delivery error by Gandys which sent them to Home Depot in Bossier City. Rather than recollect the trees and return them to East Texas, Gandys offered to donate them to an organization. When Weed and Seed learned of this, it seized the opportunity.

With the help of the environmental group Shreveport Green and its youth volunteers, ShrevCORPS, Home Depot, and the Diesel Driving Academy, which provided an 18-wheeler and trailer, the trees were transported to a giveaway site. The Shreveport Police Department provided officers to direct traffic and the city probation department assigned community service workers to help Weed and Seed staff distribute the trees.

Residents were informed of the giveaway, which was to begin at 8:30 Saturday morning. It was received with such enthusiasm that a line began to form by 7 a.m. Three trees were allotted per vehicle and the residents had to provide proof that they lived in the Weed and Seed target area. Residents were given tickets for the number of trees they requested at sign-in and volunteers loaded them into their vehicles. By noon, all the trees had been given away.

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Harvey Street: The Sun Shines Brighter on This Former Skid Row

The light that was at the end of the tunnel for so long now shines brilliantly over Harvey Street. Less than 2 years ago, the area known as Harvey Street in West Valley City, Utah, was one of Utahs most dangerous and crime-stricken neighborhoods. The Weed and Seed site in West Valley City had spent the 4 years preceding the revitalization efforts targeting the area for crime reduction and economic development. In October 2003, Harvey Street became an example of the amazing feats that can be accomplished through the collaborative efforts of an entire city.

In spring 2002, city officials, including the West Valley City chief building inspector, and managers from the nonprofit Utah Housing Corporation inspected the wasteland on Harvey Street. More than 30 buildings had been burned out, condemned, boarded up, and used as transient drug havens, creating a crime-ridden and oppressive neighborhood. "There probably wasnt a crime that didnt happen on that street, and with great frequency," said West Valley Community Police Officer Bruce Champaign. Further inspections showed occupied and unoccupied units with nonfunctioning furnaces and water heaters; water damage to ceilings, walls, and floors; leaking roofs; the need for electrical and plumbing repairs; broken windows and doors; infestation of roaches and rats; cracked toilets; unsecured units; missing refrigerators and stoves; and many other problems that made the units uninhabitable.

The blighted condition of Harvey Street appeared to be an overwhelming problem with no solution. However, a collaboration among nonprofit and government agencies, funded with donations from West Valley City and Salt Lake County, Federal grants, and low-interest loans, led to a solution. Collaborators drafted a plan to create a multiunit complex for low-income families and a multiunit complex for low-income seniors on the site. 

As part of this plan, the city bought the entire block in spring 2002. On October 17, 2002, the first physical steps were taken toward the new future of Harvey Street: The entire area was leveled and construction began. On October 29, 2003, the first of the two projects held its Grand Opening. The 88-unit rental property opened its doors to provide a better life for many families. Where crime and devastation used to be the status quo, there now stands an apartment complex outfitted with a swimming pool, a playground, and a computer lab for children. The place that used to be known as one of the worst areas in all of Utah is now a solid foundation upon which families can build promising futures.

The fears that Harvey Street could return to its previous condition have already been taken into consideration. Background checks are performed on all prospective residents and candidates are thoroughly screened. There is also a constant police presence as well as security cameras. Also, if there is a drug arrest, the tenant automatically receives a 24-hour notice of eviction. The Utah Housing Corporation plans to monitor the property for the next 15 years to ensure that the desolation that occurred on the previous Harvey Street will not permeate the new neighborhood. The collaborators who worked so hard to change Harvey Street have no intention of allowing it to revert back to the way it was.

Its been a long road, but the cooperative efforts of local and national partners--the Utah Housing Corporation, the State of Utah, Salt Lake County, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, West Valley City, West Valley City Housing Authority, the Olene Walker Housing Trust Fund, the Richman Group, Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, Fannie Mae, and Kier Construction--have more than paid off. "The Weed and Seed revitalization project on Harvey Street showcases what is possible when Federal, State, and local agencies unite resources in an effort to reduce the opportunity for crime to flourish in a community. The multimillion dollar revitalization project has planted the seed of opportunity for families to enjoy a clean, safe neighborhood," commented Paul Warner, U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah.

Two years ago, the problem seemed insurmountable, but children now play in the sunshine of parks where Harvey Street shadows used to hide the vermin of society. The West Valley City Manager has noticed first hand that "the sun literally shines more brilliantly on that area now."

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Community First Fund Works With Reading Weed and Seed
Marcelino Colon, Weed and Seed Coordinator

Since 1992, the Community First Fund (CFF) has provided resources to support economic and housing initiatives that improve the quality of life in the low-income communities of central Pennsylvania. CFF provides opportunities for businesses, individuals, and others to participate in the revitalization of their neighborhoods and empowerment of low-income individuals. This nine-county region includes Berks County and the city of Reading, the site of this proposed Weed and Seed initiative.

With funding from the Weed and Seed program and an adequate level of resources, CFF is prepared to work closely with the Hispanic Center in Reading to direct its energies to the residents of the Reading Weed and Seed site. Support from the Weed and Seed program and collaborative efforts throughout the community provide CFF with the ability to 

o Develop new businesses and business owners.
o Increase the level of local business ownership in Weed and Seed areas.
o Create more jobs that pay livable wages and provide adequate benefits.

Through its microlending program, CFF makes loans to establish or enhance businesses located in Weed and Seed areas. It is geared primarily toward new business startups or the expansion of existing businesses. Funds can be used for machinery and equipment, site improvements, working capital, inventory, materials, supplies, and expansion. The program serves as an intermediary for the U.S. Small Business Administration.

CFF provides counseling on the many aspects of small business ownership, including finances, marketing, human resources, inventory, and cash flow. Counseling is customized for the needs of each individual and comprehensive counseling is provided for each CFF borrower.

For additional information, contact Jim Hufford, CFF Director of Small Business and Lending, at 610-685-4940 or Nelson DeLeon, Business Counselor, at 610-372-9675.

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Weed and Seed Brings Research to Practice With CAPTs Training

The Office of Weed and Seed has made an agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) for Weed and Seed sites to have access to training from HHSs Centers for the Application of Prevention Technology (CAPTs).

Primary CAPT clients are States with HHS State Incentive Grants and active subrecipients.
Current additional client groups include--
O Weed and Seed sites.
o Safe and Drug Free School sites/grantees.

Types of services include--
o Identifying/selecting/implementing evidence-based prevention programs.
o Developing prevention systems.
o Organizational development.
o Prevention in specific settings (e.g., workplaces, correctional facilities).
o Prevention fundamentals.
o Community development.
o Collaboration.
o Evaluation.
o Strategic planning/sustainability.

For more information on CAPTs, visit www.captus.org.

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CAPT Region	
Current CAPT Contracts	
Contact Information	

Central CAPT	
Minnesota Institute of Public Health (MIPH)	
Mounds View, MN
1-800-782-1878

Northeast CAPT	
Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC)
Newton, MA	
1-888-332-2278

Western CAPT
University of Nevada
Reno, NV
1-888-734-7476

CAPT Region
CAPT Cooperative Agreements
Contact Information
	
Southeast CAPT
Developing Resources for Education in America (DREAM) 
Jackson, MS
1-800-233-7326

Southwest CAPT
University of Oklahoma	
Norman, OK
1-800-853-2572

AI/AN NRC One Sky Center
The Center for American Indian Health, Education, and Research
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, OR
R. Dale Walker, M.D.
walkerrd@ohsu.edu

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The American Indian/Alaska Native National Resource Center for Substance Abuse Services--AI/AN NRC--One Sky Center is the first national resource center dedicated to improving substance abuse prevention and treatment services for American Indian and Alaska Native populations.

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o AI/AN NRC One Sky Center Consultants and Partners

o Eastern U.S. Tribal Consortium (ME)

o Jack Brown Adolescent Treatment Center (OK)

o White Bison (CO)

o National Indian Youth Leadership Project (NM)

o United American Indian Involvement (CA)

o Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (OR)

o Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (AK)

o All Tribal Colleges and Universities

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