HAT 

l nth e Em power men t Z0 n e san d En t e r p r is e Com mun it i e s 

ORKS! 

Volume III 

The President's Community Empowerment Board • Vice President AI Gore, Chair 

responsibility to make sure that opportunity 

President Wdliam Jefferson Clinton 

owermen t Zone 

been one of the central components of a 

whole set of policies that are working to help communities that have been left out in the past, to now 

participate and be a part of our Nation's prosperity. 

We can see our shining success in neighborhoods 

and communities all across America. We can see it 

in local residents, who are bridging the barriers 

that have divided neighborhoods in the past, but 

now are reaching out their hands across those barriers and joining in common dreams for a brighter 

future." 

Vice President Al Gore 

"T he present prospe-rit 

of our Nation is an opportunity and a 

and prosperity reach every person in every comer 

of this country-into every neighborhood in this 

country." 
Dan Glickman 

werment Zones 

_~_ and prosperity that attract new businesses, 

create jobs, and revitalize communities. Private and 

public investment and tax incentives in the Zones 

are helping neighborhoods reverse decades of 

decline." 

Andrew Cuomo 

Secretary, U.S. Department 

of Housing and Urban Development 

'its the third volume 

of What Works! amply demonstrates, 

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise 

Communities everywhere are literally bursting with 

creativity and enthusiasm. I hope other communities 

will be energized by their spirit and that the example 

they have set will be replicated many times over." 

Secretary, U.S Department ofAgriculture 
"8 ur communi 

agenda has brought about changes that are 

a combination of extraordinary vision and 

concrete, measurable results. These are success 

stories that demonstrate the energy that has been 

created by EZs and Ees. I am certain that they will 

inspire you to tailor them as models in your own 

communities." 

CardeU Cooper 

Assistant Secretary for 

Community Planning & Development 

U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development 

he Community Em powerment 

Initiative has unleashed the creative talents 

of hundreds of communities all over the 

Nation, resulting in dozens of exciting and innovative 

solutions to local problems. I am extremely proud of 

the work being done by these hard-working citizens, 

and I am pleased we can share some of these successes with other communities." 

JiU Long Thompson 

Under Secretary for Rural Development 

U.S. Department ofAgriculture 
Urban Empowerment Zones and 

Enterprise Communities 

Atlanta, Georgia, EZ 

Baltimore, Maryland, EZ 

Boston, Massachusetts, EZ 

Chicago, Illinois, EZ 

Cincinnati, Ohio, EZ 

Cleveland, Ohio, EZ 

Columbus, Ohio, EZ 

Cumberland County, New Jersey, EZ 

Detroit, Michigan, EZ 

EI Paso, Texas, EZ 

Gary/HammondlEast Chicago, Indiana, EZ 

Greater SI. Louis, Missouri, Regional EZ 

Huntington, West VirginialIronton, Ohio, EZ 

Knoxville, Tennessee, EZ 

Los Angeles, California, EZ 

Miami/Dade County, Florida, EZ 

Minneapolis, Minnesota, EZ 

New Haven, Connecticut, EZ 

New York, New York, EZ 

Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia, EZ 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 

Santa Ana, California, EZ 

Sumter/Columbia, South Carolina, EZ 

Houston, Texas, EEC 

Kansas City, KansaslMissouri, EEC 

Oakland, California, EEC 

Akron, Ohio, EC 

Albany, Georgia, EC 

Albany/SchenectadylTroy, New York, EC 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC 

Birmingham, Alabama, EC 

Bridgeport, Connecticut, EC 

Buffalo, New York, EC 

Burlington, Vermont, EC 

Charleston/North Charleston, South Carolina, EC 

Charlotte, North Carolina, EC 

Dallas, Texas, EC 

Denver, Colorado, EC 

Des Moines, Iowa, EC 

East SI. Louis, Illinois, EC 

Flint, Michigan, EC 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC 

Indianapolis, Indiana, EC 

Jackson, Mississippi, EC 

Las Vegas, Nevada, EC 

Louisville, Kentucky, EC 

Lowell, Massachusetts, EC 

Manchester, New Hampshire, EC 

Memphis, Tennessee, EC 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, EC 

Muskegon, Michigan, EC 

Nashville, Tennessee, EC 

New Orleans, Louisiana, EC 

Newark, New Jersey, EC 

NewburghlKingston, New York, EC 

Ogden, Utah, EC 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, EC 

Omaha, Nebraska, EC 

Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, EC 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, EC 

Phoenix, Arizona, EC 

Portland, Oregon, EC 

Providence, Rhode Island, EC 

Pulaski County, Arkansas, EC 

Rochester, New York, EC 

San Antonio, Texas, EC 

San Diego, California, EC 

...... . p--- - -- -----&. .,.--- ~,.. ~---.....-----. 


San Francisco, California, EC 

Seattle, Washington, EC 

Springfield, Illinois, EC 

Springfield, Massachusetts, EC 

SI. Paul, Minnesota, EC 

Tacoma, Washington, EC 

Tampa, Florida, EC 

Waco, Texas, EC 

Wilmington, Delaware, EC 

Rural Empowerment Zones and 

Enterprise Communities 

Desert Communities, California, EZ 

Griggs-Steele, North Dakota, EZ 

Kentucky Highlands, Kentucky, EZ 

Mid-Delta, Mississippi, EZ 

Oglala Sioux-Pine Ridge, South Dakota, EZ 

Rio Grande Valley, Texas, EZ 

Southernmost Illinois Delta, Illinois, EZ 

Southwest Georgia United, Georgia, EZ 

Accomack-Northampton, Virginia, EC 

Allendale County, South Carolina, EC 

Arizona Border Region, Arizona, EC 

Beadle/Spink Dakota, South Dakota, EC 

Central Appalachia, West Virginia, EC 

Central California, California, EC 

Chambers County, Alabama, EC 

City of Bowling Green, Kentucky, EC 

City of Deming, New Mexico, EC 

City of East Prairie, Missouri, EC 

City of Lewiston, Maine, EC 

City of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, EC 

City of Watsonville/County of Santa Cruz, California, EC 

Clare County, Michigan, EC 

Clinch-Powell, Tennessee, EC 

Central Savannah River Area, Georgia, EC 

Crisp/Dooly, Georgia, EC 

East Central Arkansas, Arkansas, EC 

Fayette, Pennsylvania, EC 

Fayette CountylHaywood County, Tennessee, EC 

Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Montana, EC 

Four Comers, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, EC 

Greater Portsmouth, Ohio, EC 

Greene/Sumter Counties, Alabama, EC 

Halifax/EdgecombelWilson, North Carolina, EC 

Imperial County, California, EC 

Jackson County, Florida, EC 

Josephine County, Oregon, EC 

La Jicarita, New Mexico, EC 

Lake County, Michigan, EC 

Lower Yakima County, Washington, EC 

Macon Ridge, Louisiana, EC 

McDowell County, West Virginia, EC 

Metlakatla Indian, Alaska, EC 

Middle Rio Grande, Texas, EC 

Mississippi County, Arkansas, EC 

Molokai, Hawaii, EC 

North Delta, Mississippi, EC 

Northeast Louisiana Delta, Louisiana, EC 

Northwoods Niijii, Wisconsin, EC 

Robeson County, North Carolina, EC 

Scott-McCreary Area, Tennessee-Kentucky, EC 

Southeast Oklahoma, Oklahoma, EC 

Southwest Florida, Florida, EC 

Town of Austin, Indiana, EC 

Tri-County, Washington, EC 

Tri-County Indian Nations, Oklahoma, EC 

Upper Kanawha Valley, West Virginia, EC 

Wiu.iamsburg-Lake City, South Carolina, EC 

Wichita County, Kansas, EC 

,.---•• :..... 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 


INTRODUCTION .................................. 1 


STRATEGIC VISION AND COMMUNITy-BASED 


PARTNERSHiPS .............. .................... 3 


URBAN COMMUNITIES .... ........................................ ... ...... 5 


Northwest Indiana Benefits From New Regional Partnership-Calumet Area EZ Plan Sets 


library Expansion Expands Possibilities for low-Income Residents: 


Training Focuses Nonprofits on Outcomes, Not Output: Newark, New Jersey, EC ............... 1 0 


Educational Opportunities, Increased Public Safety, and Community·Based Partnerships 


Changing the Complexion of the City: Opera1'ion Makeover: 


Coalition Unites Employment Service Providers to Increase Job Opportunities: 


Internet links Locol Neighbors and Businesses: 


Neighborhood Resource Centers Revitalize Communities: 


Research Project Will Study Communication Between Races: 


Childhood Advocacy and Family Resource Center Aids locol Families: 


Tangible EZ Programs Attract Committed Partners: Cincinnati, Ohio, EL.................... ........5 


Cumberland County Prepares for the Future: Cumberland County, New Jersey, EZ ...............6 


EI Paso EZ Encourages Community Partnerships: EI Paso, Texas, EZ ................................. .7 


Ambitious Agenda: Gary/Hammond/East Chicago, Indiana, EZ .....................................8 


Nashville, Tennessee, EC ..........................................................................................9 


Come Together in Kingston EC: Newburgh/Kingston, New York, EC. ............................. 11 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ .................................................12 


Son Diegans Cooperate To Tackle We~are-to·Work Transition: Son Diego, California, EC ..... 13 


New EZ Sets aWide Range of StrategiC Goals: Santo Ana, California, EZ ........................ 13 


St. Louis, Missouri/East St. louis, Illinois, EZ ............................................................ 14 


St. louis, Missouri/East St. Louis, Illinois, EZ ............................................................15 


City Envisions on Exciting New Cluster of International Firms: Tacoma, Washington, EC ..... 16 


RURAL COMMUNITIES .. ......... .... .. .. .. ..... .. .. .... .. .. ... .... 17 


Chambers County Builds Community Enterprise: Chambers County, Alabama, Ec............... 17 


Halifax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Carolina, EC ........................................................ 17 


North Delta, Mississippi, EC .................................................................................... 18 


Southwest Georgia United EZ, Georgia ..................................................................... 18 


Historic School Becomes locoI Cultural Center: Southwest Georgia United EZ, Georgia .......20 


ECONOMIC OpPORTUNITy ..................... 23 


WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ........... ..................................... ... ... .... ... .25 


URBAN COMMUNITIES .................... .......... ......... .. .. ......... 25 


Plastics Training Project Molds New Job Force: Akron, Ohio, EC .. .. .......... .. .. ........... 25 

EZ Businesses Stort and Stoy in Business Thanks to Loan Funds: 


Bal~more, Maryland, EZ .........................................................................................26 


School·to-Career Program Links Students to Promising Coreers: 


Job-Training Program Torgets Hispanic Community: 


From Welfore to Work and Beyond: Charleston EC Residents Get Valuable 


Unemployed Residents Rebuild Neighborhoods and Themselves: 


Porents Learn the Business of Coring for Kids: 


Memphis EC Jayhawk Program Soors: Computer Repair Training Leads to Successful 


Job-Training Program in Norfolk Puts Tools in Women's Hands and Fixes Lives: 


High-Quality Meat Processor Moves Into Central City and Creates Jobs: 


Small Construction Workers Get Help for Long, Hord Journey to Independence: 


Former Troubled Youth Learn To Run a Business-ond Help Keep a City Clean: 


People Find Coreers in Fast-Growing Hospitality/Tourism Industry: 


Pre-Appren~ceship Program Unites Minority Youth With Trade Unions: 


New Building Promises Jobs in Fast-Growing Healthcore Field: 


Walk Right Up and Get a Job: Birmingham, Alabama, EC ..............................................26 


Boston, Massachusetts, EZ .....................................................................................27 


Buffalo, New York, EC ...........................................................................................28 


Occupa~onal Skills: Chorleston/North Chorleston, South Corolina, EC ...........................29 


Training Program Teaches Unemployed To Work Hord: Chorlotte, North Corolina, Ec..........30 


Charlotte, North Corolina, EC ..................................................................................31 


YO! Program Offers Opportuni~es to Dropouts: Houston, Texas, EEc.. .............................32 


Konsos City, Kansas/Missouri, EEC .........................................................................33 


Center Helps Point Residents in the Right Direclion: Manchester, New Hompshire, EC ........34 


Job Placements: Memphis, Tennessee, Ec.................................................................35 


Milwaukee's EC Training Offers Path to Excellence: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, EC. ........ .........36 


People Taking Core of People: Muskegon, Michigan, EC ................................................36 


EC Store Offers More Than Ice Cream: New Orleans, LA ................................................37 


Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia, EZ ...........................................................................38 


Oakland, California, EEC .................................................................. .......................39 


Ouachita Tokes Out Insurance Agoinst Poverty: Ouachita Porish, Louisiana, EC. .................39 


Community Team Helps People Connect With-ond Get-Jobs: Phoenix, Arizono, EC .... .40 


Helping People Stort Coreers-Not Just Get Jobs: Pulaski County, Arkansas, EC ..............41 


Pulaski County, Arkansas, EC .. ................................................................................42 


San Francisco, California, EC ...................................................................................43 


Son Francisco, California, EC .................................................... ...............................43 


Springfield, Massachusetts, EC ................................................................................ 44 


Tacoma, Washington, EC ........................................................................................45 


New EC Jobs Filled at Historic Schoenfeld Building: Tacoma, Washington, EC ...................46 


Waco Develops Job Training: Waco, Texas, EC .............................................................46 


RURAL COMMUNITIES ............................. ..... ....... .............49 


Imperial County California Job Resource Centers: Imperial County, California, EC. ..............49 


Formers Bond Together To Feed Schools and Sustain Jobs in Agriculture: 


Jackson County, Florida, EC ............... ..................................................................... 49 


What Works! Volume III 
Flat Rock Furniture Opens New Plant in Jackson County: 


Kentucky Highlands, Kentucky, El ...........................................................................50 


Kentucky El Job-Training Program for Youth: Kentucky Highlands, Kentucky, El 

Local Ingenuity Brings Shipbuilding Plant Up River: Northeast Louisiana Delta, 


................51 


Building Trade Boosts Local Employment in Macon Ridge: Macon Ridge, Louisiana, EC ......52 


Louisiana, EC ........................................................................................................52 


Capital Injection Helps Small Businesses Thrive: Rio Grande Valley, Texas, El ...................53 


BUSINESSES ASSiSTED ............. ... ...... ...... ................ ..... ...... ... ... ........55 


URBAN COMMUNITIES ....................................................55 


Big City Comes Through With Tax Breaks for Inner{ity Businesses: 


ACommunity Is Fed When aGrocery Store Owner Gets Help in Buying aBuilding: 


Faith-Based Community Development Corporation Creates New Businesses 


Heart of American Street El Remediated and Developed: 


Liberties Construction Brings Jobs and Grow~ to lone: 


Recycling the City From the Inside Out-Camden Draws New Business: 


Roadmaps to Success: Entrepreneurs Receive Training in Camden: 


Williams Hill Project Increases Economic Opportunities for Businesses and Residents: 


Educating and Assisting Entrepreneurs in Upper Manhattan: 


Business Center Makes Loans and Teaches Lessons: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ec.. .........55 


A~anta OSCS Exceeds Goals for Service and Assistance: A~anta, Georgia, El ...................56 


Canisius College Puts Small Businesses on ~e Map: Buffalo, New York, EC .....................56 


Small Childcare Business Has Big Impact on EC: Charlotte, North Carolina, EC. .................57 


Public/Private Partnerships Foster Business in the Dallas EC: Dallas, Texas, EC. ................58 


Incubator Reduces Gamble in Small Business Ventures: Las Vegas, Nevada, EC ................59 


Los Angeles, California, El......................................................................................60 


Old Mill Yard Helps Incubate New EC Businesses: Manchester, New Hampshire, EC. ..........60 


EC Helps One Business Return to Its Roots: Muskegon, Michigan, EC. .............................61 


Loan Program Provides Big Assistance to Small Businesses: Muskegon, Michigan, EC. .......62 


Boilers Boost Economic Development in the Bronx: New York, New York, El ..................63 


Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, EC ................................................................................64 


Lending Circle Helps Dreamers Become Entrepreneurs: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, EC .......65 


and Expands Existing Businesses: Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, EC .................................66 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, El .................................................67 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, El .................................................68 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, El .................................................69 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, El .................................................69 


Manufacturing Company Produces Jobs: Springfield, Illinois, Ec.. ....................................70 


St. Paul, Minnesota, EC .........................................................................................71 


Upper Manhattan, New York, El .............................................................................72 


Table of Contents 
RURAL COMMUNITIES ........... ... ............... ... ... .................. .75 


Small Business Development Center Expands Business in EC: 


City of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, EC. ......................................................................75 


Business Promotion Project: McDowell County, West Virginia, EC. ...................................75 


Small Business Incubator Meets Local Need: Rio Grande Valley, Texas, EZ .......................7 6 


ACCESS TO CAPiTAL ....... .......................... ............ .. ................... ... .. .. .77 


URBAN COMMUNITIES .. ............... .. .................... .. ...........77 


Attention EZ Shoppers! Free Equipment and Supplies for Schools and 


Louisville Community Development Bank Restores Businesses, Jobs, and Neighborhoods: 


New Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program Creates Financial Planning and 


Self Storters Find a Place To Nurture Their Entrepreneurial Spirit: 


Akron Parents Use Small Loans for Transportation: Akron, Ohio, EC ................................77 


Customized Job Training-the Bridge to High-Tech Jobs: Baltimore, Maryland, EZ ............78 


From Vicious Cycle to Lending Circle: Credit for the Creditless: Denver, Colorado, EL........78 


Techni((]1 Assistance Equals Access to Capital: Indianapolis, Indiana, EC ...........................79 


Nonprofit Organizations: Los Angeles, California, EZ ...................................................80 


LOUisville, Kentucky, EC ..........................................................................................81 


Saving Vehicle for EC Residents and Others: Lowell, Massachusetts, EC ........................82 


Small Businesses Get Collateral To Expand and Create Jobs: Phoenix, Arizona, EC ............83 


Flagship Program Sails Strongly Along: Providence, Rhode Island, EL.............................84 


Providence, Rhode Island, EC ..................................................................................85 


RURAL COMMUNITIES ....... ............................ .... ............... 87 


Turtle Island Theme Park Emphasizes Native American Culture: 


Small Business Loan Program Grows Tomatoes and Much More: 


North Delta Mississippi EC Revolving Loan Assists Variety of Small Businesses: 


Hugo Lake Holds Key to EC's Economic Development: 


EC Helps Attract South Carolina Industrial Investments: 


Halifax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Corolina, EC ........................................................87 


Josephine County, Oregon, EC .................................................................................87 


North Delta, MiSSissippi, EC ....................................................................................88 


Southeast Oklahoma, Oklahoma, EC. .......................................................................88 


Williamsburg-lake City, South Carolina, EC ............................................................... 89 


SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ..... 91 


HOUSING .................... .. ............................ ................... ................ .. ...93 


URBAN COMMUNITIES ............................. ... .. ................ .. 93 


Chicago EZ Streamlines Acquisition and Rehabilitation Financing of Multifamily Buildings: 


Eagle Ridge Summit: ANew Tax Credit Program To Build Low- and 


EC's Vacant Lots May Yield New Homes: Albuquerque, New Mexico, EL.........................93 


Chicago, Illinois, EZ ...............................................................................................94 


Recycled Materials Used in Recycled Building: Detroit, Michigan, El................................94 


Moderate-Income Housing: Flint, Michigan, EC ..........................................................95 


What Worksl Volume III 
Residents Take Back Their Neighborhoods: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ec.. ................ ........96 


Historic Designation Reverses EC's Downward Spiral: Jackson, Mississippi, EC ..................97 


Park DuValle Revitalization Offers Homeownership Opportunities: 


Louisville, Kentucky, EC ..........................................................................................98 


Throw Out the Lifeline in San Antonio: San Antonio, Texas, Ec.. ...................................100 


Tampa EC Stems Housing Emergencies; Program Provides Repairs 


Capacity-Building Program Helps CDCs Develop Housing: Newark, New Jersey, EC ............99 


for Elderly Homeowners: Tampa, Florida, EC ...........................................................101 


RURAL COMMUNITIES ....... ......... ........ ........ ..... ... ...... ..... 103 


Housing Partnerships Develop Neighborhoods: Fayette County/Haywood County, 


County Provides Housing Opportunities for Disadvantaged Neighbors: 


Halifax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Carolina, EC ......................................................103 


Wilson Community Improvement Association: Laying a Firm Foundation for the Future: 


Halifax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Carolina, EC ...................................................... 104 


Developers Join Forces With Nonprofits To Improve Housing Stock: 


Mississippi County, Arkansas, Ec.. ..........................................................................105 


Tennessee, EC. .................................................................................................... 103 


EC Triples Dollars In Housing Loon Fund: North Delta, Mississippi, EC ............................ 105 


PUBLIC SAFETY ....................................... .... ... .. .... ... .............. .. ........107 


URBAN COMMUNITIES ................. ....... ......... .... ...... ....... 107 


Buffalo Blooms with 50,000 Daffodils: Buffalo, New York, Ec.. ...................................107 


Patrols Keep Crime at Boy in EZ's Commercial District: Cleveland, Ohio, EZ ....................109 


EC's Community Outreach Program Addresses Domestic Violence: 


Burlington Public Safety Project: Burlington, Vermont, EC ..........:.................................108 


New Orleans, Louisiana, EC .................... .............................................................. 110 


Taking Control of St. Louis' Neighborhoods: 


St. Louis, Missouri/East St. Louis, Illinois, EZ ..........................................................110 


RURAL COMMUNITIES .............. ....... ......... .. .. .. .. ......... ... 1 1 3 


Community Policing Program Attacks Drug Abuse and Other Crime: 


Courtesy Patrol Combines Welfare to Work With Public Safety Assistance: 


City of Lock Hoven, Pennsylvania, EL ....................................................................113 


McDowell County, West Virginia, EL ......................................................................113 


EZ Helps Reduce Emergency Response Time: Rio Grande Volley, Texas, El..................... 114 


INFRASTRUCTURE...... .. ... .... .... ......... .. ....... .. ......................... ............. 117 


URBAN COMMUNITIES ......... .. .. .... ...... ...... ... .... ... .. ......... 1 17 


New Shopping Center To Keep Dollars in Community: 


Return of Wimpy Burgers Signals Corridor's Rejuvenation: 


Albany/SchenectadyjTroy, New York, EC ............... ................................................ 117 


Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC ..............................................................................117 


Renovated Factory Brings Hope of Economic Renewal: Cleveland, Ohio, El.................... 118 


Residents Use Point To Wage War: Columbus, Ohio, EZ ..............................................119 


Streetlights Create Safe Corners: Indianapolis, Indiana, EC .......................................... 120 


Table of Contents 
Philadelphia Field of Dreams: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ ........ 121 


15th Street Gateway To Become an Artistic City Welcome: Tacoma, Washington, Ec.. .....122 


Rite-Aid Store Will Foster New Business Growth: Tacoma, Washington, EC ..................... 122 


Waterway Development and Municipal Dack Building Renovation Will Bring 


Community Together: Tacoma, Washingtan, EC ............_.......................................... 123 


RURAL COMMUN ITIES ... ........ ...................... .... .......... ..... 1 25 


Innovative Bus Service Allows Rural Residents To Reach City Jobs and Services: 


EC Helps Township Win 30-Year Quest to Gain Affordable, Safe Heating: 


EC Brings Water and Sewer Service to County Residents: 


Accomack-Northampton, Virginia, EC ..............._...._.................................................. 125 


Lake County, Michigan, EC ................................................................................... 125 


EC Pursues Ambitious Infrastructure Projects: Macon Ridge, Louisiana, EC ......................126 


Scott-McCreary Area, Tennessee-Kentucky, EC .................................. ........................ 127 


ENVIRONMENT ....... ........ .. ..... .. ......... ......... ... .... .... ... .. ... ... .. .. .. ... .. .... .129 


URBAN COMMUNITIES ........................ .. ................. .. ..... 1 29 


Milwaukee's Brownfields Create Employment Opportunities: 


Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center Combines Business With Environment: 


Extension Agents Help Small Firms With Environmental Complexities: 


Historic District Gets Set To Rise Again: Houston, Texas, EEC ........................................ 129 


Milwaukee, Wisconsin, EC .... ................................................................................130 


Minneapolis, Minnesota, EZ ..................................................................................130 


Cleaning Up Omaha One Block At aTime: Omaha, Nebraska, EC .................................131 


Seattle, Washington, EC ....................................................................................... 132 


RURAL COMMUNITIES... ......... ............ ........ ......... ... ... .. ... 1 33 


Virginia Project Is First Eco-Industrial Park in America: 


Accomack-Northampton, Virginia, EC ............. .........................................................133 


HEALTH ............ ....... .... ................. .. .... ... ... ... .. .. .... ... .. ..... ... .... .. ... ...... 135 


URBAN COMMUNITIES ...... ................ ... .. ........ .......... ... .. 1 35 


Stamping Out the Scourge of Lead Poisoning: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC ................... 135 


Drug Treatment Program Addresses Spiritual Needs: Jackson, Mississippi, EC. ................. 136 


Medical Students Bring Hope and Fight Costs with Free Clinic: 


Los Angeles, California, El....................................................................................137 


Health Is the Hype in Ogden: Ogden, Utah, EC ..........................................................138 


RURAL COMMUNITIES................................ .... ...... ...... .. .. 14 1 


Health Centers in Roane and Clay Counties, West Virginia: 


Community Centers Provide Needed Services: 


Rural Partners Help People Pay for Healthcare: Accomack-Northampton, Virginia, EC ....... 141 


Central Appalachia, West Virginia, EC ................................................... .......... ........ 141 


Fayette County/Haywood County, Tennessee, EC ........... ......................................... 142 


Health Clinics: North Delta, Mississippi, EC ................ ................................................ 143 


What Works! Volume II I 
High School Students Get Heod Stort on Health Careers: 


Northeast Louisiana Delta, Louisiana, Ec... ..............................................................144 


Training Progrom Prepares Health Workers: Rio Grande Volley, Texas, EZ 

Healthcare Agencies Bring Medical and Dental Services to the EC: 


....................... 144 


Robeson County, North Carolina, EL...................................................................... 145 


EC Improves Access to Healthcare: Scott-McCreary Area, Tennessee-Kentucky, EL........... 145 


EDUCATION ......... .... .... ..... .. .... .. ... ... ... ....... ........ .... .. .. .. ... .. ... ...... ...... . 147 


URBAN COMMUNITIES ........ .......... .... .... .. ... ....... ....... .. ... 147 


Junior Museum Provides EducaHon and Economic Opportunities: 


Tech Education Centers Are aFamily Affair: 


Albany/Schenectady/Troy, New York, EC ............................................................... 147 


Alb(]ny/Schenectady/Troy, New York, EC ............................................................... 148 


High School Students Learn While Their Children Ploy: Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC ..... 148 


Bridgeport EC Makes Learning aFamily Affair: Bridgeport, Connecticut, EC .................... 150 


EZ Schools Become the Heart of the Community: Detroit, Michigan, El......................... 151 


At-Risk Teens Gain New Appreciation for the L(]w: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC ......... .....152 


Acre Family Day Care CorporaHon Emphasizes Self-Employment: 


Lowell, Massachusetts, EC ....................................................................................153 


Summerbridge Inspires EC Students To Love Learning and Teaching: 


New Haven Partnership Leads to DramaHc Improvement in Perrormance and 


Tampa EC Supports Educanon of Domestic Violence Victims; Facility Normalizes 


Manchester, New Hampshire, EC ........................................................................... 154 


Test Scores: New Hoven, Connecticut, El................................................................ 15 5 


Life of Special Needs Children: Tampa, Florida, EC ...................... ............................. 156 


RURAL COMMUNITIES ... .. .... .... .. .. ... ............ .... ... .. ... .... .. .. 157 


Adult Education Programs in Clay County, West Virginia: 


Early Admissions Program Opens Doors to aCollege Education: 


Youth Go From Computer Novices to Junior Web Masters: 


Families Learn To Read-and To Open Doors to the World: 


Center Lessens Rurallsolanon While Helping Families Learn: 


Community EducaHon Program's Computer Lab Goins Momentum: 


Rural County Prepares Young People for Jobs of the Future: 


Learning Center Offers Local Access to Training and Educal'ion: 


Central Appalachia, West Virginia, EC .....................................................................157 


City of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, EL....................................................................15 7 


City of Watsonville/County of Santo Cruz, California, EC ..........................................158 


Imperial County, California, EC ................................... ........................................... 159 


Josephine County, Oregon, EC ............................................................ ................... 160 


Josephine County, Oregon, EC. .... ..........................................................................161 


McDowell County, West Virginia, EL.................................. .................................... 162 


Scott-McCreary Area, Tennessee-Kentucky, EC ......................................................... 163 


Table of Contents 
HUMAN SERViCES .... .. ....................... ......... ..................................... 165 


URBAN COMtv'lUNITIES ...... ... ... .... .. .............. ........ .... .. .... 1 65 


Art Club Reaches Out To Help Kids Rekindle Their Artistic Energies: 


McClure Multi·Generational Center Celebrates Grand Opening: 


Philadelphia Hires Its Own To Survey Community Childcare Needs: 


Birmingham, Alabama, EC .................................................................................... 165 


Neighborhood Outreach Center Revitalizes Heart of Buffalo: Buffalo, New York, Ec.. ....... 165 


Good News Garage Gets People's Lives Rolling: Burlington, Vermont, EC ....................... 166 


Burlington, Vermont, EC ....................................................................................... 167 


Phoenix From the Flames: Burlington, Vermont, EL...................................................168 


New Family Center Builds on Successful Model: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC ................169 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ ............................................... 170 


R.B. Brown: AOne-Stop Community Center: 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ ............................................... 171 


One-Stop Shopping for Family Services at the People's Building Project: 


Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, EC ................................................................................. 172 


Helping Women Become Self-Sufficient: Springfield, Massachusetts, EC ........................ 173 


North End Youth Center: AHome Away From Home: Springfield, Massachusetts, EC ....... 173 


RURAL MMU~IITIES ... .... ..... ................. ...... .... ... ....... ... 175 


EC Child Care Initiative Puts Children First: City of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, EC ............ 175 


New Center Provides Services to Victims of Domestic Violence: 


Fayette County/Haywood County, Tennessee, EC .................................................... 175 


St. Gabriel Education Center Provides Help for Local Residents: 


Mid-Dell11, MiSSissippi, EZ .....................................................................................176 


TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNiCATIONS ....... .... ... ........................ ..... ... 179 


URBAN CO Mtv'lUNITIES ....... ......................... .. ..... ..... .... .. 179 


Boston TV Show Informs Residents: Boston, Massachusetts, EZ ...................................179 


Communicaling the Ouachita EC's Progress: Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, EC .................... 179 


RURAL COMtv'lUNITIES ... ............. ... .......... .... ..... ........ .... .. 181 


Rural County Helps Its People Reap the Rewards of the Telecommunications Revolution: 


Kentucky Highlands, Kentucky, EZ .......................................................... ...............181 


EC Residents Empowered by Technology Skills: Robeson County, North Carolina, EC. .......181 


LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: REGIONAL 


DEVELOPMENT INITIATiVES ...... . ........ . .. 183 


Southwest Border Regional Partnership ................................ ............ ........................ 183 


Mississippi Delta Regional Initiative ......................................................................... 185 


What Works! Vo l ume III 
INDEX BY COMMUNITy .......... . .......... . 187 


AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS ................... 195 


Available Publications for Urban Communities ..................... ....................................... 195 


Available Publications for Rural Communities .................. ...........................................196 


Other Resources .................................................................................................... 196 


RESOURCES . . ................................ 197 


EZ/EC MAIN CONTACT LIST ............... 199 


URBAN COMMUNITIES.. ... .. ........ ......... ...... ..... ...... .. .... .. . 199 


Empowerment Zones ............................................................................................. 199 


Enhanced Enterprise Communities ..................... ....................................................... 203 


Enterprise Communities ..........................................................................................205 


RURAL COMMUNITIES ....... ..... .... ............ .. .. ... .. ... ......... ... 211 


Empowerment Zones .............................................................................................211 


Enterprise Communities ............................................................... ...........................213 


TERMS AND DEFINITIONS .......... INSIDE BACK COVER 


Table of Contents 

~ -. w<;-. 

INTRODUCTION 


On December 21,1994, President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore 

established an initiative that would effectively change the way some of 

America's most distressed communities worked and lived together. They 

designated 105 distressed communities across the Nation as Empowerment 

Zones and Enterprise Communities (EZs and ECs) through the EZ/EC Initiative. 

In January 1999 the initiative was expanded through a second round of designations to include 20 new urban and rural Empowerment Zones and 20 new rural 

Enterprise Communities. Since the inception of the program, the EZIEC Initiative 

has been a catalyst for change, improving the lives of thousands of people in 

America's most distressed rural and urban areas. 

The EZ/EC Initiative is an innovative approach to revitalization. It brings communities together through public and private partnerships designed to attract the 

investment necessary for sustainable economic and community development. 

The initiative recognizes that local communities, working together, can best identify and develop local solutions to the problems they face. 

The EZ/EC Initiative is directed by Vice President Gore through the Community 

Empowerment Board. Through this cabinet-level, interagency task force, the 

Federal Government has been actively engaged in assisting the EZs and ECs in 

realizing their revitalization strategies. By providing tax incentives, technical 

assistance, and support, the initiative has helped spur private investment in communities that have experienced severe economic decline. The program also provides performance-oriented, flexible Federal grant funding so communities can 

design local solutions that empower residents to participate in the revitalization 

of their neighborhoods. 

The EZs and ECs have used their Federal seed money to create partnerships that 

have leveraged more than $8 billion in public and private investment. Strategies 

resulting from these partnerships have generated jobs; provided business assistance and services; trained and educated youth and families; improved access to 

childcare, healthcare, and transportation; and increased residents' safety 

and involvement in their neighborhoods. 

What Works! in the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities: 

Volume III celebrates the programs and projects that exemplify the principles of 

the EZIEC Initiative. The examples in this publication represent only a small part 

of the success stories in the 145 EZs and ECs. They demonstrate how America's 

communities are working together to effect change, create opportunity, and realize success in achieving their goals and dreams. We encourage you to learn more 

about the EZIEC Initiative and the communities it is affecting in so many different ways. 

WHAT WORKS! 


STRATEGIC VISION AN D 

COMMUNITy-BASED 

PARTNERSHIPS 

Community collaboration is the key to success. 

In community renewal, the Empowerment Zones (EZs) and 

Enterprise Communities (ECs) are finding a variety of ways to 

ensure that stakeholders from every segment of the communilyindividual citizens, business and civic leaders, grassroots nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and many others-are 

involved at every step in the revitalization process. From initial 

organizing and strategic planning through project implementation 

and monitoring of results, EZ/ECs are fostering empowerment 

through broad-based participation and partnerships. The examples in this section reflect these innovative partnerships. 

STRATEGIC VISION AND 

COMMUNITy-BASED PARTNERSHIPS 

Tangible EZ Programs AHract CommiHed Partners 

Cincinnati, Ohio, EZ 

Within 30 days of Cincinnati, Ohio's, EZ designation in January 1999,21 local 

organizations had mobilized to appoint 33 members to the Cincinnati 

Empowerment Corporation (CEC) board. The board, which will oversee EZ activities, gives residents, private businesses, government entities, and nonprofit 

organizations an equal voice in EZ decisionmaking. 

The Cincinnati EZ encompasses a historic 7 -square-mile area north of the city's 

central business district. Approximately 50,000 people live in the Zone's nine 

neighborhoods, where the poverty rate is 47 percent. Fifteen percent of EZ residents are unemployed and only 18 percent own their own homes. Half of EZ 

households have no vehicle. 

Equal representation on the CEC board was only one strategy Cincinnati used to 

ensure that EZ programs would be successful and sustained. Creating partnerships and making sure partners had an equal stake in EZ programs were the goals 

of the city's strategic planning process, says EZ Coordinator Timothy Sharp. The 

city reached those goals in many program areas, assembling $2.2 billion in local 

contributions to match EZ funds. Collaboration among stakeholders is particularly evident in programs that address employment issues, says Sharp. 

"Community leaders were concerned because they wanted EZ programs to be 

tangible and actually help residents improve their lives," he says. "So we 

designed programs to get residents trained for jobs, get them jobs, and get them 

to and from jobs. You can't get any more tangible than that." 

Local businesses, in desperate need of qualified workers, were very interested in 

the job-training programs. They showed their support by making commitments 

to provide 10,000 new jobs for EZ residents over the next 10 years. "Programs 

like this are the ones we'll be able to sustain because they benefit the entire community," says Sharp. 

The CEC board appointment process brought together many EZ partners who had 

never worked together, says Sharp. Three stakeholder groups representing the 

Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, the African-American Chamber of 

Commerce, the Cincinnati Business Committee, and the Institute for Advanced 

Manufacturing Sciences each appointed 11 members to the board. Each of the 

EZ's nine neighborhood councils appointed one member to the board, but all nine 

council presidents had to work together-for the first time-to appoint two atlarge members. Executives from 7 government entities and nonprofit organizations chose 11 board members to represent them. 

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"Everybody is ready to go; everyone is anxious to get this thing mobilized and up 

and running," says Sharp. 

For more infonnation contact Timothy Sharp, Cincinnati's EZ Coordinator, at 

513-352-2457. 

Cumberland County Prepares for the Future 

Cumberland County, New Jersey, EZ 

When officials in Cumberland County decided to apply for designation as an EZ, 

the question of pulling together such a massive proposal posed a considerable 

challenge. Rather than having the short time element become a hindrance, they 

turned it into an asset that has resulted in tremendous success for New Jersey. 

"Because there was a short period of time to develop the proposal, we had to really focus on our mission," says Stephen Kehs of the Cumberland County 

Department of Planning and Development in Bridgeton, which served as the lead 

agency. "We had to define our region's strengths and weaknesses and use them in 

our application." 

What resulted was a multi partnership approach involving the Cities of Bridgeton, 

Millville, and Vineland and the Township of Port Norris. "Our application was 

unique because it was a regional effort that involved governmental entities," says 

Kehs. "It also demonstrated diversity in that we combined a rural commercial 

township with urban cities." 

Representatives from the county government, State government, and municipalities all worked together on a collaborative effort that reflected on the region as a 

whole. Particular emphasis was placed on incorporating elements of the area's 

rich historical heritage, such as the glass and food-processing industries that are 

currently undergoing considerable change. "By redeveloping areas that had a 

history and a heritage," says Kehs, "we were able to demonstrate a link to tourism 

and urban redevelopment that would help recruit and retain vibrant industries." 

Because its EZ designation is new, Cumberland County is beginning to attend to 

the basic framework of the collaboration. "Our governing board right now is a 

work in progress," says Kehs. "We will make changes and work to solidify partnerships between government, business, and community." Plans include having 

some of the 54-member Advisory Board serve on the Executive Board. 

According to Kehs, the success of the Cumberland County Intennunicipal EZ 

application lies "in the tremendous partnership that we have enjoyed in past 

years." This cooperative effort has laid a firm foundation upon which the EZ can 

now build for the 21st century. 

For more infonnation contact Stephen Kehs, Director, Cumberland County 

Department of Planning and Development, at 609-453-2175. 

What Works! Vo lume III 
EI Paso EZ Encourages Community Partnerships 

EI Paso, Texas, EZ 

El Paso's leaders and community members have realized that the economic condition of the city depends on how well the community takes stock of its present 

conditions, analyzes its past, and collaborates on a plan of action for the future. 

The Round II EZ strategic planning process is the outcome of successful community-wide strategic planning initiatives which emphasize consensus building and 

collaboration. 

The strategic planning process for the Round II EZ produced unprecedented levels of cooperation and collaboration among EZ residents and community leaders. 

It brought together the greater El Paso community in a manner rarely seen in any 

community. This is exemplified in both the human and capital resources. More 

than 2,500 people in El Paso were involved in the process with an in-kind contribution of volunteer hours calculated at more than $118,000. 

The planning process began when Mayor Carlos M. Ramirez convened a group of 

community leaders from both the public and private sectors to announce the City's 

intent to apply for EZ designation. This initial group volunteered to commit the 

next few months to producing a winning EZ application. 

The vehicle for mobilization of the EZ community was the myriad communitybased organizations that are active throughout the proposed service area. A series 

of meetings held by the community-based organizations directly involved residents in the planning process. 

Communication among the various stakeholders, including residents, was maintained via e-mail, open meeting announcements posted at city hall, weekly articles in the El Paso Times, and newsletters containing an EZ activities calendar. 

Five working committees were established to recruit additional stakeholders, 

build community awareness of the planning process, assess the community's 

needs and resources, and formulate a strategic plan to achieve the community's 

vision. Together they scheduled more than 20 television, radio, and editorial visits that focused on the EZ and the importance it would have on the greater El Paso 

community. They involved corporate and business leaders in raising $40,000 for 

marketing and public relations. An additional $25,000 was raised for more than 

30 community residents to travel to Washington, D.C., and accompany local leaders to present the EZ application to the Federal government in October 1998. 

Three general committees were created under the broad services categories of 

economic opportunities, human development, and sustainable neighborhoods. A 

testament to the community commitment to the EZ process is that agencies, organizations, and private industry members recognized the need to allow the collective 

work of the city work on the EZ application development. Organizations released 

their staff members to work full-time on the formulation of the strategic plan. 

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The process used for the community meetings created a trust through which the 

residents contributed ideas and allowed committees the freedom to rework the 

general projects to specific strategies with measurable outcomes. The open committee meetings ensured resident involvement in the proceedings. The committees worked diligently to produce a comprehensive, integrated plan of action in 

which all activities would complement each other. The result is a well thoughtout, interlaced strategic plan that represents a consensus of community organizations and residents. The success of the collaborative involvement of the community encouraged community partners to invest and multiply the strategic plan's 

first 2-year funding from $20 million to $248 million. 

For more information contact Deborah G. Hamlyn, Director of Community and 

Human Development, City of El Paso, at 915-541--4643. 

Northwest Indiana Benefits From New Regional 

Partnership-Calumet Area EZ Plan Sets Ambitious 

Agenda 

Gary/Hammond/East Chicago, Indiana, EZ 

Receiving one of the coveted second-round EZ designations did not come as a 

surprise to the residents of the Calumet area that includes the Cities of Gary, 

Hammond, and East Chicago, Indiana. They worked hard to create task forces, 

hold town meetings, and convene regular planning meetings over an intense 

3-month planning period. 

This cooperative team approach has led to a successful new regional partnership 

to address deeply rooted concerns about revitalizing the declining industrial areas 

of northwest Indiana, including brownfields and abandoned railroad yards, and 

ambitious plans to expand the Gary airport into a multi modal facility. 

The partnership's agenda reflects a careful review of the needs of the three cities 

as well as an identification of long-term strategies and community-based solutions 

to creating economic opportunities, attracting new business investment, and 

improving the quality of life for Northwest Indiana residents. 

This planning led to an innovative 1,000-Day Agenda to address job creation, 

environmental enhancement, safe neighborhoods, business expansion and retention, and a stable and viable economy. A key goal of the plan is to bring 1,000 new 

jobs into the workforce annually for the next 10 years. 

The plan received strong endorsements and commitments from the EZ's three 

mayors and from local residents and businesses. The business community 

pledged to create a $55-million loan pool, and Purdue University-Calumet and 

Ivy Tech State College have pledged more than $28 million for the training of 

Zone residents. Local commitments totaled more than $688 million. 

"The group has put an ambitious but realistic plan in motion to promote sustained 

and positive economic environment," states Taghi Arshami, Gary's Acting 

Director of Planning and Community Development. "We developed a winning 

What Works! Volume III 
application with community support. The community itself set the agenda and is 

coming up with the goals and objectives to implement it." 

For more information contact Taghi Arshami, Acting Director of Planning and 

Community Development, City of Gary, at 219-881-5075. 

Library Expansion Expands Possibilities for 

Low-Income Residents 

Nashville, Tennessee, EC 

The Nashville Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA), the City 

of Nashville's housing authority, formed a Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) 

within the Nashville EC to make recommendations on how to improve the community so its children would be better prepared for life and careers in the 21st 

century. CAC envisioned a cultural icon for the community that would include the 

arts, dance, drama, and other media of expression. They wanted to empower community residents with educational and computer resources in a completely public 

setting. 

The Mary and Charles W. Pruitt Library was a small, afterschool library in 

South Nashville that was open for only a few hours on weekdays. It was nestled 

between two major public housing developments, where many of South 

Nashville's low-income families live. CAC identified the small afterschoollibrary 

as a resource through which its vision could be realized and decided 

to expand the existing library. 

Extensive funding had to be secured for this major project. The library expansion 

project was a collaborative effort among MDHA, Metro Libraries, and the State of 

Tennessee. MDHA contributed $596,000 of CDBC funds toward the project. An 

additional $450,000 was contributed by Metro Libraries, and the remaining 

$150,000 came from the State of Tennessee. 

An 8,000-square-foot wing with a new main entrance was added to the small 

library. The entrance was designed museum-style to create a showcase for displaying local art and special arrangements. The original general library space was 

expanded to make many more books and resources available to South Nashville's 

residents. In addition, a computer center with more than 20 workstations was 

developed in the new space. The expanded library includes a special reading and 

play area for children and several individual and group study rooms that are used 

for afterschool tutoring and mentoring programs. But the crown jewel of this project undoubtedly is the new 200-seat auditorium that includes a performance 

stage, state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, and a full-service kitchenette. 

Once the library expansion was complete, several local universities were recruited to provide tutoring to area school children. Some tutors are volunteers; others 

earn college credits. In the future, the residents hope that the library will partner 

with EC service providers to furnish space for GED and Adult Basic Education 

classes. 

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The Mary and Charles W Pruitt Library now has extended hours and is open on 

Saturdays so that adults and children alike can enjoy, learn, and thrive in the new 

facility. This project was a great example of how community partners can identify 

the needs of a community and community providers can respond to those needs. 

For more information contact Paul Johnson, Metropolitan Development and 

Housing Agency, at 615-252-8543. 

Training Focuses Nonprofits on Outcomes, Not Output 

Newark, New Jersey, EC 

When nonprofit, community-based organizations apply for grants, they usually 

produce a litany of statistics to prove their effectiveness. Those statistics-the 

number of counseling sessions conducted, housing units built, or unemployed 

people trained-can be quite impressive, says Rawaa Albilal, Chief Operating 

Officer of the United Way of Essex and West Hudson in Newark, New Jersey. 

Unfortunately, she says, the numbers don't tell funding entities what they really 

want to know. 

Albilal spends a fair amount of time teaching service organizations in the Newark 

EC that the agencies supporting them care more about outcomes than they do 

about output. Foundations and other funding sources don't necessarily want to 

hear about what an organization did, she says. They want to know what impact 

these activities have had on the community and its problems. 

Through the EC-funded Community Development Resource Center, Albilal and 

her staff at the United Way teach community organizations how to measure, report, 

and market their outcomes. Managers and staff members working at EC service 

organizations also come to the center to learn how to write long-range plans, manage their finances and their staffs, market their programs, develop budgets, and 

write grant proposals. The center attempts to increase the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations and community partners so they can provide better services to 

their clients and bring more resources into the community, says Albilal. 

"The funders are telling us that they are requesting certain information from the 

service providers and they are not getting that information," she says. ''That tells 

us that the providers either don't have the manpower to provide that kind of information or they need training. Mter surveying the service providers, we found out 

that they wanted the kind of training that we are now providing." 

Since its opening in 1998, the Community Development Resource Center has 

trained more than 500 individuals. The center received a $185,000 grant from the 

EC and in-kind donations from the United Way that include use of newly renovated space in the organization's Newark headquarters. 

In addition to conducting training sessions, the center collaborates with the housing authority in Newark and the Center for Community Change in Washington, 

D.C., to train volunteers for the "Be Counted in 2000" program. The educational 

program aims to convince EC residents to participate in the upcoming decennial 

census. 

What Works! Vo l ume III 
"We want to bring back resources to the community, to empower the community, 

to make sure that everyone is counted, and that everyone sees the benefit of being 

counted," says Albilal. 

For more information contact Rawaa Albilal, Chief Operating Officer of the 

United Way of Essex and West Hudson, at 973-624--8300, ext. 293. 

Educational Opportunities, Increased Public Safety, 

and Community-Based Partnerships Come Together 

in Kingston EC 

Newburgh/Kingston, New York, EC 

Thirty years ago the local community college moved from Kingston to its current 

location 20 miles outside of the city. EC residents seeking to take advantage of 

educational training opportunities offered by Ulster County Community College 

have had to rely on limited public transportation services that rarely run during 

nontraditional hours. These residents live in a neighborhood that experiences 

30 percent of the city's crime, has limited services, and has no centrally located 

public gathering place. 

All that has changed. The Everette Hodge Mid-Town Community Center, funded 

with $525,000 in EC funds, is now home to Ulster County Community College's 

first satellite center. It also houses the first community policing substation in the 

City of Kingston and a local, community-based organization whose mission is to 

provide employment and housing counseling to EC residents. 

The design and construction of the 4,300-square-foot facility were completed in 

less than a year and it opened in October 1998. Since then more than 25 local 

organizations and groups have used the community room for meetings and public 

gatherings. Courses ranging from computer classes and certification training for 

Certified Nurses Associates are held during the day and night. A full-time 

employment counselor, funded separately by the Newburgh/Kingston EC, has 

already provided one-on-one, job-related case management services to 30 EC residents. The Kingston Police Department has made a number of high-profile 

arrests in the community with the help of neighborhood residents. 

Kingston Mayor T.R. Gallo, who serves as Chair of the Newburgh/Kingston EC 

Board of Directors, says, "In our wildest dreams, we couldn't have predicted how 

immediately the community would jump in and make the Hodge Center work so 

seamlessly. This really is a case of 'if you build it, they will come.'" 

The community center was constructed by the Newburgh/Kingston EC on the site 

of a long-abandoned, municipally owned parcel of property in the EC, which had 

been the place of business for Everette Hodge, the founding father of the local 

NAACP chapter. 

For more information contact Allison Lee or Sharon Hyder, the Newburgh/ 

Kingston EC, at 914-569-1680. 

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Changing the Complexion of the City: 

Operation Makeover 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 

A few short months ago, residents in the 15th and Stiles area of North Central 

Philadelphia lived in fear of drug traffickers and had little faith that the city government or police department had their interests at heart. Now town watch groups 

made up of residents patrol the streets and the traffickers have vanished, thanks 

to Operation Makeover, an aggressive community safety campaign. 

Project Director Carlton Hall says, "For years politicians and residents had been 

faced with the blatant need for change, but they truly believed change could not happen. This project epitomizes what can be done through active partnership with community agencies." Operation Makeover succeeded through the coordinated efforts of 

the Philadelphia EZ, 23rd Police District, Communities That Care under the 

Mayor's Office of Community Services, and other community-based organizations. 

The 15th and Stiles area, the site of a highly organized drug operation that had 

paralyzed residents with fear, was the first to benefit from this partnership. The 

makeover occurred during 3 days in August 1998 with no outside funding. The 

17th and Master and Stanley Street areas have since been addressed. Four more 

areas are targeted for facelifts. 

The first phase of the three-phase operation involves elimination of all drug activity through increased police presence. The Drug Enforcement Administration and 

the U.s. Attorney's Office work with Philadelphia police to eliminate drug organizations. So far, police have made more than 100 drug-related arrests and confiscated more than $15,000 in drugs and cash. 

Crews from the City Licenses and Inspections Department, the Anti-Graffiti 

Network, and community organizations work with residents to clean up the neighborhood. They seal and board up abandoned houses, clean trash-filled lots, and 

remove graffiti from dozens of buildings. By the end of the year, more than 15 

abandoned cars that had served as places for drug stashes had been towed. 

Once possession of the block is returned to the communi ty, residents form town 

watch patrols to serve as eyes and ears for police. EZ money paid for bike patrol 

equipment and a mobile police substation that can be parked in problem areas 

until illegal activity disappears. The substation also provides a convenient way for 

residents to interact with police without going to the police station. 

Operation Makeover is successful because decisions are made from the ground 

up. Hall says, "It's wonderful to see how the police listen to the recommendations 

of the North Central Crime and Public Safety Committee in deciding where to 

locate the mobile police station." The committee, made up of community residents and members of the police force, government, and community-based organizations, holds monthly meetings to identify community concerns and solutions, 

which are then taken to the EZ's Community Trust Board. 

Barbara Carroll, EZ resident and member of the Crime and Public Safety 

Committee, commends Captain Tony Boyle and the 23rd Police District for their 

What Works! Vo lume III 
commitment to building a relationship of trust with the community. "Because 

Zone residents are empowered to make their own decisions, even those concerning police actions, they trust police and city officials," says Carroll. 

For more information contact Carlton Hall, Crime and Public Safety Project 

Director, Communities That Care, at 215-683-0435. 

San Diegans Cooperate To Tackle 

Welfare-to-Work Transition 

San Diego, California, EC 

San Diego County, renowned for its perfect climate and dramatic scenery, is 

adding another facet to its appeal: unique, large-scale cooperation to help people 

move from welfare to good jobs. Spurred by the new level of communication 

engendered by the San Diego EC, eight agencies serving the EC have formed 

Community Works, a collaborative program that provides comprehensive welfareto-work assistance to the people characterized as "hardest to serve," with an 

added focus on public housing residents. 

"If we hadn't had the EC, this program could not have been created," explains 

Bonnie Contreras, the EC's Administrator. "But as a direct result of the EC's work 

on earlier programs, the agencies have learned to come together in Community 

Works to focus on serving the hardest-to-reach people." The program is enabling the 

eight broadly representative metropolitan agencies-led by the city's housing commission and including two community development corporations and groups providing comprehensive social services, labor advocacy, and homeless assistance--to 

cooperate in reaching out to provide intensive assistance to the target population. 

The agencies seek to place at least 200 people in jobs and are particularly focusing their efforts on following up to help people keep the jobs they get. The program is reaching people through mailings, posters in housing projects, regular 

meetings for residents, and referrals from welfare caseworkers. Community Works 

is funded by a $1.4-million grant from the California Governor's office. Given its 

innovative nature and likely success, Contreras believes that Community Works 

will lead to similar locally funded efforts. 

For more information, contact Bonnie Contreras, San Diego EC Administrator, at 

619-236-6846. 

New EZ Sets a Wide Range of Strategic Goals 

Santa Ana, California, EZ 

By encouraging EZs and ECs to envision strategic change, the EZ/EC Initiative 

invites them to think boldly about the future of their communities. The new Santa 

Ana EZ has accepted this invitation wholeheartedly by developing an ambitious 

strategic plan. The EZ's Empower Santa Ana Corporation (ESAC) is facilitating 

community-based planning for a wide range of concerns: arts and culture, business development, childcare, community building, community safety, education, 

governance, health and family counseling, housing, infrastructure and transportation, and recreation and youth. 

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"Since the EZ designation, the city has received extremely positive response from 

the community," says Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido. "We have reconvened our 

stakeholders and are moving forward in implementing the strategic plan outlined 

in our original proposal. Through our continuous outreach efforts, we plan to 

include all representatives of our community in achieving the goals of the EZ program." A sampling of the EZ's planned activities follows. 

In governance, ESAC will participate in the annual "Celebrate Santa Ana" event to 

celebrate the activities that have helped to improve the Santa Ana community's 

quality of life. ESAC representatives will conduct workshops and make presentations on the various components of the EZ program and solicit greater participation 

from the more than 300 businesses, organizations, and residents that attend each 

year. This event will provide ESAC with another forum to keep stakeholders within 

the EZ informed on EZ activities and ensure continuing grassroots participation. 

In education the EZ will seek to provide a comprehensive program to decrease the 

risk of academic failure through early education, homework assistance, tutoring, 

mentoring, activities to develop personal skills and competency, and opportunities to recognize accomplishments. 

In business development the EZ will seek to upgrade commercial and industrial 

buildings and properties throughout the Zone, and target hiring and incentive programs to all Zone businesses to encourage business growth through collaborations. 

In the arts and culture, the EZ will seek to develop an afterschool arts program 

that uses skilled arts professionals in training, education, and the computer arts; 

offers experiences in the arts; fosters acceptance of other cultures; and sparks creativity and imagination. 

For more information, contact Patti Nunn, Manager of Economic Development, 

Santa Ana, at 714-647-5360. 

Coalition Unites Employment Service Providers 

To Increase Job Opportunities 

St. Louis, Missouri/East St. Louis, Illinois, EZ 

The saying "united we stand" was never more appropriate than when applied 

to the Employment Partnership, a newly formed coalition of service providers in 

St. Louis seeking to address the employment needs of residents in the area's EZ. 

"The goal of the partnership is to assist local service providers not only to work 

better but also to access clients in the EZ who have been traditionally hard to 

reach," says Sandy Ashurst, current Chairman of the partnership. "By forming 

this coalition, we will avoid duplication of services in the area and enhance the 

work of existing providers." 

Established in 1998, the partnership provides a forum for increased innovation, 

communication, and resource sharing among employment agencies, government 

agencies, job-training programs, businesses, community organizations, and residents. One example of this collaboration is the partnership's successful 

Opportunity Fair, which invites local employers and providers to discuss issues 

What Works! Volume III 
such as recruitment techniques, retention, and referral sources. Future projects 

for the partnership include a business referral system, resident outreach, and distribution of educational materials throughout the community. 

The Employment Partnership is continually growing. "We started with a solid core 

of 15 organizations," says Ashurst. "Every time we have any kind of exposure, 

others in the field want to join." The organization currently has 21 members, 

which has resulted in the development of new criteria designed to incorporate this 

growth. "We now require that any new organization attend our meetings quietly," 

says Ashurst, adding that new members must attend orientation meetings prior to 

becoming full-fledged members. "We also require that every partner be an active 

member of a committee." Among the committees offered by the partnership is the 

Service Delivery and Improvement Committee, which provides business outreach 

and training to service providers. 

For more information contact Sandy Ashurst, Chairman, Employment 

Partnership, at 314-361-4598. 

Internet Links Local Neighbors and Businesses 

St. Louis, Missouri/East St. Louis, Illi nois, EZ 

"Where is my local polling place?" "What is the route of the King Day March?" 

"Will the Pope's visit affect my morning commute?" These questions and many 

more can be answered by the Community Information Network (CIN), an Internetbased project that connects St. Louis residents to neighborhood organizations, the 

city government, and each other. 

What originally began in 1994 as the city's response to its communities' need for 

increased information has grown into a multifaceted project that combines the talents of many residents. In the beginning, "CIN was created to provide a comprehensive Web site to share information on government and community resources," says 

Sonya Pelli, CIN's Administrator. Using funds from the City of St. Louis' EC, CIN has 

become so successful that in addition to its primary goal as a valuable information 

source, it has generated two additional goals. "CIN has evolved into an Internet service provider for individuals and groups who may not be able to afford Internet 

access," says Pelli. "The project now offers a five-tier training curriculum for local 

residents that covers everything from Internet literacy to Web site development." 

According to Pelli, the combination of available training and Internet access 

has allowed CIN to recruit volunteers from the community to serve as webmasters. 

In May 1997 CIN sponsored its first Neighborhood Web Fair to identify 

individuals in the community who were interested in assisting the project. With 

Internet and e-mail accounts provided by CIN, 130 neighborhood webmasters 

work together to create Web pages, update Web sites, and synthesize community 

information to be shared on the Internet. Because of this partnership, more than 

50 of the 79 neighborhoods in the EC posted information on Web pages. 

At the 1998 Web Fair, the number of participating neighborhoods rose to 69, 

and interest is still growing. "This project encourages networking between 

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neighborhoods and allows people to connect after the event is over," says Pelli. 

Plans are underway for a third Web Fair that will highlight a real estate database 

to help community planning efforts as well as new area residents. 

The project isn't through growing yet. "We are now focusing on working with local 

nonprofit organizations to build Web sites and share their information," says Pelli. 

This is just another step in what has evolved into a successful and long-term collaboration between the City of St. Louis and its residents. 

For more information contact Sonya Pelli, Administrator of the Community 

Information Network, St. Louis Development Corporation, at 314-622-3400. 

City Envisions an Exciting New Cluster 

of International Firms 

Tacoma, Washington, EC 

The economic and financial changes in East Asia in recent years have opened up 

many opportunities for economic development in cities on the West Coast of North 

America. Now, despite the current troubles in Asia, the City of Tacoma is finding 

that the Pacific Rim situation still offers opportunities for growth . The Tacoma EC 

is capitalizing on this opportunity by envisioning a new development zone to 

attract international financial services firms and eventually create thousands of 

jobs. The EC strategic vision process is helping the city to fundamentally change 

its way of doing business. 

"This project promises to change the face of downtown Tacoma," explains Shirl E. 

Gilbert II, who directs the Tacoma Empowerment Consortium, the agency enabling 

the city to create its strategic plan. "Both the planned facility construction and/or 

renovation will revitalize unused and underused properties, and the thousands of 

jobs that will be created will bring vitality and life to an area that has been very 

depressed over the last 10 to 15 years." The International Services Development 

Zone (ISDZ) project will be designed to be a magnet for the target firms. 

ISDZ is not the first effort that Tacoma has made in this direction. But thanks to the 

EC planning process, it is the climax of the city's long-term work to find a home for 

a cluster of international financial services firms. The city and EC have recently 

secured local and State incentives that will be very attractive to such firms. They are 

also currently working to receive similar incentives from the Federal Government. 

One of the first steps in developing ISDZ was a site study that details the factors 

that have the most impact in persuading financial services firms to locate in 

Tacoma. The EC is beginning to market the project in the Pacific Rim countries, 

with the assistance of officials of a similar project in Dublin, Ireland. By the time 

ISDZ starts up in January 2001, it is projected to employ 3,000 local residents. 

When it is mature (in about 6 years), it will likely employ 7,000 people. 

For more information contact Shirl E. Gilbert II, Executive Director, Tacoma 

Empowerment Consortium, at 253-274-1288. 

What Works! Vo lume III 
Chambers County Builds Community Enterprise 

Chambers County, Alabama, EC 

The Chambers County EC's new 25,000-square-foot speculative building is nearing completion. Once occupied, the building is expected to provide more than 100 

new local jobs in an Enterprise Community with a total population of approximately 8,000. 

The EC is marketing the building at half the cost of construction to provide an 

incentive for new industries to locate in the community. Prospective industries 

will be offered an additional discount of 1 to 3 percent of the sales price for each 

EC resident that they agree to hire. The actual percentage discount received will 

depend on the level of wages paid to the EC resident workers hired. "With the 

incentives we are offering industries to locate in the building, we are hoping to 

bring good jobs for residents of the community," says David Umling, Planning 

Director of the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission, 

the lead entity for the EC. 

The EC is establishing computer training centers in three community locations to 

help improve residents' computer skills and make them more attractive to the new 

employer that will occupy the speculative building. By March 1999, when the 

building was within a month of completion, two industrial prospects had already 

been identified and interest in the facility remains strong. Umling says that the 

facility has the potential to "help diversify the local economy and elevate incomes 

throughout the rural portions of Chambers County." 

For more information contact David Umling, Planning Director, East Alabama 

Regional Planning and Development Commission, at 256-237-6741. 

Neighborhood Resource Centers Revitalize 

Communities 

HaliFax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Carolina, EC 

The Halifax, Edgecombe, Wilson EC has announced the opening of three new 

community resource centers in the City of Wilson, North Carolina. EC funds were 

provided to the Wilson Community Improvement Association and the City of 

Wilson for the construction of the resource centers. Leveraged funds from State 

and local entities assisted in the centers' completion. 

The Beacon Pointe, Adventura East II, and Elvie community centers are located 

in neighborhoods that had no facilities to provide enrichment activities for the 

whole family. Community activities to be coordinated from the centers include 

educational tutorials for youth, arts and crafts, senior citizen activities, exercise 

classes, health screenings, parenting classes, and tenant and homeownership 

counseling. More than 250 citizens participated in a "progressive" open house 

and dedication ceremony of the resource centers that included a luncheon at the 

Elvie center. Vera Pope of the Elvie Community Association says, "Sometimes 

there is good in our community," and proclaims it a day everyone in the Elvie 

neighborhood could be proud of. 

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For more information contact Debra Nesbitt, North Carolina Rural Development 

Coordinator, at 919-873-2042. 

Research Proiect Will Study Communication 

Between Races 

North Delta, Mississippi, EC 

Four Mississippi universities, an EC, and an EZ are collaborating on a research 

project to study how people of different races communicate. The North Delta EC 

and the Mid-Delta EZ have joined together with Jackson State University, 

Mississippi Valley State University, the University of Mississippi, and Delta State 

University to conduct original research on communication between races in the 

Delta. 

Stuart Guernsey, North Delta EC Administrator, says the idea for the research 

study came from years of observing how whites and African Americans communicate in the political, social, and business arenas. 

"What we have found is that after years and years of African Americans being systematically shut out by whites from the development of ideas, the two groups now 

have understandable difficulties communicating with one another," says 

Guernsey. "What we are trying to do is build a bridge of communication so the gap 

between us can be narrowed." 

The research will begin with a literature search funded by a $5,000 EC grant. A 

$15,000 USDA Rural Development Grant will allow researchers to obtain foundation funds to gather data on barriers to communication between the races in the 

Delta. At the end of the research project, Guernsey would like to sponsor workshops at local businesses, churches, and factories so residents can hear about the 

research and learn new communication techniques. 

For more information contact Stuart Guernsey, Administrator, North Delta, 

Mississippi, EC, at 601-487-1968. 

Childhood Advocacy and Family Resource Center 

Aids Local Families 

Southwest Georgia United EZ, Georgia 

The Crisp/Dooly EC, now the Southwest Georgia United Empowerment Zone 

under Round II of the EZ/EC Initiative, provided funding to assist the opening of 

the Gateway Center, a child advocacy and family resource center located in 

Cordele in Crisp County, Georgia. This project is the successful outcome of collaboration among the Crisp Council on Child Abuse, Crisp Regional Hospital, the 

Dooly County Community Enrichment Coalition, and the Crisp County 

Community Council. These four entities accepted the role as champions for their 

effort to establish a resource center to serve Crisp and Dooly Counties' families. 

They recognized the need for concerted efforts to address child abuse and related 

issues affecting local families. Their dedication produced a unique resource for 

these counties. 

What Works! Volume III 
The four agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding on September 4, 1997. 

Crisp Regional Hospital agreed to act as a fiscal agent, using a $76,250 

EC grant. Partners providing support and collaboration include civic groups, 

Adventist Community Services, the Cordele Housing Authority, the Department of 

Family and Children's Services (DFCS), the District Attorney's office, Healthy 

Families, attorneys, law enforcement, local industry, other private citizens, and 

teachers. The center provides a broad spectrum of services, including rape crisis 

support, family visitation space for children in foster care, job-readiness seminars, 

parenting classes, distribution of baby products to families in need, distribution of 

household items to families experiencing loss through fire or family violence, and 

distribution of food to the elderly. 

Family visitation for children in foster care is very important. "Visiting at a DFCS 

office is stilted and uncomfortable because of the lack of privacy and the associated negative connotations," Center Director Krista Hanson says, " and providing a 

neutral environment increases the enjoyment participants get from a visit." A visible change can be observed in parents who enter expecting to find curious stares 

in an impersonal office and instead find relaxed, private surroundings where they 

can concentrate on making the most of this important time with their children. 

The center also is used as a place where children taken into the State's custody 

can be bathed, given clean clothes, and fed while awaiting placement or pickup 

by relatives. Interstate 75 bisects both Crisp and Dooly Counties, and an increasing number of traffic stops involve drugs, stolen vehicles, and other infractions 

committed by adults who are accompanied by their children. Three children, aged 

4, 2, and 7 months, were found in a stolen moving van operated by their mother. 

The children had not been bathed in several days, were dressed in filthy clothing, 

and had head lice. They were cared for at the center, and the positive impact of 

being clean and adequately clothed was reflected in their faces: They were still 

scared but they were no longer hungry, and they felt better physically. 

The biggest community impact is found in the child-friendly interview facility, 

which was designed by local professionals who investigate child abuse cases. 

Unlike impersonal, intimidating settings such as police stations, the center is 

warm, inviting, and comforting. Children can feel safe while revealing their secrets 

to the people whose job is to protect them. With equipment procured through a 

Georgia Bar Foundation grant, interviews can be recorded and preserved, eliminating the necessity for repetitive interviews with children. Most importantly, the 

environment lessens the trauma imposed by the interview process. In one recent 

case, three sisters, aged 9, 7, and 4, were sexually abused by their father. During 

the interviews, conducted separately, the sisters not being interviewed were distracted with toys and games and even pertormed an impromptu puppet show with 

the center's director while their mother was being interviewed. 

Puppet shows, swing sets, and clean clothes don't offset parental abuse and neglect, and they don't lead families to the answers to their difficulties. They do, however, provide small increments of hope and improvement on a family's journey to 

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a better situation in life. "Like any puzzle piece," Hanson says, "the Gateway 

Center serves its niche and helps hold the big picture together a little tighter for 

the children and families it serves." 

For more information contact Kim Sheffield, Executive Director, Southwest 

Georgia United Empowerment Zone, at 912-273-9111. 

Historic School Becomes Local Cultural Center 

Southwest Georgia United EZ f Georgia 

The Lilly School, located in the Town of Lilly, Georgia, represents the joining of 

one rural community's past, present, and future. The Lilly School is located in 

what is now the Southwest Georgia United EZ under Round II of the EZIEC 

Initiative. In Round I it was the Crisp/Dooly EC, which was awarded EZ status in 

Round II. The EC's assistance was supplemented by other local organizations, and 

the Lilly School will now become a countywide cultural center. 

The two-story, wooden schoolhouse constructed in 1912 is one of onl y two known 

similar remaining structures in the State of Georgia. Built on land donated by 

local landowner Emma Watler McGough, the building was constructed by Perry 

Busbee, Sr., the father of former Georgia Governor George Busbee. The school 

served the children of this small agricultural community until 1942, following a 

1933 consolidation of community schools into a county system. The building then 

was used as a county meeting place for agricultural and government groups until 

it was abandoned in the 1950s. 

Initially the brainchild of the Lilly Women's Club, several of whose members 

attended the school, the schoolhouse restoration has become the focus of intensive 

efforts by the Women's Club, the City of Lilly, the Dooly County Arts Council, the 

Vienna Historic Preservation Society, the McGough and Busbee families, and other 

community members. Lilly is located at the center of Dooly County, which makes 

it a logical choice for a countywide cultural center. The Arts Council has chosen 

the schoolhouse as its permanent home, neatly blending an important remnant of 

local history and culture with modem artistic and cultural projects. While the 

restoration progresses, the building already has been used for several functions, 

including a luau and Christmas and New Year's radio plays, which raised funds 

through ticket sales. In addition to an $11,500 EC grant as well as funding from 

Georgia Heritage 2000, support comes from a thrift shop set up in Lilly by the 

Women's Club specifically to raise funds for the restoration project. The Women's 

Club has consistently raised $300 to $500 every month for the Lilly School. 

Project supporters anticipate that the restoration project will generate fiscal 

growth as well as cultural growth. Kim Sheffield, Executive Director of the EZ, 

says, "With the establishment of the Arts Council and its programs, the City 

of Lilly hopes to realize economic benefit for itself as well as the county with dollars drawn from surrounding counties through attendance at cultural events. The 

project is also seen as the catalyst for efforts to preserve other buildings of historical significance, including the old doctor's office and the train depot." 

What Works! Volume III 
The Dooly County Arts Council plans to facilitate activities for the general public with special emphasis on educational programs. Plans for future activities 

include exhibitions, artist-in-residence programs, live theatrical and musical 

perfonnances, and presentations by local artists. "With the completion of the 

schoolhouse restoration," Sheffield says, "the project partners will be well positioned to engineer a cultural rebirth with its attendant benefits for Lilly, Dooly 

County, and their citizens." 

For more information contact Kim Sheffield, Executive Director, Southwest 

Georgia United Empowennent Zone, at 912-273-9111. 

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ECONOMIC OPPORTUNIT 

All across our Nation, designated Empowerment Zones 

(EZs) and Enterprise Communities IECs) are reassessIng their 

strengths, forging new partnerships, and developing innovafive 

projects to create economic opportunity for their residents. The 

results are impressive. Through workforce ."..., 

activities, EZ/ECs are training residents and matching them to 

available jobs. With many large and small busines 

eel, EZ/ECs are strengthening and diversifying their I«aJ etq. 

nomic base. New community institutions providing ._" 

CQpital are making it possible for new businesses to start.and 

existing businesses to expand. This section describes examp18s of 

successful programs that are creating new economic opportunity 

in the EZ/ECs. 

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY 


WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 

Plastics Training Proiect Molds New Job Force 

Akron, Ohio, EC 

With more than 30,000 jobs at 400 plastics and polymer companies in northeast 

Ohio, the Akron EC saw an opportunity to use the burgeoning industry to get 

inner-city residents off welfare and out of dead-end jobs. The EC collaborated 

with the University of Akron Polymer Training Center to produce the Sebert 

Project, a training program in polymers and plastics for EC residents. 

The 60-hour, 4-week course provides the training necessary to get an entry-level 

job in the plastics industry. Trainees are given drug tests before the training, transit passes if they need them, and a $5-per-day food allowance. Tayba Tahir, 

Program Coordinator, says, ''Two weeks of the program are dedicated to what we 

call soft skills-mathematical and writing skills-and the basics of how to be a 

responsible and productive employee." 

The other 2 weeks are devoted to hands-on training in plastics molding, thermoforming, and extrusion work. Bob Digiantonio, Instructor for the project, teaches 

documentation, moisture analysis, and recognition of molding defects. He also 

covers Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. "But we want 

students to go beyond merely receiving an entry-level job," says Digiantonio. "We 

want students to see the career potential of plastics industry jobs." 

Graduates receive a referral to one of a dozen participating plastics firms. In 1998 

three training sessions were held at the University of Akron's Polymer Training 

Center. Of the 34 people who participated, 23 graduated and were placed in jobs. 

Joe Quinby, who had no previous background in plastics, graduated last year. He 

is now a machine operator in the thermoforming department at Landmark 

Plastics. "This program has given me a second chance for school," he says. Olean 

Cherry also graduated last year. Now an employee at Spunfab Adhesives 

Company, she says, "The program offered me the chance to get off welfare and 

into a permanent job, which is what I had been looking for since I went on welfare in 1995." 

Employers are also happy. Jim Camper, Plant Manager at Spunfab, says, "These 

are good employees and the training program has prepared them to work here. 

They have the chance to advance in the job." Four more sessions are planned 

for 1999. 

For more information contact Jerry Egan, Akron Department of Planning and 

Urban Development, at 330-375-2090. 

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EZ Businesses Start and Stay in Business 

Thanks to Loan Funds 

Baltimore, Maryland, EZ 

Everyone knows that it takes money to make money. "Our business loan funds 

represent loan financing that isn't currently available in the marketplace," says 

William Rice, Director of the Business Empowerment Center for Empower 

Baltimore Management Corporation (EBMC). That is why EBMC has partnered 

with financial agencies to administer four loan funds to offer much-needed capital to EZ businesses. Just ask Keith Machen, Vice President of Ntegrity 

Telecontent Services Inc., a telecommunications company that located in 

Baltimore's EZ in 1998. His company received a loan from EBMC's Equity 

Investment program, which supplies capital to small and medium-sized businesses in return for the right to purchase equity in the company. With this 

"patient" loan, the business does not have to pay back its debt for a period of time 

agreed on by the business and the EZ. In this case, Ntegrity was freed from debtservice payments for 18 months. This fund is capitalized by $875,000 in EZ 

funds leveraged with $6 million from the Prudential and Ford foundations. 

Another loan fund provides a subordinated bank loan that complements a conventionalloan by lending up to 35 percent of the project debt-up to $150,000­

at a low interest rate. The EZ portion of the loan does not need to be paid back 

until the first loan has been paid. EBMC also makes small business loans of 

$50,000 to $500,000. In an effort to revitalize physical sites in the EZ as well as 

assist businesses, EMBC offers grants and loans for the redevelopment of brownfields. Grants are given for Phase II environmental site assessments to determine 

remediation services needed. Loans are made for site development. 

As of December 1998, 1 equity investment loan, 13 subordinated loans, 7 small 

business loans, 3 brownfields loans, and 1 brownfields grant have been made. 

The 25 investments totaling $3,344,459 created 368 new jobs in the EZ. Six more 

loans have been approved but have not yet closed. The EZ loan funds have leveraged $9 million for EZ businesses. 

Because 80 to 90 percent of the businesses in the EZ have 10 employees or fewer, 

a fund called the Microloan Fund will be created for small businesses. Loans of 

$1 to $50,000 are geared toward businesses with limited resources in need of 

working capital or equipment. 

For more information contact Michael Preston, Public Information Officer, 

Empower Baltimore Management Corporation, at 410-783-4413. 

Walk Right Up and Get a Job 

Birmingham, Alabama, EC 

Which is easier: walking up to a bank teller's window or following the usual jobsearch process? The answer was obvious to the Birmingham EC, which has set up 

a walk-in job center in an old bank building with intact teller windows at an easily accessible location to serve EC residents. The EC Job Bank is located on a corner in a heavily traveled section of the neighborhood, surrounded by businesses, 

What Works! Vo lume III 
private homes, apartments, and churches. Bus service runs to this area throughout 

the day. The Job Bank also has sidewalk access for pedestrians as well as free parking. The attractive building donated by AmSouth Bank is perfectly situated to help 

EC residents find good jobs. But the Job Bank's building and location are just the 

beginning. 

'''Invest your time and energy for returns that can last a lifetime.' These words 

could serve as a slogan for the Job Bank," states Lisa Isay, the program's Director. 

''The Job Bank's mission is to advance the long-term employability and economic 

self-sufficiency of EC residents by linking jobseekers with local employers." With 

partners that include the State job agency and $331,000 in EC funds for 3 years, 

the program serves 200 to 250 people who walk up to the service windows each 

month. In the Job Bank's first year, a single Alabama Employment Service representative completed job placements for 264 EC residents. Job Bank staff contact 

potential employers and ensure that the people they refer to employers have a contact person who is expecting them. Once a person gets a job, the program follows 

up with support that includes childcare subsidies and intensive social services. 

This year the Job Bank is adding several new services. Staff are designing a database to track the long-term progress of customers. A new Job Bank calendar, 

which is distributed throughout the community, lists the days and times its public 

and private partners-such as the State Employment Service, Job Corps, Easter 

Seals, the Independent Living Center, and Youthbuild-will be at the Job Bank. 

Partners do everything from making group presentations about an industry to 

recruiting for the Job Corps. Another new service is Fax-a-Job. Potential employers and related agencies will be given Fax-a-Job sheets on which to provide information they have about each job opening. The sheets can then easily be faxed to 

the Job Bank. 

For more information contact Randall Wormley, Program Administrator, at 

205--785-8941. 

School-to-Career Program Links Students to 

Promising Careers 

Boston, Massachusetts, EZ 

''The Empowerment Zone's role as a partner in the School-to-Career program is to 

identify EZ businesses that will act as mentors to student participants," says 

Reginald Nunnally, Executive Director of the Boston Empowerment Center. The 

EEC became a Round II EZ in January 1999. The School-to-Career (STC) program 

is a national initiative designed to improve teaching and learning and to facilitate 

students' recognition of the connection between what they learn in school and the 

skills they need to be productive in the world outside of school. 

A citywide school-to-work initiative is in force in Boston. Boston also has an STC 

program that focuses on EZ youth and the three high schools in the Zone. The EZ, 

the Boston Public School System, the Private Industry Council (PIC), Jobs for the 

Future (a nonprofit organization), and Jobs and Community Service (a city agency) 

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have created a local partnership to operate the program. Student participants who 

live and/or attend high school in the EZ work with PIC employees who are located at the schools to take part in job training that covers job-readiness skills such 

as resume Wliting and interviewing. Job counseling is also offered. Jobs for the 

Future participates in the counseling by informing students of growing industries 

with career opportunities. 

As part of the STC program, the Boston Public Schools offer courses that enhance 

job placement, and the EZ identifies businesses willing to act as mentors for the 

students. PIC then cultivates the relationship between the business and students 

by acting as a link between the two. Eventually PIC works to place students in 

jobs at the businesses. The identification of business participants is ongoing. The 

EZ is adding to the 60 businesses already identified. 

A 4-year, $2.5-million U.S. Department of Labor grant funds the program in the 

EZ. Across the city, 2,025 students participate in the school-to-work program. In 

the EZ the program has served 330 students, and Zone staff hope to double the 

number of participants in the future. 

For more information contact Reginald Nunnally, Executive Director of the 

Boston Empowerment Center, at 617--445-3413. 

Job-Training Program Targets Hispanic Community 

Buffalo, New York, EC 

In some West Side neighborhoods in the City of Buffalo, the unemployment rate 

for Hispanics runs as high as 20 percent. To remedy this situation, Mayor Anthony 

M. Masiello helped secure a $100,000 grant through the EC for the Construction 

Trades Program, which was coordinated in partnership with Associated Builders 

and Contractors (ABC) and Casillio Development. 

In February 1998 the first class of 18 students graduated from Hispanics United 

of Buffalo's first construction training program. The trainees, all neighborhood 

residents, received 4 months of classroom and worksite instruction in basic construction skills and carpentry at Habitat for Humanity and Hispanics United 

locations. They also received Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

safety certification. 

Chosen from a pool of 150 economically and educationally disadvantaged applicants, 7 of the 18 graduates have obtained employment with area companies 

as cabinetmakers and electricians, and others have decided to further their 

educations. 

Valedictorian Rosario Serrano, a single mother of three and the only woman in the 

program, is now working as an electrician for Wittbum Enterprises, an electrical 

contracting company. Serrano, who had previously worked in hotel maintenance, 

says, "I had to work a little harder to prove I could do the same thing, but I understand construction like I hadn't before." Her employer is now paying for her to 

attend an apprenticeship program that will allow her to qualify as a journeyman. 

What Worksl Volum e III 
Julio Martinez, program manager of Hispanics United, says that the goal of the 

project is to foster economic development for the community. "Our hope is that 

the students will start their own crews and construction companies," he says. 

For more information contact Paula Rosner, Executive Director, Federal EC of 

Buffalo, at 716-842--6923. 

From Welfare to Work and Beyond: Charleston EC 

Residents Get Valuable Occupational Skills 

Charleston/North Charleston, South Carolina, EC 

Finding permanent, productive jobs for residents who have been on the welfare 

rolls has been the primary focus of the Charleston, South Carolina, EC initiative. 

To accomplish this goal, the Charleston EC provided $30,000 in seed money to 

Agape Ministries to fund an imaginative program called Innovative Alternatives 

for Women (lAW). This program is designed to ensure that the women who reside 

in the Charleston EC area are equipped with the tools they need to secure a job 

and gain self-sufficiency. 

The Charleston EC is a 7.3-square-mile tract composed of 11 complete and contiguous census tracts. The unemployment rate in these tracts is 45 percent, or 3.5 

times the national average. The City of Charleston has estimated that single mothers with children make up 20 percent of the city's population. With the decline of 

Federal welfare resources, the Charleston EC recognized if its population were to 

become gainfully employed, they would need to develop marketable skills that 

would be valuable in the workforce. 

lAW helps them do that and more. The 12-week program provides the participants, mostly women who are unemployed or underemployed, with much-needed 

preemployment and life skills training. lAW has recrui ted professional women 

from various disciplines in the regional business sector to teach the participants 

job skills. These women serve as both instructors and mentors to lAW participants. Participants attend classes that are held during the time of a normal workday, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. In addition to job skills, participants are taught 

computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheet design, and Internet use. 

The success of the lAW program is largely due to the holistic approach that was 

incorporated into the program design. Graduates of the lAW program return once 

a month to attend group sessions that allow them to network, learn from each 

other's experiences, and gain support from fellow graduates. At these group sessions, graduates share the experiences they encounter in the work environment. 

They also address the challenges that face them in everyday life as they struggle 

to balance family, career, and other responsibilities. 

The success of the lAW program has been phenomenal. Since the inception of the 

program in January 1998,27 women have graduated. Twenty-three (85 percent of 

the graduates) are employed full time in professional settings. lAW can boast an 

impressive list of employers of its graduates, including NationsBank, Wachovia 

Bank, the Medical University of South Carolina, the U.S. Border Patrol, and 

Embassy Suites Hotel. 

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lAW staff worked hard to leverage substantial resources for this program. Partners 

in this effort include NationsBank; First Union Bank; Wachovia Bank; Norrell 

Staffing Services; Nelson, Mullins, Riley and Scarborough, Attorneys at Law; 

Charleston Computer Training; Moore Computer Training; and Sears. In addition, 

$644,112 of public funds was raised. The Good Samaritan Program contributed 

$25,000, Welfare to Work contributed $45,000, the Healthy South Carolina 

Initiative gave $563,000, the Community Foundation contributed $10,000, and 

the Medical University of South Carolina gave $1,112. 

In the future, the lAW program will be housed in the newly renovated Eastside 

Center for Community Concerns, a historic building located in the Eastside neighborhood within the EC. The renovation is a project of Agape Ministries, the parent of the lAW program. To complement the lives of newly self-sufficient lAW 

graduates, the center will also include a daycare center equipped to serve SO children, medical and dental offices, and a legal assistance program. 

This program's success is a shining example of what can be accomplished when 

private enterprise partners with public initiatives for the betterment of the community. By designing and implementing the lAW program, Agape Ministries is 

fulfilling its mission "to provide support and assistance to the residents in the 

EC." 

For more information contact Patricia W. Crawford, Housing and Community 

Development, at 843-724-3766. 

Training Program Teaches Unemployed To Work Hard 

Charlotte, North Carolina, EC 

Before they learn specific job skills such as how to operate a computer or repair 

an air conditioning unit, unemployed individuals in Charlotte, North Carolina, are 

learning how to work hard and be good employees. That's the purpose of the new 

Preemployment Job Training Program, sponsored jointly by the Charlotte EC, 

Piedmont Community College, and the Carolinas HealthCare System. 

The 2-week program, which made its debut in 1998, covers basic topics like the 

work ethic and job interview skills, says EC Executive Director Preston McClain. 

"These are things that would lead individuals not only to find jobs but to be good 

employees once they were in the workforce," he says. 

Establishing the low-cost program involved only in-kind donations from its three 

partners. Piedmont Community College donated faculty time to develop the training program, the EC marketed the program by distributing flyers in EC neighborhoods, the Carolinas HealthCare System agreed to hire some participants when 

they completed the program, and an EC resident who has experience in workforce 

development training facilitated the training sessions at no charge. The sessions 

took place in a local community center. 

The training program is part of an overall strategy to increase job opportunities for 

EC residents at the Carolinas HealthCare System. Although the health system is 

willing to hire EC residents, it wants those employees to have the skills necessary 

What Works! Vo lume III 
to be successful, says McClain. The training sessions, developed by the college in 

collaboration with the EC and the health system, were designed to meet this need. 

The health system is an important program partner, says McClain, because it 

offers a wide range of employee benefits, including free hospitalization and up to 

$1,000 per year for continuing education. Health system staff members outlined 

those benefits during the training and took trainees on a tour of health system 

facili ties. 

"The {act that after a 6-month period, new employees would be eligible to get 

additional training and have that training funded by the employer, that was an 

incentive for many to complete the program," says McClain. "We wanted to show 

them that there was a real buy-in from that particular employer to provide job 

opportunities." 

Eight local residents participated in the first training program and six completed 

it. Of those six, three now work for the health system and three found jobs in other 

fields. Piedmont Community College has added the training program to its list of 

course offerings, and the EC will pay the tuition for any EC resident who wishes 

to attend. 

For more information contact Preston McClain, Executive Director, Charlotte EC, 

at 704-376-7374. 

Unemployed Residents Rebuild Neighborhoods 

and Themselves 

Charlotte, North Carolina, EC 

Charlotte, North Carolina, residents Julian Wilson, 20, and Ronnie Boyd, 43, were 

both unemployed and discouraged in 1998, when they heard about a new program 

that would train them for the construction trades. The program, operating in the 

EC, required that participants spend 8 weeks in the classroom learning about the 

construction industry. From there they would walk to an adjacent neighborhood to 

spend an additional 8 weeks working as apprentices on construction projects sponsored by the Reid Park Community Development Corporation (RPCDC). 

Wilson and Boyd signed up for the Community Uplift Partnership (CUP) program 

and received a $100-per-week stipend throughout the training process. Now both 

have jobs and work close to home. Wilson is even enrolled in a first-time homebuyers program that may have him living in his own home within a year. 

"You can't get any better than that," remarks Theodore G. White, Executive 

Director of the West Enterprise Community, Inc. 

CUP is a collaborative effort between the West EC, RPCDC, and the Housing 

Authority of the City of Charlotte. Since the program began in summer 1998, more 

than 50 EC. residents have received training and job offers in the construction 

trades. CUP is open to EC residents who either live in public housing or have low 

incomes. In addition to employment training, CUP offers its participants access to 

myriad services, including free transportation and childcare, and the chance to 

start their own businesses or own their own homes. 

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"What's great about this program is that it provides an opportunity for EC residents to acquire skills very close to home that can lead to better employment and 

improve their overall quality of life," says White. "It also gives hope to other residents. It's inspiring to see a person who once had little hope and no vision becoming self-sufficient by rebuilding the neighborhood." 

The West EC markets the CUP program and provides job development and job 

placement. The Housing Authority conducts the program's classroom training, 

and RPCDC oversees the apprenticeship program. RPCDC hires most program 

graduates to work on various EC projects. Those graduates will soon be renovating a blighted EC shopping center that will house a full-service economic 

empowerment center. 

Two grants totaling $600,000, received from HUD and the Department of Health 

and Human Services, help fund the program. Local matches come from the 

Housing Authority, RPCDC, the EC, and the Mecklenburg County Department of 

Social Services. 

For more information contact Theodore G. White, Executive Director of the West 

Enterprise Community, Inc., at 704-373-2900. 

YO! Program OHers Opportunities to Dropouts 

Houston, Texas, EEC 

Hundreds of Houston's at-risk youth have a better future now, thanks to the Youth 

Opportunities Program (YO!). Started in 1996, YO! provides job-readiness training to youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who have dropped out of school and 

are unemployed in the City's Fifth Ward, where unemployment rates for this age 

group have typically been above 50 percent. 

At least 2,100 youth between ages 16 and 24 are known to be living in the EEC, 

but the true number is probably much higher, according to Claudia Aguirre of 

Employment Training Centers, Inc. (ETC), a for-profit organization that administers YO! out of three centers in the EEC. "There is an extraordinarily high mobility rate among the youth in this community," explains Aguirre. "For example, 

somebody's mother may be having a hard time, so he moves in with his grandmother, stays there for a while, then moves on to his uncle's, and so on and so on." 

As such, it is difficult to quantify precisely how many youth are living here at any 

one time. ETC, however, makes no distinction between youth who live in the EEC 

temporarily and those who are permanent residents. The organization will help 

anyone who seeks assistance. 

As part of the program, youth learn how to wTite applications and resumes, how to 

prepare for interviews, what to know about professional etiquette, and other skills 

they will need once they are employed. ETC has worked with troubled youth and 

specialized in community outreach for 12 years. In some cases, ETC staff go door 

to door to talk with entire families. 

YO! is funded through Houston Works as part of a $6-million national demonstration grant provided by the U.5. Department of Labor. Other partners include 

What Works! Vo lume III 
Houston Independent Schools, which administers an in-school component of the 

program to work with kids who are at risk of dropping out and get to them before 

they end up on the street and out of work . Another component of the program 

involves gang intervention and prevention. Instead of fines and/or jail time, adjudicated youth perfonn community service in various projects within the EEC. 

More than 100 youth are enrolled and receive help from YO! gang-intervention 

specialists, including one-on-one and group counseling sessions. 

"We have a lot to brag about," says John Bright of Houston Works. Indeed they 

have. Dropout rates in the EEC have been cut in half, and the employment rate in 

the target population is now approaching 70 percent, approximately the national 

average of dropouts within this age group. What do the employers think? In 

Houston, a boom in the construction industry has provided a steady source of 

recruiters. Bright adds that at job fairs held nearly every week, employers are 

showing up in droves and finding ready workers. 

For more information contact Judith Butler, the Mayor's Office, at 713-247-2666. 

Parents Learn the Business of Caring for Kids 

Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri, EEC 

Working parents always face the challenge of caring for their children. In the 

Kansas City Bi-State EEC, low-income parents are not only meeting this challenge, 

but also turning it into a new business opportunity. The Child Care Entrepreneur 

Project, funded with a 2-year, $75,000 EEC grant, has helped 64 low-income people learn how to start their own childcare businesses. In a relaxed classroom, they 

have explored all aspects of the childcare business with the help of experienced 

people already in the business. Their training has enabled the 64 graduates to start 

15 new businesses caring for approximately 130 children. 

The project was started by three local agencies that combined forces to create a 

comprehensive curriculum. The Women's Employment Network contributed its 

expertise with job-readiness and basic life skills training. The First Step Fund 

added its knowledge of how to help people start businesses. The Francis 

Institute of Child Development provided its know-how regarding early childhood 

education. On the basis of this curriculum, the project has conducted extensive 

outreach through flyers, word of mouth, mailings, and cooperation from other 

agencies, and gone on to effectively teach participants. 

''The program has not only increased the number of good childcare slots, but also 

increased the number of people who have started their own businesses," explains 

Leigh Klein of the Women's Employment Network. ''The program has been so successful that funds have been obtained for the First Step Fund to extend it to the 

entire community." 

The quality of available childcare, of course, remains the ultimate measure of the 

project's success. Among the children and parents connected to both the project 

and the new businesses it has engendered, the consensus is that the quality of 

childcare has improved. Whether the topic is good nutrition or discipline, parents 

and service providers agree that the program has made a significant contribution. 

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For more infonnation contact Leigh Klein, Executive Director, Women's 

Employment Network, at 816-822-8083. 

Center Helps Point Residents in the Right Direction 

Manchester, New Hampshire, EC 

During their 1994 EC planning process, residents of Manchester, New Hampshire, 

recounted with surprising frequency the frustrating trips they had made "downtown" in search of city services. Typically, a mother would recall boarding the city 

bus early in the morning, children in tow, for what she thought would be a simple 

trip to a city agency that could help her with a palticular problem. Many hours 

later, the family would most likely return home tired, hungry, and empty-handed, 

having been bounced around from one agency to another all day long. 

Tired of negotiating Manchester's complicated service network alone, most residents said they wanted one place in the EC where they could find information 

about specific city programs and the agencies that offered them. Moreover, they 

wanted educational programs that would help them get better jobs and become 

economically self-sufficient. 

Residents got all that and more on October 1, 1998, when the Manchester 

Community Resource Center opened its doors. The center, an 8,500-square-foot 

structure built on city-owned land, brings together numerous agencies that help 

EC residents develop job skills, find employment, and get information about city 

services. The center also houses a daycare center for center clients. 

Within its first 2 months, the center served more than 200 EC residents through 

various programs. The center's job coach helped 17 clients find jobs and sent 

37 to job interviews. By spring 1999, computer-training classes were so popular 

that each had a waiting list. 

The Community Resource Center is a collaboration of three local agencies: 

Southern New Hampshire Services, New Hampshire Catholic Charities, and The 

Hope Resource Center. With a commitment of more than $1.5 million in EC funding and $140,000 of the city's CDBC allocation, the partners have leveraged 

approximately $500,000 in private contributions. The three organizations are now 

working to develop three boards of residents, educators, and local businesses that 

eventually will oversee center programs. 

A number of agencies, including the State's Employment Security Office and the 

local Health Department and Housing Authority, come to the center on a regular 

basis to offer information programs. An Information Bank works with clients to 

detennine what city services they need and which agencies provide those services. Residents prefer this infonnation-and-referral program to having social 

service agencies onsite, says Amanda Parenteau, the city's EC Coordinator. 

"They did not want the center to be what they called 'a welfare mall,'" she says. 

"They didn't want people lining up at the door to collect food stamps." 

The center held several open houses to attract clients. However, the building itself 

has been the most powerful marketing tool. "People are very involved and interWhat Works! Vo lume III 
ested in this program because it is a concrete building in their neighborhood ," 

says Parenteau. "They can see it. It's not just a faceless program somewhere 

downtown. It's a real place and it is right here." 

For more information contact Amanda Parenteau, EC Coordinator, at 

603-624--2111. 

Memphis EC Jayhawk Program Soars: Computer 

Repair Training Leads to Successful Job Placements 

Memphis, Tennessee, EC 

With a job placement rate of 93 percent, the Memphis EC layhawk Program is 

proving that discipline pays off. Originally designed to train and place 60 EC residents in computer repair jobs, the program has trained 86 residents; 80 have 

been placed successfully in jobs. 

The layhawk training consists of 6 weeks of classroom instruction, 2 weeks of jobplacement instruction conducted by the Tennessee Technology Center at 

Memphis, and 4 weeks of cooperative work for participating employers and program partners. "Combining classroom and cooperative training has been a winning combination," reports Vernua Hanrahan, manager of Memphis' Center for 

Neighborhoods. 

The need for repair technicians in the computer and cable industries has made 

employment in this field both attractive and competitive. Entry-level pay begins 

at $8 per hour plus benefits. The average graduate is paid between $9 and $10 

per hour. The site-based work experience has provided many students with job 

offers before they graduate. 

Each training class has 16 to 24 trainees, who must be at least 18 years old 

and have a high school diploma or CED. No prior experience is required, but 

trainees must be available full time for training and have visual acuity and a 

degree of manual dexterity. 

Representatives from the computer industry helped to design the curriculum. 

Current training costs are $500 per trainee. Some graduates of the first two classes were not employed due to failed drug tests. Drug screening and more stringent 

entry requirements have resulted in higher graduation and employment rates. 

Partners in the layhawk Program include the Tennessee Technology Center at 

Memphis, the Memphis City Schools, the Memphis Housing Authority, the 

Memphis/Shelby County EC, the Private Industry Council, and Sequel. Partners 

that are also participating employers include Logistics Management, Inc., Office 

Equipment Service, Tate Computers, and Cooperative Computers Ministries. 

"The lessons that have been learned and the relationships established in the first 

year of operation lead us to believe that at the end of 2 years, we will have a curriculum and program that industry will support," states Bob Dixon, Assistant 

Director of the Tennessee Technology Center at Memphis. 

For more information contact Keith Normon, Tennessee Technology Center, at 

901-543-6169. 

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Milwaukee's EC Training Offers Path to Excellence 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, EC 

Through the Milwaukee EC, the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee is providing 

employment-readiness training to EC residents that is resulting in an important 

increase in the EC's labor force . 

More than 300 residents have completed YWCA's 2-week Academy of Excellence 

course, and more than 100 graduates have obtained family-supporting jobs. "The 

YWCA course reaches very low-income individuals and prepares them for 

employment in or near the EC," says Glenn Mattison, Milwaukee's EC Program 

Officer. 

The training is part of Milwaukee Works, a YWCA program that includes working 

with employers to identify employment needs and developing training curricula to 

meet those needs. Milwaukee Works also addresses barriers to job placement and 

retention in the belief that a prepared and motivated workforce will benefit EC 

businesses as well as the residents they hire. 

EC funds were awarded to the YWCA for a 2-year period that began in 1997. The 

EC's $110,000 in funding was matched by local support and contributions. 

For more information contact Glenn Mattison, EC Program Officer, at 

414-286-3760. 

People Taking Care of People 

Muskegon, Michigan, EC 

"I heard that you help people," said the young boy who had just walked into the 

Muskegon Family Services Center, Inc.. . . and that is exactly what this program 

does. 

Whether an individual needs help with housing issues, parenting skills, tutoring, 

or budgeting assistance, the Family Services Center is a one-stop shop that offers 

a variety of services to low- and very low-income residents in Muskegon's EC. 

"Our mission is to help families and individuals to develop whatever skills they 

need to become self-sufficient," says Blanche Smith, the center's Director. ''If we 

don't have the resources to help these people, we know where to find them . .. and 

we will take them there." 

What makes the Family Services Center unique is that it serves the whole family, 

from grandparents to infants. "Anyone who lives in the house can access our services," says Smith, who runs the center with a staff of 7 employees. "We help 

between 30 and 40 families at any given time, and we try to help each person 

increase their quality of life, regardless of age." In 1996 the City of Muskegon 

received EC funds to operate the Family Center for 3 years. 

A large palt of the Family Services Center's success can be attributed to its 

strong relationships with the local business community. "Through networking 

and building partnerships, we are able to increase the employment opportunities 

of our families," says Smith, the former Mayor of Muskegon. In addition, this corWhat Works! Vo lume III -Gr-----­
porate exposure adds a special measure of public awareness of how valuable the 

program is for the community and the seven neighborhoods it serves. 

For more information contact Blanche Smith, Director, Family Services Center, 

Inc., at 616-726-2626. 

EC Store OHers More Than Ice Cream 

New Orleans, Louisiana, EC 

"There is no replacement for on-the-job experience," says New Orleans Mayor 

Marc H. Moria!. "The Enterprise Ice Cream Project provides Central City youth 

with an opportunity to learn all of the facets of starting and operating a real business." The Enterprise Ice Cream Project is a collaborative effort of the Central 

City EC's lead agency, Central City Economic Opportunity; the Youth 

Entrepreneurship Program of Total Community Action Inc.; Brown Velvet Inc.; 

and First Commerce Community Development Corporation. These public and 

private partners have joined forces to develop a retail ice cream store in the EC 

that will act as a catalyst for neighborhood commercial revitalization in a oncethriving commercial corridor and present an opportunity for enhanced youth 

employment within the community. 

The economic development project began in summer 1998 when the Central City 

EC and the Youth Entrepreneurship Program worked together to provide entrepreneurship training for 15 neighborhood youth. Training included business, marketing, and retail skill development. During the training program, students 

engaged in market research within the Central City community to gather valuable 

information on consumer preferences, which was then used to augment the developing business plan. 

"The Central City Enterprise Ice Cream Project is an excellent example of neighborhood partnership and empowerment to address the needs of neighborhood 

youth," says Thelma H. French, EC Administrator. "This project embodies all 

segments of the empowerment philosophy." First Commerce Community 

Development Corporation will act as owner and developer of the property, which 

is located on a key commercial thoroughfare in the EC. The Central City 

Economic Opportunity Corporation and the Youth Entrepreneurship Program 

will partner as operators of the business and provide employment and entrepreneurship training opportunities for area youth. Brown Velvet Inc., the ice cream 

manufacturer that has been located in the EC for more than 30 years, will supply the product at cost. 

The project's initial investment of $53,000 leveraged New Orleans EC funds with 

other public and private donations. The completed business plan for the ice cream 

store is now being proposed to area lenders for capitalization of the project. 

Designs for construction of the store are in progress. 

For more information contact Thelma French, New Orleans EC Administrator, at 

S04-S6S-'{)414. 

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Job-Training Program in Norfolk Puts Tools in 

Women's Hands and Fixes Lives 

Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia, EZ 

Roxanne Hall wants to always remember how bad things were just a few years ago. 

It makes her appreciate how far she has come. Before she enrolled in the Nonolk 

Works Job Skills Training for Women Program in 1996, Hall was homeless, did 

not have a job, and had recently given up her three children to foster care. Today, 

she not only has a nice apartment and a steady job, but more importantly, she has 

been reunited with her family. 

Hall is just one of several women within the Nonolk EZ who have been given a 

chance to help themselves by completing a preapprenticeship training program in 

heating/ventilation/air conditioning/refrigeration (HVACfR). Women who show an 

aptitude for this type of work are enrolled in the program by Nonolk Works, the 

agency charged with carrying out the activities in the EZ. The women undergo a 

16-week training program provided by Tidewater Community College (TCC) in 

Norfolk, the other partner in the project. Once they have completed the program, 

which has been endorsed by the local HVAC association, the women serve as 

interns with one of the private companies that helped develop the curriculum. For 

one class of graduates, part of their internship included working with Habitat for 

Humanity installing HVAC/R in new homes built within the EZ. 

"One of the strengths of the program is that it fosters a strong work ethic," says 

Eleanor Bradshaw, Executive Director of Norfolk Works. All of those who are 

enrolled in the program are required to apply for a Pell Grant. For anyone who 

does not qualify for the grant, Nonolk Works will pay for tuition, books, and tools, 

as well as childcare for those who need it. Students still have to support themselves while they are enrolled in the program. Hall, for instance, held a full-time 

job while she was going to school. After a full day at TCC, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 

she worked as a parking attendant for the City of Nonolk. It was an exhausting 16 

weeks, but the discipline required to get through it was an important learning 

experience for her. "You can be successful, but it has to be you who does it," Hall 

says. "Nobody else can do it for you." 

"When you make a difference in people's lives and give them the skills to do 

something they've never done before, that's a successful program," says 

Bradshaw. Just how successful has the program been? Of the nine women who 

graduated from the first class, including Hall, seven are now employed. The program maintains an 85-percent overall graduation rate, and all those who have finished have been able to find jobs. Hall was hired by the Nonolk Naval Shipyard, 

where she is now employed as a sheet metal mechanic. In the next few years, if 

things continue to go her way, she hopes to attend college and study engineering. 

For more information contact Eleanor Bradshaw, Executive Director, Nonolk 

Works, 757-624-8650. 

What Works! Volume III 
High-Quality Meat Processor Moves Into 

Central City and Creates Jobs 

Oakland, California, EEC 

As many manufacturers continue to desert central cities, it is heartening when a 

company expands into a city. A particularly good example of this phenomenon is 

in Oakland, where a pioneer in high-quality meat production, Niman Ranch, is 

being empowered by the EC to expand while renovating a vacant plant and creating jobs for EC residents. 

"Niman Ranch has a business that is growing 50 percent per year," explains 

Ranch co-owner Mike McConnell. "We are building a national reputation for great 

meat, raised humanely. All we needed was working space and working capital to 

allow us to take the next step. This program provided both. Now it's up to us." 

The new plant has enabled Niman Ranch to more than triple its processing 

capacity, and working capital provided by the EEC has enabled it to increase the 

number of animals in the feeding pipeline. The Ranch, which started more than 

20 years ago, produces gourmet-quality meats from animals raised humanely and 

naturally, without artificial growth promotants. The Oakland plant is enabling 

Niman Ranch to expand a business that was proven and had the potential to 

become a national supplier. The EEC is gaining a vibrant, socially conscious, 

environmentally sensitive employer that is using EEC funds to expand its business, create jobs, and add a hub of activity at a formerly vacant site. 

As it expands, the Ranch is committed to creating at least 35 jobs in the EEC 

within 2 years. These jobs include packers, butchers, drivers, and office staff. The 

jobs provide entry-level starting wages of $8 per hour with benefits and train people in a variety of skills depending on their attitude, aptitude, and aspirations. 

The Ranch has worked with several local agencies on job-training programs. 

The Oakland plant was developed in collaboration between the EEC's One-Stop 

Capital Shop and the owners of Niman Ranch. The Ranch received a $1.2-million 

loan from the Enhanced EC Revolving Loan Fund. The loan has enabled Niman 

to purchase the vacant processing plant, improve both its functionality and 

appearance, outfit itself with equipment, and provide general working capital for 

the business to expand. 

For more information contact Mike McConnell, Co-owner, Niman Ranch, at 

510-808-0330. 

Ouachita Takes Out Insurance Against Poverty 

Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, EC 

The Ouachita Enterprise Community (OEC) is using the most valuable resources it 

has-its existing residents and businesses-to fight poverty within the EC. OEC is 

a 19.6-square-mile area that comprises 12 census tracts with a population of 

approximately 35,000, 53 percent of whom live below the Federal poverty level. 

The per capita income is $5,101 per year. The area is riddled with crime and decay. 

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In the heart of this community is the regional office of the State Farm Insurance 

Company, a major area employer. Recognizing the condition of the community and 

the downside of the potential loss of Federal welfare dollars, State Farm Regional 

Vice President Guy Ban, in close consultation with OEC officials, decided to do 

something about the abject poverty within OEC. State Farm designed a demonstration project within OEC to show other businesses the value of Ouachita's most 

incredible resource: its people. 

Also serving as Vice-chair of OEC, Ban's vision was to move people from welfare 

to work. He designed and implemented a program that led to real jobs for OEC 

residents. State Farm put on a series of breakfast meetings to educate OEC residents about the company and the potential for employment. State Farm then 

worked with the Department of Social Services to identify a list of OEC's employable residents. These residents were invited to a special breakfast meeting. The 

criteria for participation were simple. Potential employees had to be dressed in 

business attire, be on time for the meeting, and come alone. After a morning of 

motivational speeches, one of which came from a State Farm employee who was a 

former welfare recipient, interested applicants were asked to fill out a brief questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to identify residents who had a high 

school diploma, could pass a drug screening, and had no felony convictions. 

A pool of 40 people was identified and invited to another breakfast meeting. On 

hand at this meeting were State Farm's human resources staff and managers, most 

of whom volunteered their time to conduct interviews. From this group the State 

Farm Insurance Company hired 27 OEC residents for full-time positions with full 

benefits. State Farm developed a Career Training Center for these employees, 

staffed by its top supervisors. The program has had a 95-percent success rate. 

Although State Farm worked closely with OEC officials on this project, it accepted no EC funds or tax incentives from OEC. When asked why this insurance giant 

went out of its way to help the residents in the EC, Terrence Jones, Regional 

Public Affairs Manager at State Farm, states, "We not only had a moral obligation, 

we recognized the negative potential of people living without income." 

Today the national office of State Farm Insurance Company is studying this model 

in hopes of designing programs in other communities that will have a similar 

impact. 

For more information contact Eric Loewe, Executive Director, Ouachita 

Enterprise Community, at 318-329-4031. 

Community Team Helps People Connect Withand Get-Jobs 

Phoenix, Arizona, EC 

For a disadvantaged inner-city resident, there may be a good job somewhere, but 

mustering the energy and persistence to find and get that job may seem an almost 

impossible task. Thanks to Project STRIDE (Successful Training Resources for 

Individual Development), residents of the Phoenix EC have new ways to find 

What Works! Vo lume III 
both good job opportunities and the training and support they need to get and 

hold the jobs. 

"In many cities, good-quality jobs tend to be outside the city in the suburbs. But 

in Phoenix, we have abundant jobs in the city. The problem is overcoming the disconnect between employers and the unemployed and underemployed," explains 

Carolyn Bristo, the city's Workforce Development Administrator. Project STRIDE 

helps link EC residents to jobs through an innovative team approach that involves 

all major stakeholders: employers, community agencies, training providers, 

neighborhood organizations, and support services agencies. The team seeks to 

build long-lasting relationships, establish the formal and informal networks that 

are critical to making a job connection, and build up the community in the 

process. Project STRIDE, empowered by this team approach, offers a comprehensive, 4-week training program on work maturity, goals management, computer 

skills, and other work-related topics. It provides extensive case management and 

follow-up services, and access to GED classes. 

More than 80 people completed Project STRIDE training in its first year of operation, thanks to $200,000 in EC funds. Forty-two have jobs at an average wage of 

$8.25 an hour plus full benefits. Three people have started their own businesses, 

and 10 are pursuing GEDs or more training and education. More than 60 percent 

of these people previously received food stamps; the rest often were out of the job 

market because of social and health problems. Now they are striding toward economic self-sufficiency. 

For more information contact Carolyn Bristo, Economic Development 

Administrator, Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department, at 

602-262-5040. 

Helping People Start Careers-Not Just Get Jobs 

Pulaski County, Arkansas, EC 

People making the transition from welfare to work may be able to get minimumwage jobs. But how about getting jobs that will enable them to do more than just 

survive-jobs with career potential? This problem is being tackled in the Pulaski 

County EC in metropolitan Little Rock, where the Career Connection program is 

giving people the extra support they need to get living-wage jobs that can lead to 

careers. 

"The thrust of welfare to work needs to move in the direction of assisting people 

not only to get entry-level jobs but also to develop careers with sustainable 

incomes," says Mark Johnson, who heads Career Connection. To help people do 

this, the program assigns a case manager to each participant in its job-training 

effort; case managers stay in touch with participants after they are placed in jobs 

to help them get the extra skills and support to begin a career. The participants 

are also given training to prepare them for careers in various fields-for example, 

preemployment courses in computer technology that last up to 3 months. 

The program, which has an 18-month grant of $80,000 from the EC, has served 

approximately 170 people, 30 of whom have found jobs. Started by Pulaski 

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Technical College, Career Connection is located at the one-stop Little Rock 

Career Development Center. Nearly 1,000 people come to the center each week, 

and those who are eligible are steered toward Career Connection. Supporters of 

the project include firms that value the effort to nurture good job-retention skills. 

Along with Pulaski Tech, agencies involved with the program include the 

Arkansas Employment Security Department, the Arkansas Department of Human 

Services, the Little Rock School District, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Medical Center, Goodwill Industries, Our House (a homeless shelter), and the 

North Little Rock Housing Authority. Career Connection hopes to continue after 

the 18-month EC funding period ends, with additional funds from the EC and 

other agencies. 

For more information contact Mark Johnson, Dean of Administration, Pulaski 

Technical College, at 501-812-2212. 

Small Construction Workers Get Help for Long, 

Hard Journey to Independence 

Pulaski County, Arkansas, EC 

Many carpenters and other skilled construction workers who work for general contractors would rather work for themselves. Yet a worker's journey to independence 

is a long, hard one-starting with finding the time and energy to develop business 

skills, not to mention getting needed support. A successful program in the Pulaski 

County EC in metropolitan Little Rock is enabling construction workers to travel 

the road to their own businesses. 

"The construction contracting business is a long, hard, tedious journey," states 

Raymond Frazier, who runs an established training consultant firm that is coordinating the Small and Disadvantaged Contractors Program for the EC. His firm has 

run similar efforts for more than 10 years. With the help of a 2-year, $68,000 grant 

from the EC, Frazier started this new program that, so far, has enabled 18 small 

craft workers to become bonded and win contracts for construction projects valued at more than $400,000. Targeted workers are EC residents who have marketable homebuilding, carpentry, and related skills but need additional support to 

start on the road to independence. 

In the construction trades, this road is littered with red tape and other obstacles. 

This is where the Small and Disadvantaged Contractors Program begins. Workers 

in the program are given intensive training in setting up their own businesses, 

including how to get necessary permits and licenses. They also receive assistance 

with getting loans to finance their businesses. Finally they are taught how to find 

clients. The program offers support for all these components through strong partnerships with State and local construction firms; employment agencies; large, private homebuilding firms; and the local branches of organizations such as the 

National Association of Minority Contractors and the Contractors' License 

Association. 

For more information contact Raymond Frazier, President, Raymond Associates, 

at 50l-280-9110. 

What Works! Vo lume III 
Former Troubled Youth Learn To Run a Businessand Help Keep a City Clean 

San Francisco, California, EC 

Formerly troubled youth in the Mission, one of San Francisco's liveliest multiethnic neighborhoods, are finding new hope by becoming entrepreneurs in their own 

sidewalk-cleaning business. Sunrise Sidewalk Cleaners, Inc., is turning the city's 

stringent sidewalk-cleaning law into a business opportunity, and in the process is 

becoming a thriving firm that teaches the youth how to run a business. 

"Sunrise is the most effective youth development tool I've ever been involved 

with," says longtime youth advocate and project head David Mauroff. "It gives the 

youth hands-on business experience and teaches them skills they can't learn anywhere else." Sunrise started about 3 years ago when a group of teenagers and the 

Columbia Park Boys and Girls Club decided to try something really ambitious: 

Create not just another job-training program, but a full-fledged, self-sustaining 

business firm. The City of San Francisco's unusually strict law requiring businesses to clean the sidewalks in front of their facilities provided the opportunity. 

The project targeted kids who had fallen through the cracks; 80 percent had been 

expelled from high school. But with the vision of the project's leaders and the 

energy of the kids, Sunrise was launched. 

Now Sunrise is thriving. It has contracts with firms throughout the Bay Area and a 

staff of 14 project participants. Twenty-two former participants have gone on to college or other jobs. The firm generates $8,000 to $12,000 per month in revenue. 

Youth on staff are paid $6 to $9.50 per hour to engage new clients, clean the sidewalks in their custom-designed uniforms, and run the office. The project has strong 

support from local businesses. The Gap has contributed a truck worth $75,000, 

Sees Candies has given a van and technical assistance, Bay Area Chemex contributes equipment for cleaning and training help, and Citibank .is a major client. 

This year the City of San Francisco is contributing $30,000 in CDBG funds. 

The project is publicized primarily through word of mouth, where people in the 

Mission see the Sunrise staff in their uniforms. Sunrise continues as a thriving 

business in the Ee. One of its few "problems" is persuading participants to move 

on to other jobs or school. 

For more information contact David Mauroff, Youth Enterprise Director, Columbia 

Park Boys and Girls Club, at 415-865-3860. 

People Find Careers in Fast-Growing 

Hospitality/Tourism Industry 

San Francisco, California, EC 

The hospitality/tourism industry is the fastest growing industry in the San 

Francisco Bay Area-but how can individuals break into this field? A training 

course sponsored by the local Goodwill agency is the answer. Participants even 

get to work in a cafe as part of their training. 

"Partnering with the EC allowed Goodwill to springboard an idea to start training 

In the hospitality industry," notes Mary Edington, President of Goodwill 

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Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties, Inc. " Underserved 

and underemployed members who live near the downtown tourism businesses are 

able to compete, once trained, for first-source hiring jobs as they become available." The project consists of an 8-week hospitality associate course that teaches 

students the necessary skills to begin a rewarding career in hospitality and 

tourism. Once they have completed the course, local residents are ready for job 

opportunities in hotels, restaurants, cafes, tourism, and hospitals. The course is 

approved by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational 

Education. Students who complete all the required school work and class hours 

receive a State-approved certificate of completion. 

Once participants have finished the classroom part of the course, they may have 

the chance to experience the fun and challenges of the food service business by 

working at Cafe Vasco, owned by Business Advisory Council member Paul 

Lazzareschi of Vasco Restaurant. Cafe Vasco provides a training site for 90-day 

internships for many project graduates who specialize in hospitality. The cafe adds 

a practical component that enhances the classroom training and further prepares 

students by giving them experience with a real job in the hospitality industry. 

The project's course of study was created by Goodwill in conjunction with the 

Hotel Council of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, the 

Hotel and Restaurant Employees, and Bartenders Union Local 2. It was funded 

by the James Irvine Foundation, Wells Fargo Bank, and the Mayor's Office of 

Community Development. The project has an 83-percent graduation rate, with 

79 percent of graduates placed into training-related positions at an average hourly 

wage of $7.76. 

For more information contact Ernesto Rivas, Training Services Manager, Goodwill 

Industries of San Francisco, at 415--575--2126. 

Pre-Apprenticeship Program Unites Minority 

Youth With Trade Unions 

Springfield, Massachusetts, EC 

Providing employment opportunities for disadvantaged minority residents who 

live in inner cities can be a very difficult job. The solution to this challenge may 

lie in the intriguing approach that the Dunbar Community Center in Springfield, 

Massachusetts, has taken to enlist the help of local labor unions to ensure 

success. 

"We realized that labor unions in our area have a lot to offer in terms of employment possibilities," says Margaret Anoje, the center's Career Development 

Trainer. "However, they have had a hard time recruiting and maintaining employees who are people of color." A series of meetings between center staff and members of labor unions representing the construction, sheet metal, painting, roofing, 

and elevator industries resulted In the development of two free 

programs to bring African-American and Latino residents from the five neighborhoods of Mason Square in Springfield into the unions' work ranks. 

What Works! Volum e III 
The Pre-Apprenticeship Program, which has served 22 youths to date, provides 

90 hours of training to male and female youth age 15 to 20. Average class size is 

10 students. ''The goal of the program is to help the young people be better prepared to enter the job market and to understand their career choices," says Anoje. 

In linking school subjects to work issues, she says, "We want to intervene at the 

appropriate time in the youth's course work so that if he or she needs an additional 

math or science class, there is enough time." 

Anoje continues, ''The trade unions have been very involved in the planning 

stages of the program. They helped to identify the barriers, challenges, and myths 

of working for a union, and they have provided resources to ensure the program's 

success." Serving as mentors and role models to the young participants, trade 

union representatives give presentations to the classes, host site visits, and develop hands-on portable exhibits. 

The program has also had 2n impact on union policies such as the previous 

requirement that all applicants be high school graduates who are over the age of 

18. "This policy forced a lot of young people to delay applying to the unions for 

work, resulting in finding employment in other areas," says Anoje. The unions 

have changed this policy to incorporate youths who are 17 years old 

during the period of the training but who will turn 18 upon completion of the 

program. 

The center also offers the Construction Industry Training Assistance Program, 

which provides similar development to adult men and women over the age of 2l. 

Special features of this program include providing participants with daycare 

money and bus passes to ensure completion of the program. 

For more information contact Margaret Anoje, Career Development Trainer, 

Dunbar Community Center, at 413-788-6143. 

New Buildin~ Promises Jobs in Fast-Growing 

Healthcare Field 

Tacoma, Washington, EC 

Finding places to house workers in the fast-growing healthcare field is a continuing challenge for central cities. The pressure on healthcare firms often seems to 

be to decentralize to cheaper, outlying locations. But Tacoma is meeting this challenge. The city and EC are about to complete the rehabilitation and refurbishment 

of a 100-year-old building in downtown Tacoma, the TRC Tower, as the new home 

of Total Renal Care. The TRC Tower will be the back office of a dialysis treatment 

center that was about to leave the city with its 250 employees. Also it plans to 

expand its workforce to 600 employees. 

"The excitement that has been created by the total renovation of this building 

from a drab, empty, windowless structure to a bright, historic anchor for the reinvigoration of this area of downtown is phenomenal," notes Shirl E. Gilbert II, who 

directs the Tacoma Empowerment Consortium (fEC). "And this is just the beginning of a Tacoma renaissance that has been made possible by the partnerships of 

the EZIEC Initiative." 

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TEC was instrumental in putting together a package that included access to private activity bonding, a Section 108 loan from the city, the development of parking and shuttle services for employees, and training of EC residents to be 

employed by the firm over the next 18 months. Total Renal Care's commitment to 

TEC is 100 jobs for EC residents. 

In addition to the renovation and employment aspects of this effort, TEC is creating synergy in downtown Tacoma by sparking the revitalization of a portion of 

downtown that had been depressed for 15 years. This effort promises to be a catalyst for further development and more job opportunities for EC residents. 

For more information contact Shirl E. Gilbert II, Executive Director, Tacoma 

Empowerment Consortium, at 253-274-1288. 

New EC Jobs Filled at Historic Schoenfeld Building 

Tacoma, Washington, EC 

The historic Sandberg Building at 15th Street and Pacific Avenue in downtown 

Tacoma, the oldest reinforced concrete skyscraper on the Pacific Coast, was taken 

over by the Schoenfeld family in 1924 and served continuously as a highly successfullandmark retail furniture store until 1985. In that year the family went out 

of business. The building sat empty as a lO-story testimony to the decay of downtown Tacoma for more than 3 years. 

In spring 1998 the City of Tacoma, with the help of the Tacoma Empowerment 

Consortium (TEC) and other organizations, put the building back to use as the 

new home offices of Total Renal Care, Inc. The company was considering leaving 

Tacoma to find space in an adjacent city to accommodate its anticipated growth 

from approximately 250 to 600 jobs over the next 18 months. 

With a package that included access to EC bonds and tax incentives for renovation 

of the building, local property tax abatement, additional funds, and the guarantee 

that 100 EC residents would be trained and ready to begin work on April 1, 1999, 

the city was able to keep Total Renal Care in Tacoma. TEC anticipates placing 

other EC residents in the remaining positions. 

For more information contact Dr. Shirl E. Gilbert II, Tacoma Empowerment 

Consortium, at 253-274-1288. 

Waco Develops Job Training 

Waco, Texas, EC 

The Waco EC has developed some innovative ways to attract businesses and jobs. 

The EC is a 20-square-mile area encompassing the central and eastern areas of 

Waco, as well as portions of Bellmead Lacy-Lakeview and McLennan County. The 

area, which is largely Hispanic, has an unemployment rate that is between 13 and 

17.6 percent, almost three times the City of Waco's average. 

The Waco EC focuses on job training, job development, development of "minimarket" business areas, and social and human services. To accomplish its goals, 

the Waco EC has provided permit assistance and potential capital funding through 

What Works! Volume III 
the EC Revolving Loan Fund to businesses that agree to locate in the EC. The City 

of Waco will also provide assistance with site development and facility improvement when existing facilities are used to provide economic growth. The City of 

Waco and McLennan County offer tax-abatement policies for real and personal 

property (equipment) based on the amount of investment and the number of jobs 

created. Waco offers additional State benefits to any new manufacturing employer approved as a Texas Enterprise Project. Businesses that hire residents of 

Waco's EC area may be eligible for tax credits of up to $2,100 per employee per 

year through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program. 

For more information contact George Johnson, Jr., City of Waco, at 

254-750-5640. 

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Imperial County California Job Resource Centers 

Imperial County, California, EC 

The Imperial County California Enterprise Community has developed an innovative approach to job development. The EC promotes the One Stop Shop Job 

Resource Centers for job applicants. Three such centers have been established 

throughout Imperial County. The offices are connected electronically to one 

another and to other major benefit and training resources used by job applicants 

in Imperial County. 

Each center provides a variety of services, including links to job leads, help with 

resume development, interview techniques, support services, job search assistance, and one-to-one counseling. Services are provided universally and without 

cost to participants regardless of their eligibility for special funding through such 

initiatives as the Job Training Partnership Act or Vocational Rehabilitation. The 

services are tailored to the individual needs of each person seeking a job. "The 

centers are designed to provide a one-stop link to virtually all related services, 

training, and benefits through phone, electronic link, or onsite assistance," says 

Maria Matthews, the EC's Executive Director. 

The centers have phone banks, computer banks, and access to an array of job 

resources through the Internet; local, State, and national job training; job search 

bulletin boards; and Web sites. Community participation and support for the program steadily expanded during 1998 and early 1999. 

Each center follows the State of California's One Stop Shop initiative, as well as 

the major tenets of the federal Workforce Investment Act, which was enacted in 

1998 and is to be fully implemented by July 2000. Staff resources have been 

expanded to engineer the efforts of the three centers into a collaborative partnership with one another and with the additional business and community partners 

mandated by the Workforce Investment Act. 

For more infonnation contact Maria Matthews, Valley of Imperial Development 

Alliance, at 760-337-7814. 

Farmers Band Together To Feed Schools and 

Sustain Jobs in Agriculture 

Jackson County, Florida, EC 

If you were a student in elementary school, wouldn't you rather eat local fresh vegetables and fruits for lunch than soggy cafeteria fare? And if you were a struggling 

small fanner, wouldn't you like to have access to the large, secure market of 

school system lunch programs? In Jackson County, Florida, the answers to these 

two questions are a resounding YES--and the county has a project to prove it: 

helping farmers supply the schools with locally grown fresh produce. 

"The Small Farmer School Lunch Project is really not just a project but a concept," explains Glen Holmes of the local U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural 

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Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). "The biggest thing we're trying to stress 

is helping the fanners organize through the Co-op. And the Co-op is not just running a project that needs outside funding. We hope to be here until the cows come 

home." The New North Florida Farmers Cooperative, which serves 15 fanners 

who plant an average of 1 to 20 acres, picks up leafy greens, cantaloupes, strawbelTies, blackbelTies, and grapes and delivers them to 32,000 children in schools 

in 3 counties. The project has received a 2-year, $4,000 grant from USDA's 

Agricultural Marketing Service and a $10,000 low-interest loan from the EC. The 

farmers study the schools' menus in advance to try to supply produce needed each 

day, and any mismatches between the produce delivered and the food served are 

dealt with by freezing the surplus. 

This remarkable project was the result of a serendipitous meeting 4 years ago. 

Holmes was in Atlanta for a meeting and met school food service officials and others interested in this issue. They realized what a good match the farmers and the 

schools could be, and the project was born. Partners offering support include 

NRCS, the West Florida Community Development Council, and Florida A&M 

University's 2501 Outreach Project for small fanners. The project is now in its 

third year, and plans are for it to continue, as Holmes puts it, "until the cows come 

home." For the schoolchildren eating more healthily and the working fanners 

serving this sizable, stable school market, that is soon enough. 

For more infonnation contact Glen Holmes, Outreach Coordinator, NRCS, at 

850-482-2002. 

Flat Rock Furniture Opens New Plant in 

Jackson County 

Kentucky Highlands, Kentucky, EZ 

With $12.5 million in investment commitments, the Development Venture Capital 

Fund in the Kentucky Highlands EZ has been a catalyst for job growth. The latest company to locate in the EZ is Flat Rock Furniture, Inc ., an Indiana-based 

company. In January 1999, Flat Rock Furniture opened a plant in Jackson County 

that when fully staffed will employ 30 EZ residents over the next 2 years making 

handcrafted hickory furniture. 

The Development Venture Capital Fund also made commitments to American 

Woodmark Corporation in Wayne County, Kentucky, and will assist Fantasy 

Custom Yachts as it expands its houseboat plant for the third time. 

The fund has made 15 commitments through January 1999, 11 of which were to 

locally owned operations and 9 were to startup companies. The fund has been sustainable, relending $400,000 from repaid principal on earlier loans. "The focus in 

our strategic plan is job creation," says Jeny Rickett, President of Kentucky 

Highlands Investment Corporation. "The job growth fueled by the fund has 

exceeded all expectations. Our goal was to create 3,000 jobs during the 10 years 

of the Empowennent Zone. After only 4 years, we already have almost 1,500 jobs 

in place, and we have commitments to reach our goal in the next 2 years." 

What Works! V olume III 
For more information contact Jerry Rickett, President, Kentucky Highlands EZ, 

at 606-864-5175. 

Kentucky EZ Job-Training Program for Youth 

Kentucky Highlands, Kentucky, EZ 

A new training center has been developed for 16- to 24-year-old residents of the 

Clinton and Wayne Counties EZ. The center, called BRITE-Bringing Real 

Improvement Through Employment-is a one-stop center for people who need 

employment, education, and training but are not currently enrolled in school. 

There are six other centers of this type in the United States, but this is the first 

one located in a rural area. 

Participants are evaluated as they enter the program and receive an individualized service strategy to meet their needs and help them find jobs. In addition 

to education and training, the center also helps them with childcare and 

transportation. 

Rudy Thomas, the director of the Clinton EZ Community, Inc., says the center 

has been warmly received by local officials and employers. Employers say the 

program sends them new employees who have the attitude and skills needed to 

succeed on the job. All participants must complete a 2-week life skills and 

employability skills class before entering job training. In addition to classes for 

helping people earn a general equivalency diploma or high school diploma, the 

center offers the following job training programs: YouthBuild, teaching the building trade; computers; medical office assistant; maintenance and operations; 

security guard; certified nurse's aide. 

The center stays in touch with employers to develop other classes to meet the specific needs of future jobs. The EZ surveys area businesses and relies on an advisory committee to assist the center in discovering what employers are looking for 

in employees. After participants finish their training, BRITE works to place them 

in jobs and follows up with them to make sure they continue to succeed on the job. 

People who finish the program get a bonus. If their performance is good in their 

jobs, they get another bonus. 

"We want to teach them that there is a reward to working and learning more," says 

Lee Butcher, case manager for BRITE. "The training and new jobs will pay more 

in the long run." 

The program began in July 1998 and has already evaluated, trained, and placed 53 

participants in jobs through December 1998. The center plans to serve 454 out-ofschool rural youth during the next 2 years. The program is assisted by a U.S. 

Department of Labor grant. 

For more information contact Jerry Rickett, Kentucky Highlands EZ, at 

606-864--5175. 

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Building Trade Boosts Local Employment 

in Macon Ridge 

Macon Ridge, Louisiana, EC 

Macon Ridge Economic Development Region, the lead entity in the Macon Ridge 

EC, fonned a community development corporation (CDC) to take the lead in housing development within the EC. A milestone was reached in March 1998 when the 

Macon Ridge CDC received its designation as a Community Housing 

Development Organization (CHDO). This CHDO designation enabled the EC to 

accomplish a major benchmark in its strategic plan. Subsequent to the designation, Macon Ridge CDC received approval of three applications to develop multifamily and elderly housing that will add 70 new housing units to the EC. 

The EC plans to use its Building Trades Job Training Program, part of its strategic plan, to provide construction personnel for the housing development. EC residents will receive on-the-job training while enhancing the housing opportunities 

within their EC. This Building Trades Job Training Program is a partnership 

between the Macon Ridge EC and Motivation Education Training (MET), Inc., a 

Texas-based organization. MET focuses on finding education, housing, and other 

opportunities for agricultural workers. 

Chip Rogers, Vice President of the EC, says that this project "enables us to take 

the trained EC residents and provide them with job opportunities through the 

housing development program." The project provides the community with a stable source of jobs. 

For more infonnation contact Chip Rogers, Vice President, Macon Ridge EC, at 

318-757-3033. 

Local Ingenuity Brings Shipbuilding Plant Up River 

Northeast Louisiana Delta, Louisiana, EC 

The economic life of Tallulah, Mississippi, changed forever one winter evening in 

1998 when Moses Williams sat down to watch the television news. As the camera 

panned the New Orleans seaport, the newscaster announced that Avondale 

Industries, the sixth largest shipbuilding finn in the country, was looking for 

expansion sites in Louisiana. Williams, president of the Northeast Louisiana 

Community Development Corporation, knew exactly where he wanted Avondale to 

expand. 

Williams called Tallulah Mayor Theodore Lindsey, and in February 1998 both 

sent letters to Avondale asking the company to consider opening a shipbuilding 

plant along the Mississippi River in Tallulah. That summer, the deal was closed 

and the Northeast Louisiana Delta EC had a new employer. 

"When we started talking about a shipyard, people thought we had all gone crazy, 

because shipbuilding is supposed to happen on the coast," says Williams. 

Williams soon discovered that because Avondale uses a modular approach to 

building its ships, the company could produce ship parts off the coast and then 

move those parts to New Orleans to be assembled. That made Tallulah a good canWhat Works! Vo lume III 
didate for the plant, he says. In their letters to Avondale, Williams and Lindsey 

pointed out Tallulah's other advantages: It already had a port facility on the 

Mississippi and a trained labor force of welders who were ready to work. In fact, 

says Williams, Tallulah had more welders than local businesses could employ. All 

had received their training through special courses offered at the local campus of 

Louisiana Technical College. 

"The college had actually been catching flack for producing too many welders," 

says Williams. "Once those welders were trained, they couldn't find jobs here, so 

they were leaving Tallulah and going down south for part of the year to work offshore." 

When Avondale executives showed interest in Tallulah's port facility, State and 

local officials got involved to induce the company to make its move. Avondale 

agreed to invest $2 million to renovate an existing building on the port. The 

Louisiana State Legislature contributed $1.3 million to make infrastructure 

improvements so the port could accommodate Avondale's operation. The company also qualified for Federal and State tax credits. 

Avondale employs 75 local residents and expects to increase its workforce to 200 

by the end of 1999. The new jobs are a welcome shot in the arm for an area where 

"unemployment is always double digit and always more than twice the State average," says Williams. Those jobs may be just the beginning of economic development success for Tallulah, as the shipbuilding operation attracts other businesses 

to the city. Not long after receiving a firm commitment from Avondale, the EC lent 

$118,000 to LAPCO, a sewing company that specializes in making jackets for 

welders. Intrigued by the possibility of selling its product directly to the shipbuilder, LAPCO leased a vacant, city-owned building and used its EC loan to purchase factory equipment. LAPCO, which opened its Tallulah plant in August 

1998, expects to employ 50 to 100 EC residents. 

For more information contact Moses Williams, President and Chief Executive 

Officer of the Northeast Louisiana Community Development Corporation, at 

318-574-0995. 

Capital Injection Helps Small Businesses Thrive 

Rio Grande Valley, Texas, EZ 

The EZ established this community investment fund in the Hidalgo County 

subzone to revitalize the local economy. The revolving loan fund has helped 

create and retain jobs through capital injection into 22 family-owned businesses 

for startup and expansion. "This investment fund gives local entrepreneurs 

who are trying hard to develop their businesses an opportunity to get into the 

mainstream with local private lenders," says Bonnie Gonzalez, Chief Executive 

Officer of the EZ. 

One example of the program's success is the family-owned business, "Off the 

Coast," which makes rattan furniture. This business has created seven jobs, 

expanded its marketing range from Rio Grande City to Port Isabel, and is in the 

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process of obtaining an agreement with a local furniture wholesaler. Other 

family-owned businesses include a bakery, a flower shop, and several restaurants. 

For more information contact Yvonne "Bonnie" Gonzalez, Chief Executive 

Officer, Rio Grande Valley EZ, at 956-514-4000. 

What Worksl Volume III 
BUSINESSES ASSISTED 

Business Center Makes Loans and Teaches Lessons 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC 

More than 200 small businesses in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC have 

received technical assistance through the New Mexico Business Resource Center. 

Fifty businesses have acquired startup loans through the center since it opened in 

1996. However, the lessons city officials have learned from the center may constitute its most valuable impact on the EC. 

The economic development multiservice center operates in a city-owned building 

in the EC's South Fourth Street Corridor, a 13-block area that the City of 

Albuquerque has been trying to revitalize for the past 4 years. Convinced from the 

start that access to capital is the major obstacle to small business development, 

four of the center's five partners assembled an impressive array of equity sources 

for entrepreneurs. The New Mexico Community Development Loan Fund 

(NMCDLF) and the Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST Corp) 

jointly administer three revolving loan funds capitalized at $14.5 million. The 

South Valley Small Business Development Center and the Industry Development 

Corporation help small and medium-sized businesses find seed capital. A fifth 

partner, Project Phoenix, provides computer training to low-income persons. All 

the partners provide technical assistance. 

The City of Albuquerque bought, renovated, and maintains the center's building 

with $56,000 from the EC, $150,000 from CDBG funds, and $200,000 from the 

New Mexico Legislature Capital Fund. The EC also capitalized the South Valley 

Revolving Loan Fund with $259,000. The Micro Enterprise Loan Fund and a 

Pocket of Opportunity Loan Fund received $300,000 and $800,000, respectively, 

from the city's Housing and Neighborhood Economic Development Fund. WESST 

Corp and NMCDLF leveraged almost $13 million to supplement all three funds. 

"The city provides very low-cost rent to encourage center partners to locate there, 

stay there, and cooperate with one another," says EC Coordinator Sylvia Fettes. 

"Our aim was not only to assist our EC entrepreneurs but also to encourage businesses to locate in the EC and to create employment for EC residents. The center 

is located in a very blighted corridor. We wanted to eliminate that blight." 

The center has made a substantial number of loans and helped create 88 new jobs 

in the EC. It has also provided a valuable learning experience to all its partners, 

who discovered that it takes more than capital to make a business succeed. 

Primarily, says Ms. Fettes, it takes much more technical assistance than originally anticipated. It also takes a holistic approach to solving community problems 

that inhibit business investment. 

"This involves reducing crime, bringing customers to a neighborhood so a business 

has an opportunity to be successful, and making sure entrepreneurs understand 

fully what it takes to run a small business," says Fettes. "Now we are setting our 

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sights on creating a multifaceted program that attempts to address all those 

issues." For more information contact Sylvia Fettes, EC Coordinator, at 

505-768-2860. 

Atlanta OSCS Exceeds Goals for Service and Assistance 

Atlanta, Georgia, EZ 

The Atlanta One-Stop Capital Shop (AOSCS) celebrated its second anniversary in 

February and is well on its way to fulfilling its mission of leveraging public and 

private resources and providing centralized and comprehensive technical assistance to Atlanta's emerging and expanding small businesses. 

Client volumes have far exceeded expectations. The original program design 

called for serving five clients daily and making two loans a month. AOSCS currently averages 40 clients per day. Volume is projected to almost double this year 

due to a number of new initiatives and more intensive outreach efforts. 

Since AOSCS opened its doors, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 

reports that 105 loans have been made within the Atlanta EZ, resulting in more 

than $28 million in new investment through SBA alone. 

AOSCS offers a convenient and resourceful way to collect information about starting or operating a business. "EZ residents can access our services, use our computer lab, and work with a business counselor all under one roof," says Joseph R. 

Reid, Executive Director of the Atlanta EZ Corporation. 

From a population of nearly 50,000 residents, the Atlanta EZ Corporation has calculated that 5,000 individuals are potential entrepreneurs interested in starting or 

expanding business ventures. AOSCS is currently serving 60 to 80 percent of the 

Atlanta EZ's total entrepreneurial market. 

AOSCS and SBA staff spend most of their time working with EZ businesses and 

potential entrepreneurs, implementing special initiatives, and fielding inquiries 

about locating existing or potential businesses within the EZ. 

AOSCS has awarded 52 technical assistance grants to EZ businesses ranging from 

$250 to $2,000 for services such as store layout and design and for hiring EZ professionals to provide legal and business services. ''The Atlanta One-Stop Capital 

Shop is an excellent resource for EZ residents who are interested in making their 

dreams of opening a business a reality," concludes Mr. Reid. 

Plans include development of a microloan program-the " Buy Atlanta 

Campaign"-and organizing a Chamber of Neighborhood Commerce. 

For more information contact Amy Triandiflou, Assistant to the Executive 

Director, Atlanta EZ Corporation, at 404-853-7370. 

Canisius College Puts Small Businesses on the Map 

Buffalo, New York, EC 

Without a good map, one can get hopelessly lost. Knowing that, the Urban 

Community Service Program (UCSP) at Canisius College collaborated with the 

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Center for Entrepreneurship, the Office of Urban Initiatives, and Buffalo's 

Federal Enterprise Community to survey and train small businesses. This 

research and training project began in 1997 with a 40-page survey mailed to 

1,200 businesses in the Ellicott, Marsten, and University districts, 80 percent 

of which lie in Buffalo's EC. 

Canis ius College students helped merge the responses into a database that 

mapped economic activity and allowed researchers to develop a no-cost, customdesigned training program for 10 to 15 small businesses. "The survey identified 

a void that was not being filled by other agencies and was able to target training 

at appropriate economic sectors," says Craig Rogers, UCSP Program Director. 

A team of students and faculty goes onsite to assess a firm's business techniques 

and develop a business plan that would cost approximately $5,000 if a private 

consultant were hired. The business gets the information it needs to succeed, and 

Canisius students get hands-on experience in enterprise development, including 

the chance to create maps using state-of-the-art geographic information system 

software. 

The centerpiece of the program is the 12-week Urban Entrepreneurial Training 

Program (UETP). Last year 22 businesses with an average gross receipts of 

$745,000 and an average of 7 employees participated in the program. This year 

UETP will continue under a grant from the Coleman Foundation. 

Veronica Hogle, who started her home-based business, Finding Funds and 

Getting Grants, in 1997, says, "I came out of the program in 1998 reenergized and 

fired up to go with my business plan." She helps a number of large and small nonprofit organizations secure financial resources. She recently won a grant from the 

HUD Community Development Block Grant program to train Buffalo businesses 

in grantsmanship. 

UCSP has also attracted 200 small business owners to 5 forums on taxes, finances, 

and marketing. It publishes UCSP Update, which has a circulation of 1,700, and 

hosts speaker series, receptions, and open houses. UCSP's plan is to survey and 

extend services to three more districts using New York State funding. ''The master plan," says Rogers, "is to cover all nine districts." 

For more information contact Paula Rosner, Executive Director, Federal EC of 

Buffalo, at 716--842-6923. 

Small Childcare Business Has Big Impact on EC 

Charlotte, North Carolina, EC 

Ann Knox of Charlotte, North Carolina, was convinced that if she could open a 

24-hour childcare center along West Boulevard in Charlotte's EC, she could help 

area residents take jobs that required evening and night work. Moreover, by hiring area residents and training them as childcare workers, she thought she'd be 

able to have an impact on the neighborhood by helping to shrink the welfare rolls. 

It never occurred to Knox that all of this might be too much to expect from a small 

business in a depressed neighborhood. She simply wouldn't take no for an answer, 

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however, even if fulfilling her dream meant piecing together a financing package 

that would impress most community development agencies. It included loans of 

$125,000 from a local bank, $83,000 from the U.S. Small Business 

Administration, $52,000 from Charlotte's "City within a City" program, and 

$20,000 from the EC. The EC money helped Knox buy the building's security system, appliances, computers, and office equipment. The balance was used to cover 

payroll expenses during the business' first month. 

Knox was true to her word. Almost all of the 150 children served by the West 

Boulevard Child Care Center since it opened in March 1998 have been residents 

of the EC, says Theodore G. White, West Enterprise Community, Inc.'s Executive 

Director. About 90 percent of the center's 14 employees are EC residents, who 

Knox says now have the hope, confidence, and structure to become self-reliant. 

"One of the barriers keeping many of our residents from gaining better employment was childcare," says White. "Many times, childcare is available during first 

shift, but not necessarily during second and third shift. In order to gain better 

employment, many of our parents are having to work second- and third-shift jobs 

and this childcare service provides them the oppOltunity to take those jobs." 

For more information contact Theodore G. White, Executive Director, West 

Enterprise Community, Inc., at 704-373-2900. 

Public/Private Partnerships Foster Business in 

the Dallas EC 

Dallas, Texas, EC 

The Dallas, Texas, EC has implemented an innovative economic development 

program that focuses on public and private partners for new business and community development projects. Since April 1996, $1 million in EC funds have been 

used. The money is set aside for businesses to locate and develop in the EC. The 

program is structured so that every $4 of private investment will yield $1 of public investment, thus creating a win/win condition for the businesses and the community. To be awarded this money, a company must agree to locate in the EC. For 

every $15,000 of EC funding granted to a company, the company must agree to 

create one job for an EC resident. The job must pay at least $6 per hour and provide benefits to the employee. This requirement is significant because 40 percent 

of the Dallas EC's population lives below the poverty line (population 95,315 people, 19.8-square-mile area). The fact that the company makes no financial concessions over and above its normal hiring practices makes this arrangement 

extremely attractive to new and expanding businesses. The program has expended $917,000 and has leveraged $11 million. The program initially was committed 

to creating 67 jobs, but has more than doubled this target by creating 146 jobs. 

In addition to developing existing businesses, a Business Micro Lending Program 

has been created to stimulate new business development in the EC. This program 

provides microloans of $200 to $5,000 to startup businesses. On August 26, 1998, 

the Dallas City Council authorized $50,000 from the General Fund to match the 

$50,000 in EC funds apportioned for this program. New capital is far from the only 

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benefit afforded these new businesses. To further enhance and ensure the success 

of these up-and-coming enterprises, the program provides the new businesses with 

technical assistance and credit repair. Accion Texas, the microlender, uses the 

bank credit line to underwrite and service the loans. Once the borrower has satisfied the terms of the initial bank loan, the borrower has established not only a credit line with the bank, but a positive payment history that the business can use to 

establish accounts with other businesses for goods and services. Chase Bank, 

BancOne, and NationsBank are all partners in this program. 

Since the inception of these programs, only 1 of the 19 businesses developed in 

the EC has failed. The EC has commitments from a majority of the businesses to 

continue to hire EC residents. The success of this program demonstrates what can 

be accomplished when affluent institutions commit to reinvesting in the community by assisting smaller businesses. 

For more information contact Mark Obeso, EC Manager, at 214---670-5047. 

Incubator Reduces Gamble in Small Business Ventures 

Las Vegas, Nevada, EC 

A brood of small businesses is incubating at the Business Center in the Las Vegas 

Enterprise Park. With a 20-percent failure rate in the first 5 years, small businesses require special care. "There is a crying need for this kind of help," says 

Peggy Proestos, Senior Development Project Officer at Neighborhood Services 

Center. The incubator, funded by the Wells Fargo Bank and the South Nevada EC 

(SNEC), was 100-percent occupied when it opened March 2, 1998. The waiting 

list is growing. 

Nested in the 17,000-square-foot site are 10 small businesses--8 of them minority owned-that have their own offices. SNEC subsidizes tenants' monthly rent on 

a graduated basis. Tenants initially pay one-third of the rent; in the second year, 

they split the rent, which includes furniture, file cabinet, telephone, and computer. For an extra $50 per month, tenants can use the center's reception services, 

conference room, copy and fax machines, laser printer, and private storage units, 

and receive business training and counseling. 

Three industrial clients rent part-time or shared office space. They share a desk 

but have plivate storage areas and access to many of the same services. They can 

also use the conference room and training center. A new program, Incubator 

Without Walls, serves home-based business owners who need support services 

and a professional setting in which to meet clients. 

By the end of the first year of their 2-year tenancy, business owners are required 

to purchase a city business license, attend six business development seminars, 

write a business plan, and obtain property and liability insurance. They attend 

monthly roundtable discussions that also offer the opportunity to network and 

exchange services. Local training and ed~cational organizations offer workshops 

in recordkeeping, writing business plans, and marketing. The Business 

Information Center, the first in the State, will move in this year to provide 

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enhanced training. ''The center has become the nexus for small business training 

in the entire valley," Proestos says. 

Danelle Reddy, owner of All-American Court Reporter, graduated last year in a 

record 5 months after hiring 9 people. House of Flava, a hip-hop clothing business, uses the center as its corporate headquarters. The owners are thinking about 

graduating, but as Proestos says, "most of the businesses benefit so much they 

don't want to move out." 

For more information contact Sharon Segerblom, Director, Neighborhood Services 

Department, at 702-229-4943. 

Big City Comes Through With Tax Breaks for 

Inner-City Businesses 

Los Angeles, California, EZ 

Tax breaks for businesses are a basic aspect of the EZ/EC strategy that can be 

challenging to implement at the local level. So it is notable that the citizens of Los 

Angeles, one of the Nation's biggest, most complex cities, have voted to exempt 

qualified businesses in its EZ from the city's business tax. 

"When we present to businesspeople the fact that they will [not have] business 

taxes for the first 5 years of their existence in the Zone, their eyes light up," says 

Rockard (Rocky) Delgadillo, Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles. ''This program causes businesspeople to look beyond the initial stumbling block of negative perceptions and to give inner-city sites the same serious consideration they give to other 

sites." The new tax break effort, known as the Los Angeles Tax-Free Zone, was 

initiated by Mayor Richard J. Riordan, authorized by the City Council, and 

approved by voters as an amendment to the municipal code. It is being implemented by the city clerk's office and promoted by LA's Business Team, a task force 

of the mayor's office. 

To qualify for the tax exemption, a business must be relocating or starting up in the 

EZ; pay all of its workforce a living wage as defined by the city; provide urgently 

needed goods or services; prove that it is investing in its workers by providing benefits to them; and, if a new finn, hire at least 50 percent of its workers from within 

or near the EZ. New businesses locating in the EZ may receive a 5-year exemption 

from city business taxes on gross receipts based on annual sales. Businesses that 

relocate from other parts of the city or businesses currently located in the EZ will 

have their city business taxes frozen at the current level for 5 years. 

For more infonnation contact Alfonso Salazar, Director, LA's Business Team, at 

213-847-2666. 

Old Mill Yard Helps Incubate New EC Businesses 

Manchester, New Hampshire, EC 

A fonner mill yard that once employed two-thirds of the residents of Manchester, 

New Hampshire, is again becoming the center of economic life in the city's EC. 

Once abandoned and deteriorating, the renovated Amoskeag Mill Yard now houses a variety of businesses, including local college and professional offices, fashWhat Works! Volume II I 
ionable restaurants, and manufacturing operations. On the fourth floor of one Mill 

Yard building, the EC-funded Amoskeag Business Incubator is working hard to 

ensure that the economic revival lasts well into the future. 

The incubator has helped 18 local business ventures get off the ground since it 

opened in 1996. New Hampshire College operates the incubator with help from a 

$175,000 EC grant, $200,000 in CDBG funds, $25,000 from the Bean 

Foundation, and its own in-kind donations. During the past 3 years, the incubator has created 33 new jobs in the EC and saved another 75 jobs. 

Incubator tenants include a distributor of greenhouses and accessories, a bridal 

wear designer, a financial services company, and a payroll service. These and 

other businesses pay market rents for office space and receive a number of services, including technical assistance in starting and maintaining their businesses. 

They share the incubator's secretary and use the incubator's conference room and 

business equipment at no extra charge. They also gain access to something 

increasingly hard to come by in Manchester: custom-sized office space. 

"If they only need 100 square feet, that's what they get and what they pay for," 

says EC Coordinator Amanda Parenteau. "It's really the only place around where 

a business can get space that fits its needs. Usually small businesses pay for more 

space than they really need." 

To qualify for the incubator, entrepreneurs must write a business plan that is 

acceptable to the incubator board. The incubator provides technical assistance to 

help business owners develop and write the plan. Such assistance is also available 

to other EC businesses, even if they are not Mill Yard tenants. Once the incubator 

becomes profitable, it hopes to supplement its current services with a program that 

offers grants to help entrepreneurs get started in business. 

''The center is there to help businesses in the EC flourish," says Parenteau. ''The 

goal is for these businesses to grow strong enough to make it on their own and 

eventually leave the facility." 

For more information contact Amanda Parenteau, EC Coordinator, at 

603-624-2111. 

EC Helps One Business Return to Its Roots 

Muskegon, Michigan, EC 

When the Muskegon Construction Company moved to its new location on the corner of West Western Avenue and Pine Street in Muskegon, Michigan, it wasn't just 

to get back to its roots. The move was part of a citywide plan to encourage downtown waterfront redevelopment within its EC. 

"We were the first ones to move into the newly commercialized area," says Gary 

Post, President of Muskegon Construction Company, a general contracting finn 

that has served the Muskegon area for more than 70 years. "Returning to downtown Muskegon makes good economic sense and positively impacts on the city's 

effort to redevelop its urban area." 

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The company had previously been located in several downtown sites, including its 

last location in the heart of a secure Muskegon neighborhood. "It is easier to go 

into the suburbs and build on a clean piece of property," says Post. "But we chose 

not to do that." Instead, the company decided to move into the new 5,000-squarefoot facility that provides space for growth. 

As part of the relocation plan, Muskegon Construction purchased for $20,000 

from the City of Muskegon a I-acre parcel that had been vacant for more than 

30 years. The company received a tax abatement of 50 percent over 5 years on 

real and personal property. The city also agreed to a minor environmental 

cleanup of the area. 

Muskegon Construction's lead in helping the downtown area is beginning to pay 

off. Several businesses, including a credit union, a local university, and retail 

shops, plan to relocate to the area. "Our relocation to the downtown area is a 

reflection of our corporate response to the community," says Post. "A community 

is only as good as its weakest link, which in our case was the core area located in 

downtown Muskegon." 

With the success of this effort, the City of Muskegon is continuing its plans for 

additional redevelopment efforts, including an eastward extension of Shoreline 

Drive, which the city hopes will be completed by the end of 2000. 

For more information contact Gary Post, President, Muskegon Construction 

Company, at 616-726-3177. 

Loan Program Provides Big Assistance to 

Small Businesses 

Muskegon, Michigan, EC 

Want to have your own business? This American dream is quickly becoming a 

reality for residents of Muskegon and Muskegon Heights, thanks to the 

Microenterprise Loan Fund, which gives small entrepreneurs a chance to launch 

and grow a business in the EC. 

"We are interested in helping very small businesses in the area, especially homebased operations," says Jean Clingman-Scott, Executive Director of 

Neighborhood Investment, which administers the loan program. "So far, we have 

given 16 loans to local entrepreneurs whose interests cover a wide variety of business opportunities." Among those who have benefited from the loan program are 

retail shop owners, service agency providers, and machinists who needed equipment. Some small businesses have been very creative. "One client requested a 

loan to purchase video games so that he could host tournaments for kids in neighborhoods around the West Michigan area," recalls Clingman-Scott. "He showed 

us how this business would succeed by serving 200 to 300 children at one time 

and we thought this was a great idea." 

By offering loans from $500 to $10,000, the program helps people legitimize the 

work they already do, such as providing foster care and childcare. "We have found 

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that a large number of people have paIticular talents, but they have not been able 

to translate these skills into an ongoing business enterprise," says Clingman-Scott. 

To help potential owners develop solid business plans, the program offers educational assistance prior to completion of the loan application. Training covers all 

components necessary for a business plan, including planning and implementation, analysis of what elements will be incorporated into the business, inventory 

control, identification of suppliers, and cost and pricing issues. "We spent 

10 hours of education for every 1 hour of loan application," says Clingman-Scott. 

A loan committee of two commercial bankers, two business owners, and two representatives from the City of Muskegon oversees the loan application process, and 

funds are available within a month of submission. Once the loan application has 

been approved and the loan has been guaranteed by the owner, a team of mentors 

from the community-including representatives from the local chamber of commerce, local community colleges, and business professionals-assists the new 

business owner during the first year. 

Repayment of the loans varies from business to business. "We don't want to kill a 

business by using an inflexible loan payment system," says Clingman-Scott. ''The 

payments are geared to the individual business and business owner." To date, the 

project has given out more than $120,000 in loans to very small business owners. 

Total funding for the project is a $250,000 grant from the EC. 

For more information contact Jean Clingman-Scott, Executive Director, 

Neighborhood Investment, at 616-727-0809. 

Boilers Boost Economic Development in the Bronx 

New York, New York, EZ 

When A.L. Eastmond & Sons president Leon Eastmond said, "A.L. Eastmond is 

committed to employing and retaining workers in the Bronx so we can continue 

our expansion into new markets," few realized that the gravity of those words 

would be surmounted by a level of diligence and energy from the entire City of 

New York, especially the EZ. A.L. Eastmond & Sons is a major manufacturer of 

industrial boilers and steel storage tanks. Started in Harlem in 1925 as a small 

welding shop, A.L. Eastmond & Sons is now located in Hunts Point in the Bronx, 

within the EZ. 

When Eastmond wanted to expand the plant and establish a greater national presence, he found that access to capital was scarce. An additional 60,000 square feet 

of production space was needed to expand A.L. Eastmond & Sons' existing facility to accommodate 50 more skilled workers. The company's resources had 

already been drained by recent expansion efforts, and market cQ..nditi?!:Is would 

not allow lenders to provide it with $2.18 million to complete the-project. In addition to this, A.L. Eastmond & Sons needed money to provide the complex training necessary to expand its workforce. 

The project would involve the acquisition and renovation of another building. The 

former home of Western Bed at 440 and 444 Tiffany Street, four blocks southeast 

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of A.L. Eastmond & Sons' existing plant, was available. With $250,000 in private 

capital, A.L. Eastmond & Sons was able to approach the Bronx Overall Economic 

Development Corporation (BOEDC), the administrator of the Bronx EZ, and 

secure a $450,000 loan. Once this money was in place, A.L. Eastmond & Sons 

found itself with an additional dilemma: training 50 employees in the skills needed to make the new facility productive. BOEDC granted A.L. Eastmond & Sons 

$350,000 to train 25 EZ residents for these high-paying union jobs. An additional $100,000 low-interest loan was secured from Fleet Bank through the Empire 

State Development Corporation, New York State's economic development agency. 

These funds were used to buy the space at 1190 East 156th Street, directly behind 

A.L. Eastmond & Sons' existing headquarters on Leggett Avenue. 

Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY, 16th District) summarized this overall effort 

when he said, "We are thrilled that A.L. Eastmond & Sons has once again demonstrated its commitment to the South Bronx community by expanding its operations 

and providing additional jobs to the Bronx Empowerment Zone residents. I am 

confident that the Bronx Federal Empowerment Zone initiative will continue 

encouraging business growth and attracting new investors who will make South 

Bronx their home." 

For further information contact Jose Ithier, BOEDC, at 718-590-3549. 

A Community Is Fed When a Grocery Store Owner 

Gets Help in Buying a Building 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, EC 

For 11 years Charles Garner owned a grocery store, Budget Food, in the Capitol 

Hill section of Oklahoma City. In November 1998 Garner learned that the owner 

of the building he was leasing had sold the property to an out-of-State buyer who 

planned to double the store's rent. Suddenly Garner found himself out of business, 

but not out of hope. 

With the help of the Oklahoma City Community Action Agency, Gamer was able 

to purchase an abandoned building 500 yards from the site of his old building and 

begin renovating it into a bigger and better Budget Food store. Gamer was able to 

purchase the property with the help of a $200,000 loan funded through the 

Oklahoma City EC. 

According to Dick Lee, Executive Director of the Capitol Hill Main Street 

Program, Gamer's experience has been a textbook study in how to run a successful business, so he was an ideal candidate for an EC loan. "When Garner first 

opened 11 years ago," says Mr. Lee, "70 percent of his customers were retired 

people. Then the community changed and the retired folks left while the Hispanic 

population grew. As this was happening, Gamer adapted his products to the 

changing demographics of the neighborhood, continuing to provide the community with a valuable service while running a successful business." 

Gamer adapted to the point that, by the time he was forced to move out of the original Budget Food location, his store was considered the most successful ethnic 

market in the city, one of the few places where the Hispanic population could shop 

What Works! Volume III 
for the goods they favored . Garner estimates that in the 11 years he was open at 

the previous site his customer base went from 70-percent retired to 70-percent 

Hispanic. "I've learned to adjust to what my people around me want, rather than 

me trying to sell them what I want them to have." 

One of the stipulations in the EC loan was that the people he hired to work at the 

new store must be bilingual. That was not a problem because the original Budget 

Food's staff came from the neighborhood and were already bilingual. All Garner 

had to do was to offer them their jobs back. In this way, the opening of the new 

Budget Food store has not only restored a much-appreciated service to the community but has put a group of people who had lost their jobs back to work. 

The new store will give Garner, who grew up in the community and has lived there 

his entire life, 2,500 more square feet of floor space than he had before and will 

allow him to stock hundreds of additional products preferred by his Hispanic customers. "We're real good for each other," says Garner about his relationship with 

the EC program. "Together we've taken an eyesore out of the community and given 

it back a viable business." 

For more information contact Dick Lee, Executive Director, Capitol Hill Main 

Street Program, at 405-632-0133. 

Lending Circle Helps Dreamers Become Entrepreneurs 

Oklahoma City, Oklahomo, EC 

"The Lending Circle has been an answer to my prayers," says Joyce Larkins, who 

now owns and operates her own home daycare center, An Angel's Touch. With 

continued assistance from the program, she hopes to expand her business into a 

larger daycare center by the end of 1999. Larkins is just one of several beneficiaries of this program that targets the poorest residents in the Oklahoma City EC. 

The Lending Circle was created to assist people in Oklahoma and Canadian 

Counties who want to be self-starters but are in need of a helping hand to get their 

businesses going. The program is an effort to reach very low-income individuals 

and give them access to capital. Applicants who qualify for loans are eligible for 

up to $2,500 the first time, with future loans available in increments of $1,500. 

The maximum amount a participant can receive is $15,000. 

The program forms groups of 8 to 10 people who train together and then decide 

together which circle members will get small loans to start entrepreneurial activities out of their homes. Each member of the Lending Circle guarantees that each 

loan within their circle will be repaid. 

The main attraction of the program is its high payback rate. ''The secret to the 

payback rate is the peer lending and the coguaranteeing of loans," says Kristi 

Coker, Economic Development Coordinator with the Community Action Agency. 

"It is like a peer pressure situation to pay back the loan because everyone within 

the group wants the partners to succeed." 

In addition to loans, participants receive training in management strategies and 

technical assistance to develop and expand their businesses. "The business 

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training, networking with other participants, and not to mention the loan funds, 

have helped me create new roads to success," says Irene Smith, who, like Larkins, 

has used Lending Circle financing to open a daycare center. Other businesses the 

program has helped start include a styling salon, a hauling service, and a mobile 

detailing service. 

How successful has the program been? "We've had 20 clients who've graduated 

and don't need our help anymore," says Chandra Smotherman, who administers 

the program for the Community Action Agency. Smotherman says the program is 

distinguished by its goal to provide people who have the talent to be successful 

with a chance that they might never have received. In recognition of how successful Larkins has been, she was nominated for a Small Business Association 

Welfare-to-Work Entrepreneur of the Year award. Another program success story 

involves a woman who has expanded from selling gift baskets of bath soap within 

the EC to selling over the Internet. 

For more information contact Chandra Smotherman, Program Manager, the 

Lending Circle, Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City, at 405-232-0199. 

Faith-Based Community Development Corporation 

Creates New Businesses and Expands Existing Businesses 

Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, EC 

The banner in the Apostolic Lighthouse Church reads: "Everyone Dreams 

Dreams. Few Live Them. Welcome to Ours." Rev. Alvin Walker, Pastor of the 

Apostolic Lighthouse Church, sees greater Monroe as an area overwhelmed by the 

spirit of poverty. Rev. Walker and his church decided to form a nonprofit group, 

Renewal, Inc., for revival and to bring people out of poverty. Renewal's current 

focus is entrepreneurship, with a small business support group and youth entrepreneurship training. Everyone is welcome to apply, especially EC residents. 

The small business support group currently has 29 individuals interested in business, including many husband/wife teams. Eight businesses are up and running. 

Rev. Walker provides overall direction and spiritual and material support for each 

family or individual. The Ouachita EC's (OEC's) business team and partnerships 

and the North East Louisiana University-Small Business Development Center 

(NLU-SBDC) provide much of the hands-on business assistance to help each 

business owner to realize his or her potential. In effect, Renewal and OEC are 

operating a full service "incubator without walls." 

The first youth entrepreneurship class for 16- to 24-year-olds will graduate in May 

1999. Twenty-two youth began the class in October 1998 and 11 serious young 

business entrepreneurs remain. Three already have small businesses up and running, while others have created business plan outlines. Renewal and OEC are 

already preparing and recruiting, with assistance from NLU-SBDC, for the next 

class to take place during the summer. Rev. Walker is enthusiastic about the discussions he overhears of people whose vision is no longer of "working a second job, 

but of business ownership." As to faith -based involvement in the material world, 

he quotes the Bible's Book of James in saying, "Faith without works is dead." 

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For more information contact Rev. Alvin Walker, Executive Director of Renewal, 

Inc., at 318-387-0686. 

Heart of American Street EZ Remediated 

and Developed 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 

"Last year's biggest success," says Dan Gundersen, "was the Empowerment 

Zone's first new construction in 15 years." At the center of the American Street 

corridor lie three strategic acres that had been the bane of city leaders for more 

than 10 years. Formerly home to Sovereign Oil, the site was an environmental disaster, "a godforsaken parcel of land everyone had given up on," says Gundersen, 

Director of Economic Development for the EZ. 

Down the street, the second largest distributor of Asian foods in the Mid-Atlantic 

region had just received its walking papers. The property had been bought and 

Asia Foods had to vacate in 8 months. The food distributor-the employer of 

46 employees, the majority of them EZ residents-had to decide whether to leave 

the city and its 30,000-square-foot warehouse or to stay and build. 

Bringing the site and distributor together resulted in a $4.2-million project. The 

city and the EZ convinced Asia Foods' principal owners to stay. Eyeing the contaminated site down the street, they decided to remediate. The EZ helped to 

secure $900,000 in State funds and the city provided $300,000. The State 

Department of Environmental Protection, the Coast Guard, the Licenses and 

Inspections division, and other city services descended on the area. Prostitutes 

and drug addicts were moved out of an abandoned office building. Above- and 

below-ground storage tanks were removed. The ground, which had once oozed so 

much oil that the street had to be barricaded, was drained. 

Remediation of the site was finished in 90 days. Construction of a new warehouse 

began in December 1998. Gundersen says people watched "dumbfounded" as, 

over the next 3 months, the foundation was laid, girders rose, and the roof went 

on. The site was dedicated on March 23, 1999. The pace at which the project progressed was due to " the impeccable timing of State and city agencies working 

together," says Gundersen. The EZ provided $500,000 for construction of the new 

facility in addition to more than $1 million from the City of Philadelphia's development authority. 

The principal owners of Asia Foods plan to hire a minimum of 24 additional people from the EZ. They are partnering with other companies in the EZ and envision 

Phase II, a plan to bring in six to eight small distributors of fresh produce, fish, and 

other foods to complement their primarily dry and canned food enterprise. 

For more information contact Daniel C. Gundersen, Director of Economic 

Development, Philadelphia EZ, at 215-683-2025. 

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Liberties Construction Brings Jobs and Growth to Zone 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 

John Wallace and his three partners capitalized on their combined 80 years of 

experience to become, in a few short years, a true catalyst to economic growth in 

the American Street area of the EZ. In 1995 each partner contributed $1,500 and, 

with a $25,000 small business loan from the EZ's North Philadelphia Financial 

Partnership, they started Liberties Construction Corporation. For the past 2 years, 

Liberties has grossed more than $4.2 million. 

Housed in a converted factory of more than 4,000 square feet, Liberties provides 

construction management services to the private sector and municipally affiliated 

organizations. Liberties has worked with the EZ community since 1995 to provide 

job training, create jobs, and revitalize the economy. Liberties employs 5 people 

full-time and uses 10 subcontractors with a total of 50 to 75 employees, about onethird of whom are minorities or EZ residents. 

Many EZ residents are thankful for the job training and apprenticeship programs 

provided to and through subcontractors hired by Liberties. Danny Scott, a minority carpenter working for Liberties Construction, says, "You can get the basics in 

books, but they can't teach you how to deal with problems that come up. You have 

to figure that out on the job." 

Wallace hopes to bring more minorities into the construction field. One idea is to 

team with the Philadelphia School District. The schools could provide training 

and education, especially in literacy. In tum, Liberties employees would work on 

future school building projects. "Literacy training," Wallace says, "could broaden the participation of Latinos in the construction field." 

Liberties is looking to form joint venture partnerships like the one it formed with 

Barclay White, Inc. In a $2.6-million project completed in 1997, the two companies renovated six branch libraries for the Library Foundation. Liberties is also 

working to strengthen other EZ and minority-owned businesses. Wallace is initiating a new concept with the Omnimax Group, a group of seven minority contractors that is pooling its resources to increase bonding capacity. Collectively, the 

contractors can pursue larger opportunities than they can individually. Liberties 

has also established an informal network that connects less experienced companies with other minority or EZ businesses. Wallace currently works with 102 small 

contractors in Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties; Chester, 

Pennsylvania; and the State of Delaware. 

Wallace recently purchased a paper product manufacturing company that was 

based in New York. This company, which will run three shifts, is slated to reopen 

in the EZ later this year. Wallace hopes to create 40 new jobs through these efforts 

during the next 6 to 8 months. 

Liberties Construction continues to capitalize on its resources, making it the mentor and catalyst it is today in the EZ. As Wallace notes, "The City of Philadelphia 

is moving aggressively in the EZ arena to assist local businesses." He has 

responded in kind with his commitment to economic growth. 

What Works! Vo lume III 
For more information contact John Wallace, Liberties Construction Corporation, 

at 215-978-5999. 

Recycling the City From the Inside OutCamden Draws New Business 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 

James Ansel, Liberty Concrete Products, Inc., Executive Vice President, says 

"We're essentially recycling the city from the inside out." Liberty Concrete, a forprofit concrete products manufacturer, is designed to have a social impact. It recycles material from Camden's decaying infrastructure while employing Camden 

residents to transfonn eyesores in the community. 

Founder John Bartlett was looking for a new site for the company, originally based 

in Flourtown, Pennsylvania, and decided to move to Camden. Says Ansel, the EZ's 

"high degree of professionalism and willingness to work with us [helped us] overcome some of our concerns and problems and put incentives in place that made 

it possible for us to locate there." 

Liberty Concrete plans to invest more than $8 million in the relocation. The city 

and the Camden EZ Corporation will contribute incentives, including tax breaks 

and a Federal grant, that will bring the total project funding to about $10 million. 

Liberty Concrete will begin hiring its 35 employees early this year. Ansel hopes 

to reach full capacity in 5 years with 110 new production positions. These unionized jobs offer $8 to $16 per hour for laborers and more than $20 per hour for 

supervisors, with benefits and opportunities for advancement. Liberty has pledged 

that 80 percent of these new jobs will be available to EZ residents. "Outside of 

our initial management team, it's our desire to fill as many jobs locally as possible. I would say 90 jobs [out of 110] is a fair ballpark figure," Ansel says. 

The labor pool is being developed through partnerships with the Camden 

County Workforce Investment Board and Save Our Waterfront, a prominent 

community-based organization. The two groups are working with Liberty 

Concrete to identify potential employees and design a customized training program. After the first 35 people have been hired, Liberty Concrete will promote 

from within the company. 

For more infonnation contact Brian Finney, City of Camden EZ Corporation, at 

609-365-0300. 

Roadmaps to Success: Entrepreneurs Receive 

Training in Camden 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 

Ericka Ayers has EZ-funded job training to thank for "providing me with the road 

map I need to make my dream possible." The road map was a 9-week course in 

small-business development she took in spring 1998. The Entrepreneurial 

Development Training Project (EDTP) taught her to write a business plan, manage 

finances, market her services, and obtain a microloan. Last fall Ayers, who works 

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days as a substitute teacher in the Camden School District, started Maid to Serve, 

a professional commercial and residential janitorial cleaning service. 

In 1997 the City of Camden EZ Corporation provided the Latin American Economic 

Development Association (LAEDA) with $100,000 to expand EDTP to 25 participants per session. Thirty-one EZ residents have since been trained to develop 

business plans. During 1998 EDTP trained 52 promising entrepreneurs and 

assisted in the development of 27 businesses, 13 of which are in the Camden EZ. 

LAEDA partners with the Cooperative Business Assistance Corporation (CBAC), 

which is involved in a $2-million small business loan initiative with the EZ to provide startup funds for entrepreneurs. CBAC bOlTowers are required to complete 

the entrepreneurial training course before receiving a loan, and EDTP graduates 

are refelTed to CBAC for loans. 

EZ funds were used to recruit local residents and hire personnel and teachers for 

the EDTP training. LAEDA worked with the Hispanic Family Centers of Southern 

New Jersey to recruit participants at churches, community-based organizations, 

and nonprofit agencies. Invitational flyers were also mailed to every household. 

Ayers plans to hire six people in 1999. After the training, EDTP gave her free 

technical assistance for 1 year. Because she completed the EDTP training, Ayers 

was selected to enter the Community Janitorial Venture's training program, which 

will give her additional training and access to commercial cleaning markets. She 

recently won a large subcontract to provide service to the Southern New Jersey 

headquarters of the U.S. Census Bureau. 

For more information contact Brian Finney, City of Camden EZ Corporation, at 

609-365-0300. 

Manufacturing Company Produces Jobs 

Springfield, Illinois, EC 

"The emergence of the new business will provide for the creation of more than 100 

new full-time positions. Fifty-one percent or more will be filled by individuals living in the EC," says Tim Rowles, Executive Director of the Springfield EC. The 

EC has teamed with the City of Springfield to assist new business ventures in the 

EC by providing a defelTed loan in the amount of $250,000 to help with startup 

costs. Superior Walls of Central Illinois, Inc., a manufacturing compaDY of precast 

concrete walls and foundation systems, is one such new business. The company 

is building a new, 31,500-square-foot facility on a 2-acre industrial site within the 

EC, which is designed to produce 600 foundations per year. Croundbreaking for 

construction of the manufacturing company took place on October 22, 1998, and 

operation of the business is scheduled for May 1, 1999. 

Total cost of the project is $2.5 million. The following costs are being paid for by 

EC and CDBC funds ($125,000 from each): licensor training fee, licensor periodic inspections, costs associated with 15 training sites, training of personnel, an 

accounting system, a Computer Assistance Design Drawing (CADD) system, an 

office system, advertising literature, videos, displays, and legal costs. 

What Worksl Volum e III 
Plant construction is now 85 to 90 percent complete and training for new employees has begun. Fifty new jobs will be created within the first 2 years that the 

company is open. Hourly wages will range from $8 to $19. Fifteen job types will 

be available including plant manager, equipment operator, carpenter, excavator, 

form setter, maintenance worker, finisher, sales representative, crane operator, 

office/clerical worker, CADD operator, mobile crane operator, superintendent, 

truck driver, and mechanic. Some newly hired EC residents will be able to walk 

to work once the business opens. Adding to the predicted success of this business is the fact that the owner presently has another successful construction 

company in the EC. 

For more information contact Tim Rowles, Executive Director, Springfield EC, at 

217-789-2377. 

Williams Hill Proiect Increases Economic Opportunities 

for Businesses and Residents 

St. Paul, Minnesota, EC 

What do you do with 1,000 acres of undeveloped and underutilized land? The 

answer may come with the approach of developers in St. Paul, Minnesota, who have 

created the Williams Hill Project, a $lO-million, development-ready industrial 

park to help growing manufacturing and light industrial businesses in the area. 

Making this industrial dream come true was a challenge for the developers 

because the area was covered with more than 400 cubic yards of blight. In addition, the area had once been the site of a cemetery and a railroad, which made the 

cleanup even trickier and required more sensitivity. "When they mined the hill," 

says John Young, Vice President of Redevelopment at the St. Paul Port Authority, 

"they found skeletons." 

Another unique aspect of the Williams Hill Project has been the technique used 

to raise funds for the development. ''There are 10 sources of funds that took 

almost 5 years to assemble," says Young. "One innovative financing note is that 

we borrowed $5.5 million from CDBC funds, which will be taken out by general 

obligation tax-increment finance bonds in 2003." 

Since 1996, when the property was acquired, the developers have made considerable progress on the project, and its impact on the local community has already 

been felt. "We had projected that the project would provide 350 new jobs," says 

Young. "In reality, it has already produced twice that amount and more than half 

of the 650 jobs are brand new as a result of this project." As part of the 

Neighborhood Brownfields Redevelopment Project, businesses located at 

Williams Hill must guarantee at least one job per 1,000 square feet of building 

space, that wages will be paid at rates of $8 per hour or more, and that at least 

70 percent of the new hires will be St. Paul residents. 

With the first occupant slated for June 1999, the Williams Hill Project is currently 

looking for new businesses and training initiatives. "We have sold five parcels so 

far," says Young, "and three more are under construction." Once completed, it is 

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estimated that the project will create new taxes of approximately $400,000 per 

year, and its potential for future impact on the city is unlimited. 

The Williams Hill project is the most recent brownfield remediation. Funding was 

given through a $5.5 million CDBG grant from the City of St. Paul's Department 

of Planning and Economic Development. Additional funds came from the EC and 

other sources. 

For more information contact lohn Young, Vice President of Redevelopment, St. 

Paul Port Authority, at 651-224-5686. 

Educating and Assisting Entrepreneurs in Upper 

Manhattan 

Upper Manhattan, New York, EZ 

Upper Manhattan EZ residents have been given a valuable resource to assist their 

businesses with securing grants and funding. This resource is largely due to an 

innovative technical assistance (TA) program sponsored by the Upper Manhattan 

EZ (UMEZ) Development Corporation. This $l.S-million initiative is provided in 

partnership with local and citywide TA providers, including the Harlem Venture 

Group, The Institute for Not-for-Profit Management at Columbia University, the 

Harlem Partnership Center at the City College of New York, and the Baruch 

College School of Public Mfairs of the City University of New York. 

The program's primary goal is to increase the number of well-articulated proposals and business plans submitted to UMEZ and other funding sources by Upper 

Manhattan EZ residents, nonprofit organizations, and businesses. UMEZ would 

like to see an increase in funded projects and businesses in the EZ. 

Participants in the TA program can receive assistance at one or more of three levels. The Basic Assistance program offers "one-stop workshops" that consist of a 

series of 3-hour sessions. These workshops, which are offered in both English and 

Spanish and are open to the public, consist of a wide range of topics to help UMEZ 

residents qualify for loans and grants under the EZ program. Participants are familiarized with the Business Resource and Investment Service Center (BRISC), a "onestop capital shop" funded by UMEZ and the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

Topics covered in the workshops are UMEZ/BRISC funding criteria, UMEZ application instructions and requirements, developing a business plan (basic overview), 

compiling marketing research, and compiling relevant financial data. 

The Intermediate Assistance program offers comprehensive training and preparation courses in full business plan development. These courses are also open to the 

public and are provided in both English and Spanish at least once each quarter. 

At the intermediate level, UMEZ partners with BRISC to offer specialized seminars in areas such as strategic marketing, computer technology skills, and financial analysis. 

In the Advanced Assistance program, participants who have submitted applications 

for funding to UMEZ can receive one-on-one assistance. UMEZ also collaborates 

with the Columbia Business School's intensive management education program 

What Works! Volume III 
to sponsor nonprofit middle managers and executives In courses designed to 

strengthen critical management and leadership skills. 

This year UMEZ expects to serve 750 individuals and organizations in its business planning workshops and specialized seminars and support more than 

30 individuals and organizations through customized one-on-one consultation. 

Various other groups recognize the UMEZ TA program as a leader and partner in 

helping to provide EZ businesses with the assistance they need to grow and prosper. Deborah Sanders, Executive Director of the Harlem Venture Group (HVG), 

an organization founded to help minority entrepreneurs launch new businesses 

and strengthen existing ones, states, "It is crucial for community residents and 

entrepreneurs to be an integral part of the economic development changes taking 

place in Upper Manhattan. As a business organization, HVG is very excited about 

being able to provide its constituency with critical technical skills for business 

success. UMEZ has provided us with a unique opportunity to advance our organization's goals while addressing a great need." 

One business that took advantage of this assistance is the Photographic Center of 

Harlem. Its Executive Director, Jim Belfon says, "What has come out of the 

UMEZ technical assistance program is an extremely marketable package, one 

worthy of support." 

For more information contact Deborah Wright, Director, Upper Manhattan EZ 

Development Corporation, at 212-410-0030. 

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Small Business Development Center Expands 

Business in EC 

City of lock Haven, Pennsylvan ia, EC 

''The Lock Haven University Small Business Development Center has been 

successful in [its] efforts to create jobs in the City of Lock Haven. Last year 

75 jobs were created through the one-on-one consulting efforts of the Lock Haven 

University SBDC," says Dawn Datt, Director of the SBDC. Lock Haven University 

partners with the EC, the West Branch Technology Center, the Clinton County 

Economic Partnership, and the Pennsylvania Small Business Development 

Centers to offer consulting and loans to small and startup businesses in the EC. 

One example of the center's success is its work with the Faber Burner manufacturing company. Started in 1997, the company has expanded from 9 to 15 jobs and 

plans for further expansion are in the works. 

The center reported that it had a particularly good year in 1998. In 3 years the 

center has consulted with 290 clients, providing 2,580 consulting hours to small 

businesses. Clients have been approved for 27 loans for a total of $2,600,400 in 

financing, which has helped to create or retain more than 75 jobs in the EC. 

In April 1998 the center was designated a subcenter of the Pennsylvania Small 

Business Development Centers. This designation created additional funding in 

the amount of $50,000 from USDA. The USDA grant was combined with 

$134,000 in EC startup funds. Datt notes that with the initial EC funds and the 

center's success, the SBDC will be a permanent resource for small businesses that 

will last after the EC funds and designation end. 

For more information contact Maria Boileau, Federal Enterprise Coordinator, 

Lock Haven EC, at 570-893-5907. 

Business Promotion Project 

McDowell County, West Virginia, EC 

The McDowell County Action Network (McCAN) EC worked with Federal, State, 

and local officials to put together a major loan package of $1,084,143 aimed at 

upgrading and diversifying the local economy. The funding comes from the Rural 

Business Cooperative Service's Intermediary Relending Program and serves as a 

source of financing for small and medium-sized businesses. ''The funds can be 

used for business startups and expansion, for working capital and expansion, and 

for working capital and fixed asset purchases," says Dr. Clif Moore, Chief 

Administrative Officer for the EC. 

As a result of this program, local residents interested in establishing a new business, expanding an existing business, and creating employment opportunities now 

have a funding source from which they can borrow up to $150,000. 

The interest on the loan is set to reflect the local lending climate and will be negotiated on a per-loan basis. As a target, however, the negotiated rate will start at 

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prime plus 1 percent. The EC's loan review committee will determine the appropriateness of the loan terms. 

Bobby Lewis, State USDA Rural Development Director, said that the establishment of this Intermediary Relending Program in McDowell County is a direct 

result of the county's EC designation. He says, "This is another example of the 

importance of the Enterprise Community designation, and those of us in USDA 

Rural Development are proud to be part of McCAN's ongoing effort to revitalize 

McDowell County." 

For more information contact Dr. Clif Moore, McDowell County Action Network 

EC,at304-448-2118. 

Small Business Incubator Meets Local Need 

Rio Grande Valley, Texas, EZ 

The Rio Grande EZ began a small business incubator in Port Isabel, Texas, to 

help small businesses become sustainable. "And it's been booked solid since the 

day it opened," says Bonnie Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of the EZ. Since 

its inception the 35,OOO-square-foot Laguna Madre Enterprise Center has been 

fully contracted. Space rents for 25 cents per square foot for as long as 3 years. 

"We're already looking at expanding the center because of the phenomenal need 

for this type of service," Gonzalez says. 

The incubator gives businesses access to Internet services and the One-Stop 

Capital Shop, a business planning resource for startups. One example of its success is U.S. Classic Billiards, Inc., a startup business that signed an agreement 

with Sam's Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, to supply 25,000 pool tables. To 

fill such a large order, approximately 120 new employees will be hired. 

With the support of the Rio Grande Valley EZ and the Port Isabel/San Benito 

Navigation District, the Laguna Madre Enterprise Center has established a strong 

business presence in the Cameron County subzone area. Other subzones are looking to emulate this project, says Gonzalez. 

For more information contact Yvonne "Bonnie" Gonzalez, Chief Executive 

Officer, Rio Grande Valley EZ, at 956-514-4000. 

What Works! Volume III 
ACCESS TO CAPITAL 

Akron Parents Use Small Loans for Transportation 

Akron, Ohio, EC 

The transition to economic self-sufficiency is not easy. Most households do not 

have enough income or reserves to weather even the smallest financial crises. If 

they qualify for loans, which they often do not, they pay exorbitant interest rates. 

Akron's Family Loan Program, piloted through Family Services, a private nonprofit group, has been helping EC residents become self-sufficient since 1996. Ways to 

Work, a revolving loan program funded by the McKnight and Knight foundations, 

provided the seed money for the Family Loan Program, one of three replication sites 

of a program piloted in Minnesota in 1984. Ways to Work hopes to raise $28 million this year to expand the program from 19 to 45 cities during the next decade. 

Akron's program provides small loans to low-income residents with children to 

support work , education, or vocational training. Parents must be working at least 

20 hours per week or pursuing school or vocational training and have enough 

income to make the monthly payments. The maximum is a 2-year, $3,000 loan at 

8 percent, which can be used for transportation, housing costs, medical care, 

childcare, or work-related expenses. 

Kevin Stewart, Coordinator of the Family Loan Program, says, "I was overwhelmed at the number of requests and the consistency of requests for car loans." 

Ninety-five percent of the requests are for car loans and most come from single 

women. 

The program works carefully with all applicants, providing consumer credit counseling, advice about credit restoration, and credit bureau report review through 

the Consumer Credit Counseling Service. The loan approval rate is about 50 percent, says Stewart. But if the applicant is denied a loan, Stewart always asks, "Is 

this the final 'no'?" He considers individual circumstances and helps applicants 

devise financial plans of action. Since the beginning of the program, nearly 180 

loans totaling $380,000 have been made to EC residents. 

"We've been very, very pleased with the loan repayment rate," which is 88 percent, higher than the national average, says Stewart. With a revolving loan fund, 

it is essential that borrowers payoff their loans so that funds are available for the 

next person. "The repayment rate indicates a sound program and says even more 

about the seriousness with which borrowers take their responsibility." 

Borrowers benefit in other ways, too. Stewart asks, "How do you put a value on 

being able to go to a child's afterschool function instead of sitting on a bus for 2 

or 3 hours? There is a quality-of-life issue involved that is easy to see and harder to document, but I know it's there." A case in point is Samantha Jones, who juggles rearing her three children, working at a part-time job, and taking social work 

classes at the University of Akron. With a loan and Stewart's advice, she got a 

good deal on a used car. "This will definitely help me in being able to reach the 

goals that I have," she says, "financially, academically, and for my family." 

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For more information contact Jerry Egan, Akron Department of Planning and 

Urban Development, at 330-375-2090. 

Customized Job Training-the Bridge to High-Tech Jobs 

Baltimore, Maryland, EZ 

"The only thing standing between the people who need jobs and the people who 

need skilled workers is the training," declares Margaret B. Penno, Associate 

Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Penno works closely with both 

Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) and the Empower Baltimore 

Management Corporation (EBMC) to develop customized job-training programs 

that upgrade EZ residents' skills and place them in jobs that have career potential. 

In 1997 the group, interested in opening up jobs in the high-technology sector for 

EZ residents, met with Chesapeake Biological Laboratories (CBL), an EZ business 

that manufactures pharmaceuticals. By working closely with the prospective 

employer, the partners determined the job skills and interests of potential employees. Based on their assessment, 9 EZ job applicants w~re selected to attend an 

intense, 13-week training course for laboratory technician positions in CBL's "clean 

rooms," where sterile batches of products are prepared and packaged. In the classroom and on the job, an instructor from BCCC and current CBL employees taught 

residents technical skills ranging from the proper operation and cleaning of syringe 

and vial fillers to the maintenance of records for customer and regulatory review. 

By January 1998 all nine applicants were hired by CBL, eight as lab technicians and 

one as a batch writer. "Perhaps the best testament to how well the training is working 

is that all 9 are still employed 15 months later and that CBL accompanies us when we 

go to talk to other businesses about this program," says Michael Preston, Coordinator/ 

Marketing and Public Wormation Officer for EBMe. CBL, which receives tax credits for businesses that hire in the EZ of up to $3,000 on wages paid to hired program 

trainees, is currently seeking another group of EZ job applicants for the program; 

another EZ company, Osiris Therapeutics, is replicating this training as well. 

As of March 1998, nearly 20 companies located across the Baltimore metropolitan area have created positions for 132 EZ residents through the EZ customized 

training program. At the successful completion of training, all customized training positions pay at least $6.50 per hour plus health benefits. 

For more information contact Michael Preston, Coordinator/Marketing and Public 

Information Officer, Empower Baltimore Management Corporation, at 

410-783-4413. 

From Vicious Cycle to Lending Circle: Credit for 

the Creditless 

Denver, Colorado, EC 

If your credit is bad, here's the vicious cycle: You must have credit to get credit, 

but you can't get credit without credit. Credit is thus nearly impossible to imagine for a poor person, let alone one who wants to start a business. A beam of hope 

is shining through this wall of impossibility in the Denver Ee. Colorado 

Microcredit Inc. (CMC) is successfully acting on its vision of a world without 

What Works! Vo lume III 
poverty through equal access to credit. The company provides unsecured credit 

for self-employment to low-income people, especially women, through microcredit lending circles. 

Since its start in June 1997, the nonprofit CMC has made 153 loans to 94 business owners-94 for $500,45 for $1,000, and 14 for $2,000-totaling $120,000. 

Forty-five of the owners have paid off their first $500 loans and have borrowed 

more at a second level of $1,000. The lending circles through which CMC makes 

these loans follow a straightforward path, far removed from the endless forms and 

red tape of commercial lenders. Any group of five disadvantaged people who want 

to start their own individual businesses can form a circle. Once formed, a circle 

must follow careful yet simple CMC procedures to ensure that all circle members 

have solid business plans. Each member then becomes eligible for a $500 loan at 

12 percent annual interest, with the understanding that the circle members must 

mutually support each other in paying back their loans. For example, all members 

must be current on their payments before a new loan can be made to any member. 

Once all members have repaid their $500 loans, the group members can borrow 

$1,000 each on similar tenus. Once their $1,000 loans are repaid, they can borrow $2,000 each. 

Beyond their cooperative financial processes, the lending circles often become 

intensive support groups. For instance, when a member of one of the first circles 

had an illness in her family but no medical insurance, she had to stay in the hospital with one child, lost time from work, and soon became homeless. The members of her circle decided to stand by her even though they were slowed down in 

their own loan processes because she couldn't repay her loan. Together they provided living space in their homes, food and care for her other child, and emotional support. Within months her child was well, she had found another job and a 

home, and she began to focus on her business again. CMC seeks to build on this 

kind of grassroots strength, its solid support from Denver community institutions, 

and its own financial base of individual and foundation contributions. By 2005 

CMC plans to extend credit to 10,000 people. 

For more information contact Colleen Boyle, Executive Director, Colorado 

Microcredit Inc., at 303-435-1449. 

Technical Assistance Equals Access to Capital 

Indianapolis, Indiana, EC 

For Promotional Concepts, an EC business that provides marketing materials 

such as printed pens and shirts to businesses, the ability to secure additional capital for expansion was a critical issue. The business was growing and had reached 

a critical expansion point. The company needed additional capital or it risked losing a large corporate client. During the strategic planning process, the 

Indianapolis EC determined that the availability of capital was not as significant 

a problem as the ability to access it. As a result, the EC partnered with two organizations to create the Technical Assistance (TA) Voucher program and the 

Marketing EC Program. The TA Voucher program, led by the Indianapolis 

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Regional Small Business Development Center (IRSBDC), assesses smallbusiness needs and provides general entrepreneurial training. The EC also provides the services of an attorney, an accountant, a marketing consultant, and a 

business planning consultant through the TA Voucher Program. The experts and 

the Indianapolis Regional Small Business Development Center are available free 

of charge. 

After the small business receives TA, it has the option of working with the Capital 

Marketing organization run by Cambridge Capital Management Corporation. 

Cambridge Capital informs small businesses of the financing tools that are available and works with the banks to make conventional financing more attainable for 

EC businesses. 

In 1998 Promotional Concepts and 99 other EC businesses were assisted by the 

TA and marketing programs. As a result of the assistance it received and by working with the Marketing EC program, Promotional Concepts received a capital 

boost of $550,000 from Cambridge Capital Management Corporation and the U.S. 

Small Business Administration. With the additional capital, the company purchased and rehabilitated a vacant structure in the EC that was a known crime 

magnet. In addition to significantly improving the neighborhood's appearance, the 

business expansion has resulted in the creation of new jobs for EC residents. 

For more information contact Glenn Dunlap, Indianapolis Regional Small 

Business Development Center, at 317-261-3030, or Charles Montgomery, 

Cambridge Capital Management Corporation, at 317-469-9704. 

Attention EZ Shoppersl Free Equipment and Supplies 

for Schools and Nonprofit Organizations 

Los Angeles, California, EZ 

Instead of letting their extra materials rot in landfills or gather dust in warehouses, businesses in Los Angeles can now donate surplus equipment and supplies to 

needy schools and nonprofit organizations in the EZ. Thanks to cooperation fostered by the EZ and L.A. SHARES, a local nonprofit organization, two "free shopping days" have enabled the schools and organizations to obtain more than 

$2 million of equipment and needed supplies at no cost-and the businesses get 

tax breaks for their donations. 

"The three Rs of environmental protection are reduce, reuse, and recycle," points 

out Bert Ball of L.A. SHARES. "But companies are not often given the chance to 

reuse." L.A. SHARES-an independent firm that has evolved from a city program 

supported by the U.s. Environmental Protection Agency into the world's largest 

materials reuse program-has been working for 4 years to get donations from 

large local corporations for everything from trailer trucks to floppy disks. When a 

survey by the EZ showed that schools and firms in the Zone could use these surplus supplies, the first EZ free shopping day was set up. It was targeted toward 

12 especially needy schools, which got a total of $24,000 in goods. Several 

months later, another free shopping day was held for more than 40 eligible schools 

What Works! Volume III 
and 1,000 eligible nonprofit organizations in the EZ. This time, the shoppers 

received approximately $2 million worth of items. 

More free shopping days for EZ schools and firms are being planned by L.A. 

SHARES. The only requirement for the shoppers is that they register so that their 

needs can be included in the L.A. SHARES database-which facilitates efficient corporate donations and recipient reuse-and that they write a thank-you 

letter to the donor firms. These letters are not empty gestures. They symbolize 

direct relationships that are growing between firms with surplus materials and 

needy organizations in the city. The letters also symbolize the fact that as L.A. 

SHARES continues to grow (it now has two warehouses donated by the city and 

last year enabled about 1,600 groups to get almost $5 million of free surplus 

equipment and supplies), it is becoming an established broker for the reuse of 

materials. The enhanced promotion and cooperation made possible by the EZ 

can only further strengthen this effort. 

For more information contact Bert Ball, Executive Director, L.A. SHARES, at 

213--485-1097. 

Louisville Community Development Bank Restores 

Businesses, Jobs, and Neighborhoods 

Louisville, Kentucky, EC 

"It is hard to be a minority starting a business. You just don't have the resources. 

The Louisville Community Development Bank was a big help," says Gina 

Peoples, owner of KidzWheels, a company that provides transportation for children in the Louisville EC. The Community Development Bank opened in January 

1997 and has been restoring businesses, jobs, and neighborhoods. A selfsustaining institution, the bank does not rely on public funding or grants. Loans 

that the bank makes are funded solely through certificates of deposit that have 

been purchased by individuals or corporations that believe in the wisdom of 

rebuilding Louisville's inner-city neighborhoods. With 38 percent of the bank's 

investment-area residents living below poverty and unemployment rates three 

times the national average, the bank's mission is to stimulate economic growth by 

making loans to small businesses. 

KidzWheels is one of 52 businesses that were either started or expanded with the 

help of the Louisville Community Development Bank in 1998; the total number 

of businesses assisted has reached 82 since the bank opened. Business startup 

or expansion led to the creation of 200 new jobs in 1998 and a total of 394 jobs 

since 1997. 

In 1998 the bank also became a partner in the financing of a $4-million, multiplex cinema complex in the EC. The facility, which will seat 1,650 people and 

employ 120, is scheduled to open in May 1999. The cinema will fill a void in the 

community because there are no other movie theaters in the area. Bank officials 

point out that, although the assistance of small businesses may not receive the 

same amount of attention as a 10-screen movie theater, it is just as important. "By 

supporting these businesses, the mom-and-pop stores, we rebuild a sense of 

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neighborhood in the community," says Gary Gambrell, the bank's Marketing 

Director. The bank's support is demonstrated by the loans made to three daycare 

facilities, two new and one expansion, in 1998. 

"Small businesses are the backbones of neighborhoods," says Gambrell. That's 

why the Community Development Bank's nonprofit affiliate, the LCDB-Enterprise 

Group, which received $1 million in EC funds, will continue to offer a revolving 

loan fund for businesses that would not nonnally meet bank loan criteria. 

Technical assistance and a business incubator for small businesses are also available. ''They work hand in hand and provide powerful tools for development in the 

EC," says Carolyn Gatz, EC contact for the City of Louisville. 

For more information contact Gary C. Gambrell, Marketing Director, Louisville 

Community Development Bank, at 502-775-2510. 

New Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program 

Creates Financial Planning and Saving Vehicle for EC 

Residents and Others 

Lowell, Massachusetts, EC 

"We have recognized for some time," says Anita Moeller, Executive Director of 

Acre Family Day Care Corporation (AcreFDCC), "that the lack of an asset base 

and systemic disincentive for long-range financial planning can jeopardize or significantly inhibit the growth of childcare providers' businesses and careers, and 

seriously undermine the financial stability and education opportunities for the 

families who use our childcare services." The AcreFDCC Individual Development 

Accounts (IDA) program is a natural outgrowth of AcreFDCC's mission to train 

low-income women of color to become self-employed childcare providers, and has 

been part of the organization's long-range planning since 1995. The IDA program 

is a subsidized savings and financial education vehicle that is designed to bolster 

the financial stability of low-income individuals and boost their chances of permanently emerging from poverty. 

To address the issue of lack of access to capital in the EC community, last year 

AcreFDCC obtained funds from the EC and the Massachusetts Department of 

Economic Development to establish a revolving loan fund to provide AcreFDCCtrained childcare providers with loans for equipment, insurance, and other costs. 

In addition, they pay providers "up front" when the State lags behind in its reimbursement to help stabilize their family incomes. 

However, to address the longer range issue of asset acquisition and financial education for AcreFDCC-trained childcare providers, parents, and others in the EC, 

AcreFDCC launched the city's and State's first IDA program. The IDA program 

was established to educate providers on long-term financial planning and saving 

for businesses and family stability. IDAs help them save toward specific long-term 

goals, such as college, purchasing a house, business capitalization, or retirement. 

To date, there are 27 participants in the program, and another 20 are being 

recruited. Program participants are mostly below 200 percent of the poverty line 

What Works! Volume III 
and are immigrants and people of color, primarily Hispanic, Cambodian, and 

African-American. 

For the first time, AcreFDCC is now including 10 low-income Lowell High School 

10th graders in its new IDA training program. The AcreFDCC High School IDA 

pilot program offers students-most from Lowell's Hispanic and Cambodian communities-the experience of long-term investing and an understanding of how 

money can be used toward important long-term goals. Ten Lowell High School 

sophomores from the EC, like other program participants, now make monthly 

deposits that are matched on a three-to-one basis. Deposits from EC participants 

are matched by $20,000 in EC funds and other matching funds come from foundations and other contributors. Mandatory economic literacy classes teach financial information and skills, with many sessions open to parents and guardians of 

partici pating students. 

AcreFDCC is simultaneously helping young people overcome basic obstacles to 

secure a better employment future, encouraging them to pursue educational and 

economic opportunities, and building an asset base that will, in tum, increase 

access to credit for a population traditionally underserved by financial incentives. 

AcreFDCC believes that this will be a groundbreaking model for a savings vehicle and financial education program for low-income students and their parents in 

Lowell. Given AcreFDCC's successful track record in helping to establish family 

daycare as a viable business opportunity for women, these new programs are 

already leading to additional vehicles for stabilizing low-income neighborhoods 

by creating economic assets. 

For more information contact Anita Moeller, Executive Director of AcreFDCC, at 

97B-937-5899. 

Small Businesses Get Collateral To Expand 

and Create Jobs 

Phoenix, Arizona, EC 

The problem of acquiring loan collateral stymies many small business owners' 

expansion dreams. In the Phoenix EC, the EXPAND program is enabling small 

firms to obtain collateral if they can demonstrate that their expansion will increase 

job opportunities in the EC. 

"More than 90 percent of Phoenix businesses have fewer than 100 employees. 

The strength of the small business community is key to the economic vitality of 

the city. The growth of small business firms is explosive," says Carolyn Bristo, the 

city's Economic Development Administrator. In fact, during the next decade, 50 

percent of all new jobs will be generated by small businesses. Small firms with a 

net worth less than $7.5 million and after-tax profits ofless than $2.5 million can 

apply to the EXPAND program for collateral up to 50 percent of their loans, to a 

limit of $100,000. The program requires these applicants to create at least one 

new job for each $15,000 in collateral. Applicants also must make at least 51 percent of their jobs available to low- and moderate-income people. The city works 

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closely with applicants to ensure that the targeted population in the EC has access 

to and training for these jobs. 

An eligible small firm that wants to participate in EXPAND must first form a 

relationship with a potential lender. The firm typically must provide at least 10 

percent of the total project cost as equity. Once the firm and lender agree on 

financing terms and the loan is approved, EXPAND provides the lender with the 

collateral through a special reserve deposit account for up to 4 years. EXPAND 

is truly helping small firms realize their potential while increasing job opportunities. Since the program began in 1994, it has leveraged $416,000 with other 

money to generate loans exceeding $3.1 million, and the business expansions 

financed by these loans have created more than 130 jobs. 

For more information contact Carolyn Bristo, Economic Development 

Administrator, Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department, at 

602-262-5040. 

Flagship Program Sails Strongly Along 

Providence, Rhode Island, EC 

Whether it is a middle-aged woman with multiple skills who has not worked for 

10 years or a young man who dropped out of high school and does not know what 

to do with his life, the South Providence Development Corporation (SPDC) can 

offer help to those who are willing to receive it. SPDC provides EC residents in 

South Providence with training and support services that allow them to make a 

permanent transition to long-term, well-paying careers. 

As the flagship program of the Providence EC strategic plan, SPDC accounts 

for slightly more than one-third of the plan's total budget of $3 million. The 

$1 million in EC funds earmarked for SPDC has been matched by its partners, 

making SPDC the best-funded program in the Providence EC. 

SPDC's program goal is to place 250 people in jobs in 5 years. In the 3 years since 

the program began, it has been able to train and place 200 people. Of the 200 now 

employed, 94 were receiving public assistance before they entered the program. 

"A measure of the program's success has been simply providing these 200 individuals with the job-readiness skills necessary to start working," says Kim Rose 

of the Providence Plan, the nonprofit agency responsible for administering this 

and other EC programs in Providence. "These are some of the most difficult to 

employ individuals within the EC," adds Rose. 

Nearly half of those who have found jobs through SPDC are working in the healthcare field; at least half of them are employed at Rhode Island Hospital and St. 

Joseph's Hospital, two of the largest corporate entities in South Providence. 

"Initially we thought we'd be able to make almost all of our placements in the hospitals," says Rose, but when budget problems at the hospitals arose, which meant 

hiring freezes, SPDC had to look for other partners. Other partners include the 

United Way and the Department of Human Services in Providence. Other industries providing jobs have included construction and manufacturing. 

What Works! Volume III 
In addition to training and job placement, SPDC provides support services. "In trying to move people off welfare, there are often other obstacles to overcome," says 

Rose. For instance, SPDC provides childcare when its absence would prohibit 

someone from obtaining a job. Approximately $40,000 in supportive services has 

been provided to participants to help them obtain and retain their positions. 

For more information contact Kim Rose, the Providence Plan, at 401-455-8880. 

Self Starters Find a Place To Nurture Their 

Entrepreneurial Spirit 

Providence, Rhode Island, EC 

Would-be entrepreneurs in South Providence, one of the city's poorest sections, 

now have a place to get help in starting a business. The Business Information 

Center (BIC) of South Providence is the place to go for EC residents who are seeking anything from general information on how to narrow their areas of interest to 

specific advice from a trained consultant on how to write a business plan. 

"The project has been a tremendous success," says Kim Rose of the Providence 

Plan, citing almost 4,000 client visits last year alone. The program has been running for 2 years and its success is due in large part to the location of BIC within 

the EC. "Typically, you don't find BICs in poor areas like this," says Rose, who 

adds that this tends to discourage would-be entrepreneurs who are nervous 

enough about starting a business of their own without having to shuttle downtown 

to the Federal building in Providence's wealthy business district. "Who wouldn't 

be intimidated?" she asks. 

Businesses that are already established can also get help from BIC. The South 

Providence BIC provides training in computer technology and software, marketing, accounting, personnel issues, and a host of other important topics that enable 

a business to compete effectively. All these services are free, available to anyone 

who lives within the EC and who dreams of being his or her own boss. 

The project is a partnership between the Providence Plan, a nonprofit agency that 

oversees funding of all projects within the Providence EC, and the U.S. Small 

Business Administration (SBA). The Providence Plan provided $147,000 to fund 

the project and SBA has provided additional funding as well as consulting services as part of its SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) program. Other 

partners include Bank Boston, with a $100,000 grant; Apple Computer and 

Compaq Computer, which donated a total of $100,000 of computer equipment 

when BIC opened 2 years ago; and Bryant College in Providence, which provides 

technical assistance and consulting services through its Small Business 

Development Center on campus. 

For more information contact Kim Rose, the Providence Plan, at 401-455-8880. 

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Turtle Island Theme Park Emphasizes 

Native American Culture 

Halifax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Carolina, EC 

As a way to increase cultural diversity and highlight individuality, members of the 

Haliwa-Saponi Tribe in Halifax County, North Carolina, are planning to open 

Turtle Island, a Native American theme park, by the year 2005. 

"We want to highlight our culture and other cultures throughout the United States 

and Canada," says Barry Richardson, Tribal Administrator for the Haliwa-Saponi 

Tribe. ''This theme park will offer representatives from each tribe and showcase 

its culture within one setting." Local foods and cultural rituals are just part of the 

participatory education component that is being incorporated into the theme park. 

Plans for the theme park are currently being developed. As a result of a recent 

feasibility study, two possible sites, either historic Halifax or Enfield, are under 

consideration for the theme park's location. The first phase of planning is concentrating on the development of shops, a museum, and a lookout tower. 

However, the project's leaders are currently concentrating on raising the capital 

required for the $21-million park. "We have been aggressively trying to raise the 

funds," says Richardson. "So far, we have raised about $400,000 of in-kind and 

cash contributions." Donors include the County of Halifax, the State Legislature, 

and North Carolina State University. Additional resources, such as foundations, 

banks, and the Federal Government, will be approached during the project's 

future fundraising efforts. 

For more information contact Barry Richardson, Tribal Administrator, HaliwaSaponi Tribe, at 252-586-4017. 

Small Business Loan Program Grows Tomatoes 

and Much More 

Josephine County, Oregon, EC 

"The Small Business Loan Program is probably our most effective method for 

stimulating small business growth and economic development in northern 

Josephine County," says Gary O'Neal, Executive Director of the Sunny Wolf 

Community Response Team, the operational arm of the Josephine County EC. The 

Sunny Wolf Community Response Team has developed a Small Business Loan 

Program for individuals living in the EC who need loans to help them create or 

expand their small businesses. Loans are offered only to nonbankable businesses 

in the EC. Businesses assisted by the program include a greenhouse that grows 

high-value tomatoes, a home sewing company, and an ironworks business. 

To date, 17 loans have been made, and all are performing and successful. The 

loans were funded by an initial investment of $45,000 in Social Services Block 

Grant funds from the EC and $50,000 from a Rural Business Enterprise Grant. 

The banking services from the local bank are free and the loan board is made up 

of volunteers from the local community. The program has money in its capital fund 

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for more loans at this time. In addition to assisting small businesses, the 17 loans 

represent jobs for this small communi ty. 

For more information contact Gary O'Neal, Executive Director, Sunny Wolf 

Community Response Team, at 541-866-2600. 

North Delta Mississippi EC Revolving Loan Assists 

Variety of Small Businesses 

North Delta, Mississippi, EC 

In 1994 many people in the North Mississippi Delta talked about ECs in terms of 

dreams of "starting your own business," according to Stuart Guernsey, 

Administrator of the North Delta, Mississippi, EC. Guernsey says that in 1999 

that vision has become a reality for many businesses in this EC, because of a business revolving loan fund (RLF) for Quitman County, administered by the County's 

Economic Development District (ED D). The EC has funded 19 small businesses 

from its revolving loan fund. The businesses provide job and entrepreneurial 

opportunities for local residents. 

The EC's vision for a RLF became a reality for Quitman County when the EC 

board approved the Quitman County EDD as administrator for the fund . In 1998 

the business plan application process led to 19 loans, all but one of which were 

made to minorities. The total amount lent was $166,300, which was used for a 

variety of purposes from business expansion or purchasing equipment to inventory replenishments for existing businesses. One-third of the $250,000 available 

was set aside for businesses moving to the new business incubator in Lambert, 

Mississippi, which will be in operation in fall 1999. 

One example of the assistance provided was a $10,000 loan from the Quitman 

County EDD to Pee Dee's Soul Food Restaurant in Marks, Mississippi. The loan 

helped the business buy a new stove, make some sanitation improvements, install 

a new lunch counter, and renovate its front entrance. "It really spiffed up their 

look," says Guernsey. 

For more information contact Stuart Guernsey, Administrator, North Delta EC, at 

601-487-1968. 

Hugo Lake Holds Key to EC's Economic Development 

Southeast Oklahoma, Oklahoma, EC 

The day after a 46-foot houseboat took its maiden voyage on Hugo Lake in southeastern Oklahoma, two local newspapers displayed pictures of the event on their 

front pages. The boat, launched in February 1999, was the first of its kind to use 

the newly constructed marina now operating at Hugo Lake. Its arrival signaled the 

lake's emergence as a tourist attraction in the Southeast Oklahoma EC. 

In 1995 the City of Hugo and the Little Dixie Community Action Agency (CAA) 

leased a 289-acre section of Kiamichi Park, where Hugo Lake is located, from the 

U.S. Corps of Engineers. Since then numerous partners have been working to 

develop the area into a resort that will bring tourists and jobs to the EC. More than 

$2.5 million in resources have already been committed to the project. 

What Works! Volume III 
Until recently the land around the lake, featuring $1 million in roads, comfort stations, playgrounds, pavilions, boat ramps, and picnic tables, was closed to the 

public due to Corps of Engineers budget cutbacks. When parts of Choctaw and 

McCurtain Counties received EC designation in 1994, the Little Dixie CAA saw 

an opportunity to open the lake area and develop lakeside facilities that would 

help invigorate the local economy. 

The first phase of development involved the 1997 construction of a $100,000 

Hospitality and Training Center using donations from local businesses and individuals. The center will play an important role in the EC's economic development 

activities by housing company presidents, economic development prospects, and 

top government officials who visit the area. Local businesses also will use the center for training purposes. 

Construction of the new, 1,200-square-foot marina and 10 primitive camping cabins was completed in 1998. AmeriCorps members built the primitive cabins in 

1998 and will construct eight full-service cabins in 1999. A private company 

operates the marina through a lease agreement with Little Dixie CAA. Future construction of a 21-room lakeside lodge will complete the development. 

The debt-free development has been funded with $1.2 million in USDA Rural 

Business Enterprise Grants; $500,000 from the U.s. Department of Health and 

Human Services; and a 3-year, $540,000 AmeriCorps grant. Money and services 

valued at more than $250,000 came from the Public Service Company of 

Oklahoma, the Choctaw County Commissioners, Little Dixie CAA, the Oklahoma 

Department of Corrections, and local contractors and individuals. 

David Davies, EC Tourism Director, says the project will bring many benefits to 

southeastern Oklahoma, including at least 50 jobs at the lakefront and many others in tourism-related businesses. However, he says, the project's most important 

benefit may be the boost it gives to the morale of an economically distressed area. 

"Many of the lake improvements are things that local folks visualized a long time 

ago but had accepted as unachievable," says Davies. "Now we have facilities out 

there that the community didn't used to have, facilities that are very attractive and 

in which local residents can take pride." 

For more information contact David Davies, Director of Tourism, Southeast 

Oklahoma EC, at 580-326-2167. 

EC Helps AHract South Carolina Industrial Investments 

Williamsburg-Lake City, South Carolina, EC 

An EC designation is a tremendous asset in securing partnerships and dollars for 

economic development. In 1998, 14 industrial expansions resulted in approximately $130 million in industrial investments and 1,100 additional jobs in 

Williamsburg County due to the Federal EC designation. 

The anchor business of the industrial park, Palmetto Synthetics, also used USDA 

Business and Industry funds for machinery purchases and operating capital. 

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Palmetto Synthetics began operations in January 1999 with 25 employees and by 

late 1999 will employ 100 people. 

According to Hilton McGill, Executive Director of the Williamsburg County 

Development Board, "The Board feels that the Federal Enterprise Community 

designation ensured the successful approval of funds from USDA for the purchase 

and engineering of the property for the Williamsburg County Industrial Park. The 

project presently counts more than 32 partners and $3,308,000 in the industrial 

park venture." The project began with $400,000 in funding from USDA, which 

leveraged other funding contributions from the Economic Development 

Administration, other Federal sources, State funds, and local bankers. "We have 

been devastated by foreign competition and have the highest unemployment rate 

in the State," McGill says, "and this project provides a great economic opportunity for our citizens." Public and private partnerships have enhanced the county's 

ability to provide a Class A industrial park necessary for the successful recruitment of potential Williamsburg County businesses. 

For more information contact John Whittleton, Executive Director, Williamsburg 

Enterprise Community, at 843-354-9070. 

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SUSTAINABLE (OMMUNITY 

DEVELOPMENT 

Investing in the future of our country means actively 

working on all areas that affect the well-being of a community 

and its citizens. Of high priority is providing safe, affordable 

housing for low-income residents and offering newopportunities for homeownership. Many citizen initiatives and new community policing programs are significantly reducing crime in 

EZ/EC neighborhoods, improving public safety and security. 

EZ/ECs are also augmenting their basic infrastructure, providing facilities for shops and other businesses and developing 

new transportation systems to link formerly isolated areas to the 

mainstream economy. Improving the environment is another 

priority, involving activities such as neighbors organizing cleanup 

days and restoring old industrial brownfields to productive uses. 

The EZ/EC program is enhancing the quality of life for residents 

in several other ways as well. Many initiatives concentrate on 

improving the health and well-being of EZ/EC residents and 

working with neighborhood schools to enrich education for the 

children and youth of the EZ/EC. Human services programs, 

in many cases operating from new, EZ/EC-funded community 

facilities, are offering employment-related, recreational, and suJ>" 

portive services to families and youth. And EZ/EC technology 

and communications initiatives are linking residents to the 

world of information and the workplace of the future. This section 

explores outstanding examples of activity in each of these areas. 

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HOUSING 

EC's Vacant Lots May Yield New Homes 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC 

Staff at the nonprofit United South Broadway Corporation (USBC) spent 1998 taking an unusual census in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC. Instead of counting 

residents, the field workers counted vacant lots on which the city hopes to build 

100 new homes in the next 2 years. 

The first phase of the In-Fill Housing Project, funded with $50,000 from the city's 

Housing and Neighborhood Economic Development Trust Fund, involved a windshield survey of the area to determine how many vacant lots actually exist. Now 

the corporation is retracing its steps to determine which lots can be developed 

into single-family homesites. When that research is complete, the city will 

request proposals from nonprofit housing developers to build the homes, using 

$1.3 million from the same fund . The city hopes to select developers by summer 

1999 and begin construction in the fall. 

"They wanted the homes to match the architecture of the neighborhood, whether 

that be Pueblo Revival style or Victorian," says Sylvia Fettes, EC Coordinator. 

''They didn't want the homes to stick out like sore thumbs. They didn't want it to 

be obvious that these homes were subsidized." 

While USBC was trying to determine where the city could build the new homes, 

architecture students from the University of New Mexico were busy figuring out 

what those homes would look like. Students held two design charrettes with local 

residents to talk about possible designs. Most residents offered one simple directive: Make the new homes as inconspicuous as possible. 

The City of Albuquerque initiated the housing project to meet two major EC 

needs: affordable housing and economic development. The median home price in 

Albuquerque is $129,000 and the average rent is $600, says Fettes. With median incomes in the EC hovering at $15,500, she says, most residents cannot afford 

to purchase their own homes without some assistance. 

Fettes says she hopes nonprofit developers participating in the housing project will be able to sell the new homes for $80,000 or less, depending on what 

subsidies the city can make available to homebuyers. The homes are expected to stimulate commercial activity in the EC by bringing new residents to 

the neighborhood who will patronize struggling EC businesses. 

For more information contact Sylvia Fettes, Albuquerque's EC Coordinator, at 

505-768-2860. 

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Chicago EZ Streamlines Acquisition and Rehabilitation 

Financing of Multifamily Buildings 

Chicago, Illinois, EZ 

A new initiative is streamlining the acquisition and rehabilitation financing of 

small, multifamily buildings in the Chicago EZ area. The Small Multifamily 

Preservation Project is one of two EZ housing activities funded with $2 million 

by the Chicago City Council during 1998. To augment EZ funding of the project, 

Chicago's Department of Housing is contributing an additional $2 million and 

private financing will add another $1 million. These funds are anticipated to 

assist 50 housing units. 

The Small Multifamily Preservation Project is modeled after the PilseniLittle 

Village Small Building Program that is currently administered by the Department 

of Housing. This program focuses on maintaining the viability of 4- to lO-unit 

residential buildings. 

Through the Small Building Program, the department has contributed almost 

$1 million toward the acquisition and rehabilitation of 17 units in 4 buildings. 

One of these properties is located within the EZ, and all of the units are affordable to persons earning 60 percent or less of the area median income. 

The Small Multifamily Preservation Project will fund a second phase of small 

building acquisition and rehabilitation in the Pilsen and Little Village communities. The developer, The Resurrection Project (TRP), is an EZ business. TRP will 

manage the property and its construction cooperative will subcontract most of the 

work to other EZ businesses that are co-op members. 

A second community will be selected for participation in the Small Multifamily 

Preservation Project. Other areas of the EZ have similar housing problems and 

will benefit greatly from this program. "Preference will be given to buildings that 

can be made accessible and available to EZ residents," says Sharone Brown, the 

EZ's Communications Officer. 

For more information contact Sharone Brown, Communications Officer, Chicago 

EZ at 312-744-9623. 

Recycled Materials Used in Recycled Building 

Detroit, Michigan, EZ 

"This project is a tangible sign of success for the Zone. A wonderful historical 

building has been restored and a new building is a powerful symbol for change," 

declares Denise Gray, Executive Director of the EZ Development Corporation. 

The renovation of the Architects Building, a 27 -unit historic structure listed on 

the National Register of Historic Places, and the construction of the 24-unit 

Ghandi-McMahon building are prime examples of the revitalization taking place 

in the Cass Corridor area of the Detroit EZ. In 1998, having witnessed the effects 

of past disinvestment and decay, the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development 

Corporation decided to undertake the innovative 51-unit housing project. 

What Works! Volume III 
Built in 1924, the Architects Building was originally used as a one-stop shop for 

designers, engineers, contractors, and lending groups. The redevelopment of the 

building was unique because all the materials used to renovate it were recycled. 

Some examples of the recycled materials used include carpets made from plastic 

bottles, ceiling tiles containing newspaper scraps, recycled paint, and studs containing recycled steel. During the interior demolition of the building, 65 tons of 

wood, glass, roofing, and wall material; 360 tons of hard fill; and 55 tons of metal 

were recycled or reprocessed. The Architects Building now features 7, 2-bedroom 

units of approximately 650 square feet. The units include central air conditioning 

and heat and new appliances; they rent for between $350 and $420. 

Environmentally sensitive materials and techniques were also used in the new 

construction of the Ghandi-McMahon building across the street. Unit size, amenities, and price are similar to that of the Architects Building. All units are handicapped accessible. Low- to middle-income applicants who meet income 

requirements are eligible for occupancy. 

A $250,000 pilot grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Solid 

Waste Alternative Program provided seed money for the project. The program is 

designed to lessen the impact of construction materials on landfills, which make 

up an estimated 30 percent of all landfill materials. Additional funding of $6.1 

million came from various sources, including Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, 

Historic Preservation Tax Credits, City of Detroit HOME and CDBG funds, the 

Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the Michigan Foundation, the 

Hudson-Webber Foundation, and SEEDCO. 

For more information contact Keith Kaminski, Communications Director, Detroit 

EZ Development Corporation, at 313-872-8050, or see "Innovative Housing 

Project Changes Detroit Landscape" in the Winter 1998 issue of EZ Exchange. 

Eagle Ridge Summit: A New Tax Credit Program To 

Build Low- and Moderate-Income Housing 

Flint, Michigan, EC 

What does the future of housing development look like? The answer may come 

from the Eagle Ridge Summit housing community, which is currently under construction to serve the needs of low- and moderate-income residents in the City of 

Flint, Michigan. 

"We tried to incorporate all aspects of living in the design of this development," 

says developer Mary A. Rolfe of Mary A. Rolfe and Associates, Inc., in Flint. 

"What makes Eagle Ridge unique is that we included the construction of a daycare center to answer the needs of the community's children and parents." 

The addition of the 7,000-square-foot daycare center serves to highlight the 

emphasis on family living that envelops the project. "The center was designed to 

provide services for 100 children," says Rolfe. "In addition to being fully furnished, the center will have computers that will be used for educational and recreational pursuits." A licensed daycare provider will supervise the center. 

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The center is just part of what Eagle Ridge has to offer. Situated within a fully 

gated and secure environment, the project includes 2- and 3-bedroom units that 

will be available to 104 families. Construction is also underway for a community 

building and a swimming pool. The first building will be open in August 1999. 

Eagle Ridge is a $9-million project, $6.5 million of which has been syndicated to 

the Columbia Housing Corporation. 

For more information contact Mary A. Rolfe, Mary A. Rolfe and Associates, Inc., 

at 810-239-8566. 

Residents Take Back Their Neighborhoods 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC 

Louis Rotegliano got tired of watching absentee landlords in his neighborhood 

neglect their properties. "Some of these absentee owners don't want to put any 

money into their properties, they just want to milk them," says Rotegliano. Since 

his involvement in Harrisburg's Citizen Inspection Program (CIP), nine properties 

on Rotegliano's block have been painted or improved. At the laundromat across 

the street, sidewalks that were once littered are now swept regularly. Things are 

different in the neighborhood because CIP provided Rotegliano with a way to 

pressure neglectful property owners to comply with city codes. 

CIP empowers citizens like Rotegliano to take action to improve their neighborhoods. Citizens are trained by the Codes Bureau to identify exterior code violations in their neighborhood, such as overgrown grass and weeds, broken windows, 

peeling paint, or improperly contained garbage. The citizen inspectors give property owners "friendly warnings" to correct the violations. If the violations aren't 

corrected within a specified period of time, the citizen inspectors notify the Codes 

Bureau for official action. 

Tara Hixon, who has cited property owners for tall grass and broken windows, 

became involved because she wants to protect the charm of her historic neighborhood. "My goal was to maintain the integrity of this neighborhood," she says. 

Other residents join CIP simply because they want to protect their investments. 

Since the program began in 1997, more than 100 citizens have completed training to become citizen inspectors. The training instructs citizens in code laws and 

the legal processes the Codes Bureau must follow to gain codes compliance when 

a property owner is in violation. The program is based on similar ones in 

Baltimore (Maryland) and Minnesota. 

CIP has added more eyes and ears to the Codes Bureau, allowing housing enforcement officers to focus on more serious violations. The program operates at very little cost to the city, less than $100 per year, and the partners are the citizens who 

volunteer and the Codes Bureau, which is happy to receive the help. 

For more information contact JoAnn Partridge, City of Harrisburg, Department of 

Building and Housing Development, at 717-255-6424. 

What Works! Volume III 
Historic Designation Reverses Ee's Downward Spiral 

Jackson, Mississippi, EC 

Forty years ago, Jackson, Mississippi's Farish Street district was a thriving commercial and residential area where African-American businesses and blues clubs 

flourished. The 125-block district traces its roots to a settlement founded by freed 

slaves in the 1860s. Desegregation, which took hold 100 years later, takes the 

blame for its demise. 

"From the 1920s through the era of Jim Crow, Farish Street was really in its heyday," says Michael Hervey, Executive Director of the Farish Street Historic 

District Neighborhood Foundation. "It was a self-contained community because 

African-Americans had no place else to go. After integration, though, many residents elected to move out and look for the American Dream in the suburbs." 

Like other inner cities across the country, the Farish Street district experienced 

its share of disinvestment during the 1960s and 1970s. However, Farish Street 

was luckier than other inner-city neighborhoods that watched urban renewal 

change their unique characters. Historic buildings along Farish Street remain 

standing and intact. When the area received a historic district designation in 

1994, its downward spiral began to reverse. 

The first sign of that reversal was the Farish Street Housing Project, a 

$2.5-million, foundation-initiated project that renovated 35 historic shotgun 

houses in one EC block during 1998. The foundation is now seeking support for 

a $15-million project to create an entertainment district in the EC that Hervey 

hopes will become a regional tourist destination. 

The housing project, completed in March 1999, involved a host of partners. The 

EC contributed a $125,000 low-interest loan and a $50,000 grant to the project. 

The National Equity Fund provided $1.6 million from the sale of Historic 

Preservation Tax Credits. A consortium of local banks furnished $600,000 and the 

City of Jackson gave $175,000 from its CDBC allocation. 

The shotgun homes, built between 1930 and 1950, were completely gutted inside 

and their outside structures were retained and restored. Each home required new 

plumbing, electrical wiring, fixtures, and appliances. EC residents who qualify for 

Section 8 rental subsidies will be able to rent the one-, two-, and three-bedroom 

bungalows. After the IS-year tax credit compliance period ends, the homes will 

be sold to qualified buyers. For now, tenants won't pay more than 30 percent of 

their incomes for rent. 

The project will provide much-needed housing in an area where more than half of 

the residential stock is vacant, substandard, or abandoned, says Hervey. In addition, the project already has helped the local economy by providing construction 

jobs for almost 60 local workers. Minority-owned firms received 80 percent of the 

project's business. 

EC resident Larry Samuels, owner of Samuel's Construction, was the primary subcontractor for the project. "I grew up in the neighborhood and 

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watched it deteriorate," Samuels told the local Clarion-Ledger newspaper. "It's 

somewhat of a dream come true for me to help." 

For more information contact Michael Hervey, Executive Director, Farish Street 

Historic District Neighborhood Foundation, at 601-949-4000. 

Park DuValle Revitalization OHers Homeownership 

Opportunities 

Louisville, Kentucky, EC 

"I'm excited about this phase of Park Du Valle because it offers many opportunities for families to become homeowners," says Louisville Mayor David Armstrong. 

Indeed, the transformation of the Cotter and Lang Homes public housing developments into a diverse, mixed-income community with traditional-style homes 

has many western Louisville residents excited. That is because the muchanticipated Phase II of the Park DuValle revitalization, which includes the construction of 213 rental homes and 125 homes for sale, is undenvay. 

The Villages of Park Du Valle will be made up of homes closely integrated with 

recreation, retail, and civic spaces. The neighborhood, which will be pedestrian 

friendly with a well-planned system of sidewalks and interconnected streets, is a 

traditional design based on the principles of New Urbanism. The Park DuValle 

Revitalization Plan grew from Louisville's EC planning process. The vision of the 

EC Community Board was " a return to neighborhoods ... and a demise of the massive, concentrated public housing of the 1950s that have become warehouses for 

families entrapped in poverty." Neighborhood residents and organizations continue to have input into the plan through the Park Du Valle Neighborhood Advisory 

Council (PDNAC). 

The new homes are being constructed by eight premier builders (four of which are 

minority-owned businesses) and will include architectural details and styles 

drawn from historic Louisville's character. Home styles at the Villages will 

include Victorian, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman. Thirty house styles offering a 

wide range of sizes, prices, and amenities will be available. The Villages will offer 

increased homeownership opportunities for families of all income levels through 

comprehensive counseling, courses, and services. 

Partners in the development of the Villages include HUD, the City of Louisville, 

the Housing Authority of Louisville, the Louisville Real Estate Development 

Company, the Kentucky Housing and Finance Agency, the Louisville 

Development Authority, Park Du Valle Development Corporation, PNC Bank, The 

Community Builders Inc., the Housing Partnership, Inc., and National City Bank. 

The effort is being financed by public housing resources, investment capital from 

the sale of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and CDBC funds provided by the 

City of Louisville. A $20-million HUD HOPE VI grant was awarded to the 

Housing Authority of Louisville in 1996 for the revitalization project. 

Approximately 1,200 single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments, including 

both for-sale and rental opportunities, will be built in Park DuValle during the 

next few years. A model village of eight houses and a marketing center is being 

What Works! Volume III 
built to showcase the architectural designs of the for-sale homes. It is due to be 

completed in spring 1999. Vikki Stone, Park Du Valle Revitalization 

Spokesperson, is pleased to report that response to the homeownership opportunity has been great. Those seeking to buy homes in the Villages include families 

from all income levels. 

For more information contact Vikki Stone, Spokesperson, Park Du Valle 

Revitalization, at 502-574-3420. 

Capacity-Building Program Helps CDCs 

Develop Housing 

Newark, New Jersey, EC 

After its executive director resigned last year, Corinthian Housing Development 

Corporation felt a crisis coming on. The organization, which had 49 units of 

affordable housing under construction in the Newark EC, worried that losing such 

an important staff person might slow its momentum and damage its effectiveness. 

Corinthian turned to the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) , which has 

provided technical assistance and funding to community development corporations (CDCs) in Newark since 1987. LISC responded by providing an $87,000 

grant that Corinthian used to update its strategic plan, choose an executive director who could implement that plan, and ensure that its remaining staff wouldn't 

seek employment elsewhere. 

A portion of the Corinthian grant came from a capacity-building program that 

LISC has administered since April 1998 with a $500,000 EC grant, $500,000 of 

its own money, and close to $22 million in leveraged funds. The goal of the 3-year 

program is to build the capacity of 10 CDCs and produce 200 housing units in the 

EC. So far LISC has provided $260,000 in grants to 6 organizations that have 

completed 50 housing units. An additional 37 units are under construction, 

43 units are in the development and predevelopment stages, and 70 more units 

are planned. LISC anticipates bringing two more organizations into the program 

during 1999. 

Although the housing goal is an important one for both LISC and the EC, the 

capacity-building program is about more than bricks and mortar, says LISC 

Program Director Gerard Joeb. "This program is about developing human capital," says Joeb. "It is about enhancing the ability of community development 

organizations to do what they do best." 

The capacity-building program certainly worked for Corinthian, which was able to 

complete its housing project and expand its programs. Even before it found 

a new executive director, Corinthian had applied for and received $115,000 from 

the Governor's Faith-Based Community Development Initiative to establish a Safe 

Haven afterschool program. It also received $55,000 from LISC and the National 

Football League to upgrade a park adjacent to its new housing complex. 

"This is a perfect example of the type of capacity building we want to do through 

this program," says Joeb. "If Corinthian hadn't had the ability to secure and 

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manage its current staff, it couldn't have kept things going either on its construction site or in its other programs. Instead, it came out of this year much stronger 

than when it went into it." 

For more information contact Gerard Joeb, LISC Program Director, at 

973-624-6676. 

Throw Out the Lifeline in San Antonio 

San Antonio, Texas, EC 

The San Antonio Alazon Apache Housing Community has been thrown a lifeline. 

With dedicated and caring staff, well-planned and well-implemented programs, 

and enriching services, the Carmen P. Cortez-AVANCE Family Center is providing the much-needed hope and opportunity that for so long could not penetrate the 

boundaries of this community. 

Entrenched in the perils of poverty, crime, and despair, there was little hope for 

the residents of the Alazon Apache Housing Community, part of the San Antonio 

EC. Living in an area with the highest murder, burglary, assault, and car theft 

rates in the city, these low-income residents-lacking the financial, educational, 

and social skills necessary to escape their environment-were losing out to poverty and urban war. A lifeline was desperately needed. The small Alazon Family 

Center, housed in a dilapidated facility provided by the San Antonio Housing 

AuthOlity, tried to be that lifeline by providing essential parenting and early 

childhood education to parents and children of the Alazon Apache community. 

The needs of this growing community quickly surpassed the capacity of the small 

center's resources. Adding to its plight, the center was dealt a disabling blow 

when it was denied a childcare license due to the facility's rundown condition. 

The center and its community needed help. 

The San Antonio chapter of AVANCE (whose name is derived from the Spanish 

word "avanzar," meaning to advance), in collaboration with the San Antonio 

Housing Authority (SAHA), answered the community's call for help. In 1994 

AVANCE, a member of the San Antonio Enterprise Communities Commission, 

and SAHA began devising a plan to address not only the need for adequate childcare but also the need for adequate and affordable housing, community development, education, job training, and a host of other services. 

This collaboration yielded impressive results. SAHA, recognizing AVANCE's 

nationally acclaimed reputation as a successful provider of programs and services to at-risk families and children, did not hesitate to do its part. SAHA agreed to 

build AVANCE a state-of-the-art, 1O,000-square-foot facility in the Alazon community where the desperately needed services would be provided. The City of San 

Antonio Planning and Development Agency donated the land for the new building. With the donation of both the building and the site, AVANCE raised $63,000 

from private foundations and local corporations to completely furnish the new 

facility. 

After many months of strateglzmg, coordinating, and fundraising, the plan 

reached fruition with the May 8, 1998, dedication of the Carmen P. CortezWhat W 0 r k 5 I Vo l u me I I I 
AVANCE Family Center, named after the late Carmen P. Cortez, one of the founding AVANCE team members. More than 250 adults and children participated in 

the dedication and the event was attended by many government representatives, 

SAHA commissioners and staff, members of the AVANCE board of directors, and 

other community supporters. 

Enrollment at the center has increased by 21 percent since its rededication; the 

new center serves 78 parents and 170 children. SAHA and AVANCE have continued to coordinate their efforts to make the best possible use of limited 

resources. SAHA has implemented a Family Self-Sufficiency Program that uses 

self-sufficiency coordinators to help public housing families overcome barriers to 

independence and achieve self-sufficiency within a 5-year peliod. AVANCE 

provides parenting education, childcare, ESL courses, GED preparation courses, 

computer literacy courses, and a host of other supportive services. Cohoused in 

the Carmen P. Cortez-AVANCE Family Center, SAHA self-sufficiency coordinators and AVANCE staff work closely to identify individual family needs and 

coordinate services to satisfy those needs. AVANCE hopes to further expand its 

services to reach a greater number of families by implementing more empowerment programs. 

One such program is the Education for Work Initiative, aimed at meeting new welfare reform requirements. A total of $200,000 in EC funds were allocated for the 

development and operation of the initial parenting and training classes. Some 

CDBG funds were also leveraged. AVANCE leveraged $193,275 in cash and 

$62,926 in equipment donations from a Community Service Block Grant, the 

United Way of San Antonio, various city agencies, local foundations, and community businesses to implement the program. Using a 3-year estimated completion 

cycle, the program institutes a three-component system consisting of parenting 

education and resiliency training; literacy education; and job-readiness preparation to increase the employability and independence of families served. A new 

group of participants enters the program each September. 

The Carmen P. Cortez-AVANCE Family Center has brought new hope, enlightenment, and empowerment to the residents who live in a community that was once 

characterized as a hopeless, impoverished neighborhood of despair. 

For more information contact Curley Spears, City of San Antonio, at 

210-207-6605. 

Tampa EC Stems Housing Emergencies; Program 

Provides Repairs for Elderly Homeowners 

Tampa, Florida, EC 

The Tampa EC has found a way to address the growing emergency home repair 

needs of many of its senior homeowners. To stop the escalation of emergencies and 

to make seniors safe and secure in their homes, the EC is drawing from the community's support and the talents of Tampa's nonprofit Center for Women, Inc. 

The EC will utilize the center's Senior Home Improvement Program (S.H.I.P.), 

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owners who are over 60. Priority will be given to addressing the emergency needs 

of elderly homeowners at risk of losing their shelter. 

Most of Tampa's and Hillsborough County's emergency housing repair needs are 

in the EC. Calls for assistance have increased each year due to spiraling living 

costs and fixed incomes. Because of deferred maintenance, the need for more 

extensive and costly repairs has also been growing. 

S.H.I.P. has made more than 5,500 such repairs in the past 15 years. S.H.I.P.'s 

staff includes four crew supervisors and nine crew members. EC funds will be 

used to match contributions from the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, TECO, 

and the West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging to make the repairs. 

The center was founded in 1998 to provide services to displaced homemakers to 

help them become emotionally and economically sell-sufficient. Last year the 

center served more than 1,000 clients. 

For more information contact Jeanette LaRussa Fenton, City of Tampa, at 

813-274-7954. 

What Worksl Volume III 
HOUSING 

Housing Partnerships Develop Neighborhoods 

Fayette County/Haywood County, Tennessee, EC 

During their strategic planning meetings, the citizens of the Fayette/Haywood EC 

identified housing as a critical issue. The community used EC funds to match 

Tennessee Housing Program funds in a far-reaching leverage effort to benefit 

Haywood County residents living in Brownsville. The city received $800,000 in 

State funds for a designated Bicentennial Neighborhood. Another $500,000 in 

State rehabilitation funds were leveraged using $100,000 in EC funds. 

Eight new single-family homes for low-income residents were built in Haywood, 

and five units were repaired. Eleven units in Fayette were repaired. This neighborhood initiative has become a model of cooperation among Federal, State, and 

local housing agencies and the community residents. 

John Sicola of the EC hopes to expand this effort by using a hybrid community 

housing development organization (CHDO) that will be piloted in Fayette. "If feasible, this hybrid CHDO will become the housing entity for the whole county," he 

says. CHDOs have been primarily used in urban areas; this would be the first of 

its type in rural Tennessee, Sicola says. A CHDO is a nonprofit entity with half of 

its members appointed by local government. It can receive Federal funding to 

engage in housing development, and is accountable to the public scrutiny. 

For more information contact John Sicola, Fayette/Haywood EC, at 

901-545-4610. 

County Provides Housing Opportunities for 

Disadvantaged Neighbors 

Halifax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Carolina, EC 

One example of neighbors helping neighbors lies in rural Halifax County, North 

Carolina, where local housing developers, agencies, and organizations have joined 

together to upgrade the living standards of low-income residents in their community. 

"Housing in areas such as Enfield and Hollister lacked proper water and sewer 

systems," says Sallie Surface, Executive Director of the Choanoke Area 

Development Agency. "As a result, many of our neighbors didn't even have working bathrooms." Of particular concern were households that included elderly residents, individuals with disabilities, and large families. 

The agency began a $273,000 housing rehabilitation project in 1995 that benefited 16 families during an 18-month period. Funds for the project were provided 

from a variety of sources, including the Enterprise Alliance, a USDA Rural 

Development Housing Preservation Grant, the local Council on Aging, the 

Weatherization Assistance program, a Heating Appliance and Replacement 

Program and other funding from USDA. 

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Services for the program were provided by local small businesses and entrepreneurs. "We were able to pull together the money, people, and skills for this project," says Surface. "We had all of the parts of the puzzle." Despite dwindling 

funds, this project has been so successful that, according to Surface, "We have 

a waiting list of 50 to 75 families at any given time." 

For more information contact Sallie Surface, Executive Director, Choanoke Area 

Development Agency, at 252-539-4155. 

Wilson Community Improvement Association: 

Laying a Firm Foundation for the Future 

Halifax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Carolina, EC 

By using housing construction and rehabilitation as a community development 

tool, the Wilson Community Improvement Association (WICA), Inc., has been 

quietly changing the face of Wilson, North Carolina. 

"All of our activities either revolve around or tie into housing," says Barbara C. 

Blackston, WICA's Housing Director, "because there is such a tremendous need 

for housing in our community. We believe that if people have a decent place to 

live, everything else in the community, such as education, employment, and resident responsibility, falls into place." 

Since 1968 WICA has attempted to bring prosperity to the East Side of Wilson 

through various housing programs that make up the East Wilson Revitalization 

Project. In addition to development of the l04-unit Beacon Pointe Apartments, 

the 98-unit Adventura East housing development, and the Gee-Corbett Village for 

senior citizens, WICA has been helping low- and moderate-income residents to 

acquire housing and business loans. "Each potential borrower receives extensive 

counseling prior to purchase," says Blackston. Each applicant is required to participate in one-on-one counseling and group counseling sessions that address 

topics such as budgeting, credit and financial analysis, and maintenance. 

The most recent additions to benefit the 38,000 people who live in Wilson are the 

construction of two Neighborhood Resource Centers that were developed to promote family values and provide one-stop training, refen·al, and support services to 

local youth and families. ''These centers give our residents additional support to 

enhance their communities and themselves," says Blackston. 

Working with local organizations, banks, and agencies, WICA is now focused on 

furthering community development by expanding its job creation program and 

targeting economic development through its Mercy Business Training and 

Development Center. 

For more information contact Fannie M. Corbett, Executive Director, Wilson 

Community Improvement Association, Inc., at 252-243-4855. 

What Works! Vo lum e III 
Developers Join Forces With Nonprofits To Improve 

Housing Stock 

Mississippi County, Arkansas, EC 

Deteriorating housing stock in the Mississippi County EC area has lowered the 

standard of living for many low-income families. In response, nonprofit and forprofit housing developers have joined forces in the Mississippi County Housing 

Alliance and, with the strong involvement of the EC, have created an innovative 

private-public project to rehabilitate and increase the stock of both rented and 

owned housing units. 

"It's exciting to see both nonprofit and for-profit housing developers come together to meet a common need: affordable housing," says Sam Scruggs of the EC staff. 

"And to start by developing the kind of comprehensive housing strategy that we 

had never had-that's particularly inspiring. " Project leaders developed and 

implemented a comprehensive affordable housing plan that coordinates efforts to 

help people become homeowners, fosters rental opportunities, and promotes community improvement projects. To address the problem of a lack of information 

about credit and housing opportunities, the EC has also implemented a credit 

repair and homeownership training program. The project targets all age groups 

and low- to middle-income people who meet the standard criteria for aid. 

Since the project's inception, approximately 125 households have participated in 

credit counseling, and 70 have moved into improved housing. The project has surpassed its original goal of rehabilitating 20 housing units, and is now up to 

43 improved homes. The EC has also focused on creating clean, affordable rental 

units for low-income residents. The EC has constructed 57 new rental houses for 

families, far surpassing its original goal of 20 new homes. The project is publicized in local newspapers and on public access television. There are regular seminars for potential participants, and information is displayed in public housing. 

The project is being funded by $2 million in HUD grants over 4 years. 

For more information contact Sam Scruggs, Executive Director, Mississippi 

County EC, at 870-532-2348. 

EC Triples Dollars In Housing Loan Fund 

North Delta, Mississippi, EC 

As one of its first items of business in 1994, the North Delta, Mississippi, EC 

established a $300,000 revolving loan fund that would provide housing rehabilitation dollars for homeowners in the EC's three counties. Despite the fact that 

there was a long list of applicants waiting for the loans, EC Administrator 

Stuart Guernsey did not disperse all the money. Instead, he took steps to make 

the fund grow. 

Guernsey used a portion of the loan fund to match a $100,000 USDA Rural 

Development Grant that would help even more residents make needed home 

repairs. In 1998 the EC distributed $50,000 of that USDA grant to fix three houses. It then used the remaining $50,000 as leverage to obtain still another grant: 

$380,000 from the Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) program. 

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The HBCU grant, made to EC partner Coahoma Community College, will allow 

the EC to give housing rehabilitation money to homeowners who are elderly or 

have disabilities. 

Guernsey is not finished yet. He has submitted three more grant applications that, 

if successful, will allow the EC to leverage its loan fund again, this time to build 

new housing and establish construction-training programs for women. 

''The bottom line is that we started out with a little bit of our own money and we 

are leveraging it anyway we can conceivably think of," says Guernsey. "We started with a very simple program and a relatively small amount of money. We have 

almost tripled it by leveraging it against additional housing repair dollars, now 

against HBCU dollars, and hopefully in the future against new home and apprenticeship program dollars." 

The enlarged pool of funds gives the EC the flexibility to make loans and grants 

for housing rehabilitation, says Guernsey, who anticipates that the fund can now 

serve 35 homeowners. No homeowner will receive more than $20,000. 

"Many of the people we are serving with these programs are very poor folks and 

their houses are what we call shotgun shacks," he explains. "In some cases, you 

cannot repair them. We have set a maximum of $20,000 so that we don't pour 

money into a house that really can't be repaired. Hopefully, we'll get to those folks 

with some of the new housing programs." 

For more information contact Stuart Guernsey, Administrator of the North Delta, 

Mississippi, EC, at 601-487-1968. 

What Works! Volume III 
PUBLIC SAFETY 

BuHalo Blooms with 50,000 DaHodils 

Buffalo, New York, EC 

Buffalo residents planted 50,000 donated daffodil bulbs as part of their annual 

rite of spring this year. They have not only enjoyed greater numbers of the yellow 

flowers-up from 26,000 last year-but they have benefited from trash pickup, 

weed removal from alleyways, and demolition of crack houses since the Mayor's 

Impact Team began visiting neighborhoods suffering from blight in 1994. 

The Mayor's Impact Team has brought the resources and talents of several city 

departments together to collaborate with community stakeholders. City crews 

manage a labor force of resident volunteers. People under court order to perform 

community service and those from Help Individuals Reach Employment (HIRE), 

a State social service agency requiring community service in exchange for social 

service stipends, have the opportunity to work off their commitments by serving 

the community. 

Jim Pavel, Buffalo's Director of Support Services, says, ''The Mayor's Impact Team 

is a partnering organization that doesn't take the lead. We do logistics and support 

to make it easy for the community to accomplish its goals." The team creates or 

works with existing block clubs to strengthen their position in the community. 

Residents identify troublesome areas and the team brings appropriate city services to bear on the problem. City crews handle uncomplicated housing demolitions, 

many of which, community residents agree, are essential to the health of their 

neighborhoods. 

When the team descended on the longstanding eyesore at 45 Leslie Street, residents were relieved. Crews towed away six abandoned cars and cleaned up weeds, 

debris, and broken glass. "This is great for us," says Robert Morber, President of 

Bison Laboratories at 100 Leslie Street. "We employ quite a few people from the 

neighborhood. It's better for our clients to have a nice, clean street to come down." 

The Mayor's Impact Team also handles emergencies. When snow and ice pile up, 

the team mobilizes snow removal forces to clear driveways or clean flooded basements. It provides a tool lending library, promotes community and personal gardens, and supports Brush Up Buffalo, a housepainting event. 

This year the Glad Corporation donated 77,000 garbage bags for April's Great 

American Clean Up. Last year's event included an environmental fair featuring 

25 to 30 conservation and environmental displays, a kite giveaway, and a neighborhood cleanup with the help of 900 college students who turned out for the 

event. This year's cleanup will be extended to adjacent counties. 

For more information contact Paula Rosner, Executive Director, Federal EC of 

Buffalo, 716-842-6923. 

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Burlington Public Safety Proiect 

Burlington, Vermont, EC 

Throughout the creation of the Burlington EC's Strategic Plan, residents continually stressed the need for projects that would empower them to address neighborhood problems themselves. The result was the creation of a strategy to help residents organize at the grassroots level and increase public safety in Burlington's 

Old North End EC. City government, represented by the Mayor's office, the 

Community and Economic Development Office, and the Burlington Police 

Department, joined five community-based organizations including the Burlington 

Community Land Trust, The American Red Cross, and Women Helping Battered 

Women to create the EC Public Safety Project. Using AmeriCorps*V1STA community organizers, the first-year goal of this project was to organize residents from 

five community streets into neighborhood associations. Four years later, more 

than 500 EC residents are involved in 28 formal neighborhood associations, working to rebuild the EC street by street. 

The success of this project hinges on the community ownership that is evidenced 

in its organization. The three AmeriCorps*V1STA workers are located at the 

Burlington Police Department. Their unique status as community advocates who 

work in partnership with the police and city departments such as Public Works 

and Parks and Recreation allows them to effectively work with citizens to address 

such issues as drug dealing, noise, absentee landlords, abandoned and vacant 

housing, traffic, and park improvements. During Burlington's transition to community-based policing, the Police Department has recognized the Public Safety 

Project as a valuable resource. Lieutenant Bill La Ware says, "I have learned to 

depend upon the Public Safety Project to provide me with an accurate picture of 

what is really going on within our neighborhoods." 

An example of the work of this partnership is the establishment of cleanup teams 

that unite city departments and the public safety strategy to support neighborhood 

cleanup efforts at the invitation of organized neighborhood associations. Each 

year, residents of 6 to 8 streets work to dispose of an annual average of 23 tons of 

trash, 10 tons of recyclable material, 170 old tires, 40 cubic yards of leaves and 

brush, and 6 truckloads of hazardous household waste. 

Annual priorities for the Public Safety Project are set by its steering committee, 

which includes seven representatives from Neighborhood Associations. During its 

4 years of operation, the project has evolved to emphasize leadership development 

and problem solving. The Public Safety Leadership Development Series offers a 

free monthly community dinner and workshop to any interested EC resident on 

such topics as meeting facilitation, resolving neighborhood conflicts, and finding 

solutions to problem properties. The project also raises approximately $10,000 to 

be distributed annually through the Public Safety Project Grant program. 

Neighborhood associations apply for up to $1,000 each for "green-up" and 

cleanup projects, block parties, pet-awareness events, installation of deadbolt 

locks and motion sensor lights, and park improvements. 

What Works! Volume III 
The Public Safety project has been in the forefront of developing special initiatives based on common themes that emerge in neighborhoods. The Vacant 

Property Action Team and the community-based policing task force are just two 

examples of resident-driven workgroups pushing for social change on a citywide 

level. 

For more infonnation contact Lisa Guccione at (802) 865-7547. 

Patrols Keep Crime at Bay in EZ's Commercial District 

Cleveland, Ohio, EZ 

Merchants in Cleveland's EZ have been breathing a little easier since October 

1998, when security guards in jeeps began cruising their neighborhoods from 

3 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. Eight security guards and 23 off-duty police officers, who 

are employed by the EZ-funded Commercial Security Program, take turns riding 

along a predetennined route to watch for suspicious behavior and keep groups of 

teens from loitering near area businesses. 

The 3-year project, funded with $2 million in EZ funds, is designed to deter crime 

and encourage investment in local neighborhoods. EZ funds pay salaries and were 

used to purchase four vehicles in which the patrols cruise neighborhoods. 

Uptown, Inc., a nonprofit organization that administers the Commercial Security 

Program, worked with the EZ's community-based development organizations to 

identify areas where the perception of crime was a clear deterrent to economic 

development. 

"All of the areas have drug activity," says Gina Johnson, EZ Assistant 

Administrator. "Because the patrols have been so visible, the crime and drug 

activity in the commercial district has gone down." 

Security patrols have no authority to arrest individuals, although the patrols can 

detain them until police arrive. Mostly, the patrols serve as the eyes and ears of 

the neighborhood. In addition to reporting suspicious activities to police, security personnel help the community in ways that are not related to crime. 

"They do the extra little things that a police officer doesn't have the time to do," 

says Johnson. "If a traffic light is out, they will help direct traffic. If a water main 

breaks, they will report it to the proper city agency." 

Uptown, Inc., is now working with area businesses to ensure that the security 

patrols continue after the 3-year EZ funding has expired. Several businesses have 

expressed a willingness to pay an annual subscription fee to fund the program on 

an ongoing basis. 

"I see Uptown's patrol vehicles daily, and they are extremely capable in responding to our special needs," says Ramona Welch, a representative of the Hattenbach 

Company, a finn that has expanded its industrial operations with the help of an 

EZ loan. 

For more information contact Gina Johnson, EZ Assistant Administrator, at 

216-66~165. 

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EC's Community Outreach Program Addresses 

Domestic Violence 

New Orleans, Louisiana, EC 

"We have worked in New Orleans to bring together the law enforcement, criminal 

justice, and social service provider communities to provide a coordinated 

response to domestic violence," says Mayor Marc H. Morial. In keeping with the 

city's domestic violence ordinance and the Mayor's Domestic Violence Advisory 

Committee, the Algiers EC Council is assisting battered women and their children, some of whom may experience both domestic violence and homeless ness 

resulting from the violence. The EC offers outreach and referral services for educational prevention, counseling, and emergency shelter through its Community 

Outreach Program. 

Although most of the City of New Orleans is located on the East bank of the 

Mississippi, the Algiers neighborhood is on the West bank, separating victims of 

domestic violence who live there from services available to the rest of the city. 

Many victims are low-income women with children who cannot afford transportation to ongoing counseling services and emergency shelter on the opposite side of 

the river. The Community Outreach Program provides counseling and emergency 

shelter within the Algiers community for battered women and their children. 

The program was established in January 1997 with the assistance of the YWCA. 

It is presently supported by $64,000 in funding from the New Orleans EC, as well 

as additional funds provided by the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, 

and an Emergency Shelter Grant. The staff consists of a counselor/coordinator, a 

crime victim advocate, and a bookkeeper/clerk. Victims are referrals from the 

courts, churches, health agencies, the Fourth District Police Precinct, and walk-ins. 

In 1998 the program provided shelter for 136 victims, transportation and meals 

for 41 victims, and counseling for 99 children after acts of domestic violence. 

Program staff also received 114 crisis hotline calls. The program is now registered 

with the National Domestic Violence Hotline and America Responds With Love, 

Inc. According to Mayor Morial, "The Algiers Community Outreach Program is 

providing the missing link in our efforts to reach the victims of domestic violence 

in the Algiers community." 

For more information contact Thelma French, New Orleans EC Administrator, at 

504--565-6414. 

Taking Control of St. Louis' Neighborhoods 

St. louis, Missouri/East St. Louis, Illinois, EZ 

If the streets and neighborhoods in St. Louis' EZ feel safer and cleaner, it is due 

to the hard work and dedication of volunteers in the area's Crime Deterrence 

Program. Originally designed as a way of taking control and combating the 

increasing crime and vandalism rates in 12 local neighborhoods, the program 

instills a growing sense of community involvement as local residents band together to make a difference. 

What Works! Volume III 
"Ever since we began this program, our crime rates have gone down quite a bit," 

says volunteer Pat Horak. This has been accomplished by building gangway gates 

to prevent local thieves from having easy access to apartments and businesses. In 

addition, the program enlisted the help of a local church, which enhanced the 

lighting on selected streets to deter crime. 

Volunteers in the program work in close collaboration with other crime prevention 

organizations in the city. One such partnership has been with Operation 

Safestreet, a citywide program that provides dead bolt locks, peepholes, and 

smoke detectors to victims of burglaries, the elderly, and the disabled. This partnership also provides a car collar program to protect area residents' cars from 

being stolen. "As a result of this antitheft program, car thefts went down in our 

area," says Horak. "We only had two cars broken into during a 2-month period, 

which is amazing considering the environment in our neighborhoods." 

The program's success can best be measured by the residents' feelings of safety 

and community. Instead of feeling devastated and insecure as a result of being a 

victim, the residents who participate in the Crime Deterrence Program are 

empowered with a sense of control and strength that enhances the entire EZ area. 

For more information contact Pat Horak of the Crime Deterrence Program, at 

314-772-5908. 

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Community Policing Program Attacks Drug Abuse 

and Other Crime 

City of Lock Hoven, Pennsylvania, EC 

"Since the inception of this program we have seen an unprecedented level of 

cooperation and support from residents, small businesses, agencies, and schools," 

says Jeff Fritts, Community Policing Officer. "We are making a tremendous difference together. This is a good idea, a good concept, and a good program." The 

City of Lock Haven's Community Policing Program is benefitting from Federal 

programs and local contributions in 1999. The program recently received a 

Federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing 

Program to hire a second officer. The $75,000 grant, coupled with local funds, will 

provide resources for one officer's salary for 3 years. The new officer will assist in 

implementing the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program and will 

provide more services under community policing. A local car dealer donated a 

minivan to the city's Community Policing Program. The van will be used to 

expand community policing services to serve more neighborhoods. 

The Community Policing Program has also set up an anonymous tip phone line 

paid for by EC funds. This line will enable community residents to feel safe sharing tips that help solve or stop crime. The phone calls will not be monitored. In 

addition to the phone line, the Community Policing Program has a home page at 

http://www.goplay.comllhpd. 

The DARE program will be coming soon to EC elementary schools. A local officer will receive DARE training in early 1999 and upon completion of the program 

will provide the drug education and awareness program to elementary school students in the fall. 

For more information contact Maria Boileau, Federal Enterprise Coordinator, 

Lock Haven EC, at 570-893-5907. 

Courtesy Patrol Combines Welfare to Work With 

Public Safety Assistance 

McDowell County, West Virginia, EC 

In a project combining public safety and job creation, the McDowell Countybased West Virginia Courtesy Patrol is making highways in West Virginia safer 

and more hospitable while employing 133 people through West Virginia's welfare 

reform program, West Virginia Works. The project includes a coalition of State, 

Federal, and local entities, including several departments of the West Virginia 

State government and the McDowell County Action Network (McCAN), the local 

EC, under the leadership of Dr. Clif Moore. 

West Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood says, ''The program puts people to work 

patrolling our eight interstates and five Appalachian Corridor highways by helping drivers in need, contacting emergency crews when appropriate, removing hazards from the roadways, and enhancing the safety of our highways." 

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This $3.6-million program is a joint venture of the West Virginia Department of 

Education, the Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Employment 

Programs, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the West Virginia 

State Police. The West Virginia Citizens Conservation Corps, under the leadership 

of Bobby Martin, manages the Courtesy Patrol, and Welch native Jennifer Douglas 

directs it. Twelve employees are from McDowell County. The patrol works 24 

hours a day, 365 days a year. Motorists who need help may call for free assistance 

at 1-888-359-3683. Although 22 States have courtesy patrol programs, West 

Virginia's program is the first in the country to operate on a statewide basis. 

Jennifer Douglas, the project's Coordinator, says that "McCAN and Dr. Clif 

Moore were among the partners on this project and they were instrumental in 

pushing it along." For example, McCAN provided support and logistical assistance from the beginning of the project, such as providing transportation for 

McDowell County employees to attend the training seminar for the project. "All 

the partners are crucial, and we have appreciated the EC's support, "Douglas 

said. 

Douglas said that many people who have been stranded on West Virginia's highways have been profoundly grateful for the courtesy patrol's help. ''They have 

said, for example, 'I don't know what we would have done without the patrol when 

our car broke down in the cold weather.'" 

For more information contact Dr. Clif Moore, McDowell County Action Network, 

at 304-448-2118. 

EZ Helps Reduce Emergency Response Time 

Rio Grande Valley, Texas, EZ 

Doctors and ambulances are few and far between in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. 

Five years ago, emergency response times averaged from 42 to 50 minutes, which 

meant long and sometimes lethal waits for medical assistance. That response time 

is now down to 12 minutes thanks to EZ resources. 

The EZ's work in this project has received national attention. An article in the 

Wall Street Journal in January 1999 described the various issues facing the 

Southwest border region. The Journal observed that many rural residents along 

the border who live far from hospitals lack adequate transportation and cited the 

Rio Grande Valley EZ's work in reducing emergency responses time as an example of how to effectively attack the problem. The EZ helped a business, Advanced 

Cardiac and Trauma, reduce emergency response time by providing an $80,000 

grant toward the $700,000 startup costs. The money helped buy six used ambulances and other emergency medical care equipment. The EZ also provided 

resources to train EZ residents as emergency medical technicians and paramedics. 

The project was doubly successful because it met the goals of both developing 

businesses and reducing emergency response time for rural residents in the Rio 

Grande Valley EZ, says Bonnie Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of the EZ. 

What Works! Volume 111 
For more information contact Yvonne Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer, Rio 

Grande Valley EZ, at 956-514-4000. RURAL 

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New Shopping Center To Keep Dollars in Community 

Albany/Schenectady/Troy, New York, EC 

Residents of Arbor Hills in Albany will soon be spending their dollars at a local 

shopping center. The Gateway Commons initiative, sponsored by the Urban 

League of Northeast New York, will help redevelop the Henry Johnson Boulevard 

commercial corridor. The new 120,000-square-foot neighborhood shopping center in historic Arbor Hill will give residents access to quality, affordable goods and 

services close to their homes and will create permanent private-sector jobs. 

The $11.4-million initiative will receive $150,000 in EC funds. Because the 

Commons has both EC and EZ designations, it can provide incentives for businesses to locate there, including employment tax credits; property tax abatement; 

discounted telephone and utility services; and low-interest property, equipment, 

and working capital loans. 

Gateway Commons will include up to 14 new retail stores and nearly 50,000 

square feet of professional office space. The Commons will have a supermarket, 

bank, dry cleaner, video store, fast-food restaurants, a sitdown family restaurant, 

a hair care products store, a dollar store, and a newsstand. The office space will 

be occupied by Millennium Technology Solutions, a subsidiary of National 

Finance Corporation; a medical facility; a satellite office of a local college; and 

city agencies. 

The money residents spend at Gateway Commons will directly benefit their community by stimulating commercial and residential development in the area and by 

creating training, education, and employment opportunities for residents. The 

Urban League has promised to provide a minimum of 75 private, permanent, fulltime jobs for EC residents and is projecting the creation of up to 400 such jobs. 

Gateway Commons will have a "main street" feel created by awnings and wide 

sidewalks to encourage foot traffic. The site will also have benches, trees, antique 

streetlighting, and a clock tower. At the same time, the buildings are designed to 

be "smart" buildings with sophisticated communications infrastructures and 

advanced energy and technology services, making them serviceable and marketable for years to come. 

For more information contact Anthony Tozzi, Center for Economic Growth, at 

518-465-8975. 

Return of Wimpy Burgers Signals 


Corridor's Reiuvenation 


Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC 

When the Red Ball Cafe reopened it doors in April 1998, residents of the 

Albuquerque EC knew something important was happening. Most residents still 

remembered the original cafe, an area landmark where they often gathered 

to socialize and eat Wimpy Burgers. The return of the cafe-and its famou s 

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burger-was a hopeful sign for an area that had not experienced much hope since 

the 50-year-old cafe closed in 1979. 

The South Fourth Street Corridor where the cafe is located has had a long and 

somewhat rocky history. Originally part of the Camino Real or "Royal Road" built 

by the Spanish, the corridor was a vibrant commercial area until the 1970s. Then 

business declined for the local railroad yards, decimating the local economy. Not 

long afterward, a downtown redevelopment project closed a portion of Fourth 

Street and diverted traffic away from the corridor, striking a final blow to the EC's 

commercial area. Until 1995 the corridor was "literally dead," says EC 

Coordinator Sylvia Fettes. Vacant, boarded-up, and rundown buildings were 

plentiful. 

To get businesses and customers back to the area, the city used $1.4 million in 

general operating funds and approximately $100,000 in leveraged money to begin 

the South Fourth Street Revitalization in 1995. Through the Streets cape 

Improvement Project, the city replaced streetlights in the area with lamps that 

matched the corridor's southwestern architecture. The city also installed tile 

murals throughout the neighborhood. 

With an additional $500,000 in operating funds, the city began offering $2,000 

grants to any business interested in improving the facade of its building. Through 

the ongoing program, EC businesses can also apply for deferred loans of up to 

$25,000 to upgrade their properties, as long as they match the loan amount with 

private funds. Almost 50 businesses have taken advantage of the city's grants. So 

far 25 businesses have accepted the loans and brought $100,000 in private money 

to the area. 

The Red Ball Cafe has become a symbol of the revitalization's success. 

Determined to rescue the landmark eatery, the city purchased the cafe building 

for $60,000 and later sold it to local builder Jim Chavez for $10,000. Chavez, an 

EC resident who grew up eating Wimpy Burgers, used both the $2,000 facade 

improvement grant and the $25,000 deferred loan to renovate the building, 

matching loan monies with more than $50,000 of his own funds. Because the cafe 

is located in a historic district, Chavez also used Historic Preservation Tax Credits 

to fund the project, which he estimates cost more than $100,000. 

"1 think [the cafe] has great potential," Chavez told the Albuquerque Journal. 

"We're hoping that it will be the link to tie the whole community together and 

we're hoping that other businesses will want to start moving in here." 

For more information contact Sylvia Fettes, Albuquerque's EC Coordinator, at 

505-768-2860. 

Renovated Factory Brings Hope of Economic Renewal 

Cleveland, Ohio, EZ 

An abandoned shock absorber factory located in the Cleveland, Ohio, EZ stood 

for many years as a demoralizing reminder of the Glenville neighborhood's 

economic decline. Now, the two-story brick building houses the Glenville 

What Works! Vo lum e III 
Enterprise Center and IS offering its neighborhood hope of economIC 

revitalization. 

The center serves as the headquarters of Shorebank Cleveland, a nationally recognized community development bank. It also provides space for a full-service 

retail bank branch, a 42-company business incubator, offices for six communitybased organizations, and the EZ-funded Center for Employment Training (CET). 

"What you had there 3 years ago was an abandoned factory, right in the middle of 

what you could call the downtown of the Glenville neighborhood," says EZ director Chris Warren. "It was sapping the neighborhood's strength and not giving anything back to the community. What we have today is a restored building housing 

over 40 companies and a very strong industrial trades program. The factory has 

been revived as a community-based effort to help residents acquire and make use 

of capital and wealth." 

The factory renovation, completed in 1998, was funded by a $926,000 EZ loan 

together with a $600,000 U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development 

Administration grant. Shorebank, which owns the building, leveraged another $7 

million in investments to make the renovations possible. Shorebank runs the business incubator, and CET operates the job-training program. 

CET's Cleveland operation is a spinoff of a successful labor force development 

program started in San Jose, California. With assistance from the U.S. Department 

of Labor and Cleveland EZ funding, CET has established a hands-on, no-frills 

program to train EZ residents in welding, machine tooling, shipping and receiving, and graphic arts. More than 90 residents completed the program in its first 

year. Recent renovations to the building will allow CET to add training components in the future. 

For more information contact Chris Warren, EZ Director, at 216-664-3611. 

Residents Use Paint To Wage War 


Columbus, Ohio, EZ 


Residents and businesses in the Columbus, Ohio, EZ, are waging an all-out war 

to protect public and private propelty in the EZ. No one gets hurt in these battles, 

which are waged with paintbrushes and power washers. 

"Graffiti is detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of our urban neighborhoods, not just its physical image," says Jerolyn Barbee-Fombi, a staff person with 

Columbus Compact Corporation, the official board of the EZ. "Graffiti creates a 

perception in the community that laws protecting public and private property can 

be disregarded, and that a neighborhood is in a state of decline." 

Through the Graffiti Busters Program, the Compact works in partnership with 

community residents, organizations, and local government to remove graffiti. 

Compact staff members meet with residents to discuss their concerns, secure 

graffiti-removing supplies for community groups, and contact property owners 

who have graffiti on their buildings. 

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During 1998 the Compact created a Graffiti Hotline that residents can use to 

report graffiti. In addition, a Youth Mural Project matches local artists with property owners who want murals painted on their commercial buildings. Community 

youth and adult volunteers have completed seven art murals to date. 

"The Youth Mural Project is creating a sense of community and neighborhood 

pride and making the city more beautiful for residents and tourists," says BarbeeFombi. "It also is creating partnerships between neighbors, property owners, 

artists, and the community. Plus, it gives the young people a positive alternative 

to graffiti writing." 

In 1999 the Compact organized a special daylong event during which residents 

and representatives from 12 community organizations fanned out across the EZ to 

remove graffiti. Throughout the year, volunteer teams will remove graffiti on private property once the property owner agrees to the removal. The Compact is 

working with the Columbus City Council to evaluate and possibly strengthen current regulations. The Compact also is partnering with the City of Columbus 

Department of Code Enforcement, the Columbus Police Department, the Franklin 

County Environmental Court, Keep Columbus Beautiful, and the Franklin County 

Solid Waste Authority to make plans for additional graffiti removal projects. 

The EZ's $10,000 investment in the Graffiti Busters Program is supplemented by 

a $20,000 grant from the Columbus Foundation; the grant allows the program to 

operate in entire neighborhoods, not just EZ census tracts within neighborhoods. 

The Compact also received a $300 grant from the National Paint and Coatings 

Foundation of Washington, D.C., for paint supplies. Local paint stores also have 

donated supplies. 

For more information contact lerolyn Barbee-Fombi or Peggy Murphy, Columbus 

Compact Corporation, at 614-251-0926. 

Streetlights Create Safe Corners 

Indianapolis, Indiana, EC 

"EC residents could not afford to install new lights in their neighborhood. The 

Lighten Up the EC program has allowed for the installation of streetlights in the 

community," says Amy Arnold, Indianapolis' EC Coordinator. In an effort to 

reduce its utility costs, the City of Indianapolis placed a moratorium on the installation of new streetlights in the 1970s. Mter the moratorium, residents were 

required to pay the utility costs of streetlights they wanted installed in their neighborhoods. The Indianapolis EC recognized that residents living in the EC often 

could not afford to install much-needed streetlights. With the goal of keeping the 

EC streets well lit, the EC partnered with the Indianapolis Foundation to establish an endowment that would pay for the installation and the utility costs of 

200 new streetlights. The Lighten Up the EC program has brought EC residents, 

grassroots organizations, and police officers together to identify the darkest corners in the EC. In the Mapleton-Fall Creek neighborhood of the EC, the neighborhood association picks dimly lit areas for new lights, concentrating on areas 

where the residents are elderly. 

What Works! Volume III 
A total of 182 streetlights have now been installed and the EC is pleased to report 

that well-lit street comers, combined with other public safety efforts, have helped 

to deter property crime and drug transactions in the EC. Al Polin, Neighborhood 

Coordinator for the Mapleton-Fall Creek Neighborhood Association, tells of a 

woman who had tried for years to get a streetlight installed in front of her home. 

With the new streetlight in place, she feels safer going in and out of her house at 

night. "Lighting placed in the community has been a positive movement for helping alleviate home burglary, vandalism, and other crime taking place in the neighborhood," says Polin. 

For more information contact Amy Arnold, EC Coordinator, City of Indianapolis, 

at 317-327-7876. 

Philadelphia Field of Dreams 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, l'lew Jersey, EZ 

This North Philadelphia community scored a home run when it celebrated the 

inauguration of its ballfield in May 1998. After a ribbon-cutting and children's 

parade, ownership of the ballfield was transferred from the city to this mostly 

Latino community adjacent to a dilapidated manufacturing section. 

"The community had wanted a ballfield for 20 years," says Anthony Washington, 

an American Street resident and Recreation Department employee. Youth had few 

places but vacant lots and abandoned industrial sites to play. The nearby intersection at Third and Cumberland Streets was a haven for drug addicts. When the 

area received EZ designation in 1994, "We held a town meeting to designate EZ 

projects, and recreation got the most votes," says Washington. 

Community organizations, residents, city government, local utility companies, and 

the EZ Community Trust Board, collaborated to bring about the ballpark. The EZ 

contributed $150,000, and the city contributed $400,000. Planners had to fight 

critics who said that EZ money should be used solely for economic development, 

not recreation. But others, including Michael DiBerardinis, EZ Trust Board member and the city's Recreation Commissioner, disagreed. "We have to create a 

neighborhood that can sustain [economic development], that can enhance and 

support the process by making the area a place where people want to live and 

businesses will want to come." 

Where to build the ballfield was also a problem. The intersection of Fourth 

and Dauphin Streets was chosen because it was surrounded by vacant lots. 

It was also adjacent to the John Welsh Elementary School, which exchanged some 

of its property in return for rights to the complex during school hours. 

The intersection was eliminated and traffic rerouted to create the huge field. 

Electric and phone lines had to be moved and several properties were demolished. Ground was broken in May 1997. 

The ballfield has been a success. More than 40 coaches and assistant coaches 

signed on last year for approximately 20 Little League baseball teams. The ballpark also contains space for a soccer field and basketball courts. Teenage parents 

are now getting the opportunity to enjoy activities they couldn't participate in as 

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children. Rosalie Sotomajor, 18, lives close to the ballpark. "It's a great park," she 

says, adding, "My son loves the grass." 

For more information contact Eva Gladstein, Executive Director, City of 

Philadelphia, at 215-683-0462. 

15th Street Gateway To Become an Artistic 

City Welcome 

Tacoma, Washington, EC 

A recent Rural/Urban Design Assistance Team study included recommendations 

for development of a core lO-square-block area of the Tacoma EC that includes 

both residential and commercial properties. The Tacoma Empowerment 

Consortium (TEC) is working with the implementation team and the City of 

Tacoma to implement the plan. 

A major entry point into the City of Tacoma off the interstate highway (1-5) is the 

1-705 spur, which leads directly to the main downtown artery, Pacific Avenue and 

15th Street. 

One of the study's major recommendations is a special gateway design using environmental art to create a distinct sense of arrival at the Pacific Avenue intersection and extend up along the entire length of 15th Street to Tacoma Avenue. A 

thematic "art walk" will have other distinct gateways located at the cross streets 

of Broadway, Market, and Fawcett. 

TEC expects that the project will commence during 1999 and that both temporary 

construction jobs and permanent jobs will grow out of the effort. TEC will advocate that EC residents have access to those jobs and to resulting entrepreneurial 

opportunities. 

For more information contact Dr. Shirl E. Gilbert II, Tacoma Empowerment 

Consortium, at 253-274--1288. 

Rite-Aid Store Will Foster New Business Growth 

Tacoma, Washington, EC 

The Tacoma EC worked with community leaders and the leadership of the Tacoma 

"Main Street" effort to put together a project to demolish a full block of historic, 

but old and poorly maintained, buildings and build a much-needed, full-service 

Rite-Aid drugstore in the area. 

The project is located in the heart of the Tacoma EC and will anchor a revitalization of the historic Upper Tacoma business district, formerly a vibrant, predominantly African-American business enclave. This project will provide more than 

100 jobs for inner-city Tacoma and the EC and will spin off new businesses, which 

the Tacoma Empowerment Consortium will catalyze using its participation in the 

collaboration for the area and its microloan outreach and awards programs. 

For more information contact Dr. Shirl E. Gilbert II, Tacoma Empowerment 

Consortium, at 253-274--1288. 

What Works! Volume III 
Waterway Development and Municipal Dock Building 

Renovation Will Bring Community Together 

Tacoma, Washington, EC 

The most comprehensive, far-reaching development project initiated in Tacoma in 

more than 20 years will be the development of the Thea Foss Waterway, a 1.5-mile 

inlet off Commencement Bay that runs along the downtown shoreline. After several years of study and review by city officials and citizens of Tacoma, the city 

purchased 27 acres of property on the western side of the waterway at a cost of 

$6.8 million. 

The city's plans for this former industrial area focus on one goal: public access. 

The development will include a shoreline promenade that will accommodate 

pedestrians, bicyclists, and rollerbladers and will feature landscaping, play areas, 

and public piers. It will include a civic plaza and a place for open-air concerts, 

art displays, and other public gatherings overlooking the waterway. 

The Thea Foss Public Development Authority (TFPDA) has also combined with 

city agencies, the Tacoma Empowerment Consortium (TEC), and private businesses and individuals is considering a total renovation of the more than centuryold Municipal Dock Building. The project would create a festival marketplace of 

shops and eateries with a theme that embraces the historic maritime history of the 

old dock area and include water-based recreational activities on the Thea Foss 

Waterway. The project will be part of the larger renovation and revitalization of the 

Tacoma Dock Street and waterfront areas. TEC and TFPDA envision a culinary 

academy as part of the dock building renovation effort, which will train EC residents in culinary skills specializing in seafood and Pacific Northwest cuisine. 

The Thea Foss Waterway project will create hundreds of temporary and permanent jobs. The dock building renovation effort will provide hundreds of additional jobs for EC residents in the daily operation of the marketplace and through the 

academy and recreational activities. TEC will work to ensure the involvement of 

EC residents in the workforce as well as in the entrepreneurial opportunities that 

result from the development. 

For more information contact Dr. Shirl E. Gilbert II, Tacoma Empowerment 

Consortium, at 253-274-1288. 

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Innovative Bus Service Allows Rural Residents To 


Reach City Jobs and Services 


Accomack-Northampton, Virginia, EC 

People who live in rural areas almost always depend on their cars to get around. 

But what if a person is too young or old to drive, or is disabled or in ill health? 

The Accomack-Northampton EC is alleviating this problem with its Shore Transit 

and Rideshare (STAR) Project, which enables people to get to jobs and social 

services. 

"One of the things I'm most proud of is that persons with disabilities who have no 

other means of transport can use our buses, all of which are accessible," notes 

George Goodrow of STAR. "People are spared the red tape of social servicessupplied transit, and the public is spared the cost of it." The project has transformed lives. Goodrow cites the example of a woman who was on welfare for years. 

She started working at a fast-food restaurant using STAR. She found a better job 

and still rode STAR. One day she wasn't on the bus. By accessing public transportation she was able to find a job and eventually save up enough to buy a car. 

STAR has started five bus lines that serve the rural Virginia portion of the Eastern 

Shore's Delmarva Peninsula, allowing people to travel across the Chesapeake Bay 

Bridge Tunnel to the populous Hampton Roads metropolitan area for $1 each way, 

without having to pay the $20 bridge toll. The buses run three round trips each 

day, in the morning, midday, and evening. Approximately 3,000 people use STAR 

services each month. 

The project is funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Transportation's 

Federal Transit Administration. This year's grant totals $92,000. The Virginia 

Department of Transportation is contributing another $42,000, and the two counties that make up the EC are donating $30,000. STAR is raising about $8,000 

from ads on the sides of the buses. A STAR survey shows that, for every $1 of local 

funds spent on the transit service, the EC's economy benefits to the tune of $18 in 

Accomack County and $40 in Northampton County. The total return on investment was approximately $1 million in 1998. Each of the 100 bus stops has schedules available, and local radio, television, and newspapers run public service ads 

for STAR. Other partners include the community college and businesses that contribute through a partnership donation program. 

For more information contact George Goodrow, Public Transit Manager, STAR, at 

757-665-1994. 

EC Helps Township Win 30-Year Quest To Gain 


AHordable, Safe Heating 


Lake County, Michigan, EC 

The Lake County EC worked with State, local, and private-sector officials to bring 

natural gas to Yates Township. The community had been trying to get access to 

natural gas for 30 years. Officials of MichCon, which will bling natural gas to the 

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community, said, "We're very proud to welcome Yates Township into the family of 

communities [that] depend on MichCon to heat their homes and businesses and 

to fuel industry throughout Michigan." 

Local officials said this development would provide affordable heating for senior 

citizens, while enhancing year-round promotion of the community. The local community became the first village in Michigan to provide money up front for the 

installation of natural gas services. 

"We had to overcome the initial resistance of the gas company to put natural gas 

into that area," says Mary Trucks of the Lake County, Michigan, EC. More than 

60 percent of the gas users are expected to be low-income households, with the 

great majority of the users being residential and noncommercial customers; thus, 

the company was at first concemed that profit margins would not be large enough 

for them to justify providing this service. The EC and other local supporters of the 

project negotiated a price to get the gas, which is not only cheaper but safer. 

Trucks explains that when users had to use fuel from their own tank, they had no 

one to call to fix a problem with an individual tank. Now, the gas company will 

come out and repair problems. She emphasizes that "our motivation was not only 

economic development, but also improving the quality of life." 

Trucks says that one of the key actions in getting the company to bring natural gas 

service to the local area came in the form of legislation exempting the EC "from 

a personal property tax, so that the utility did not have to pay it." The EC gained 

crucial support for the legislation from State Senator Bill Schuette, and Govemor 

John Engler signed it into law in December 1998. "This legislation would not 

have been possible if we were not an Enterprise Community," Trucks says. 

As part of the agreement, the supporters of the project had negotiated that if they 

succeeded in getting the legislation passed, funds from the tax savings would be 

retumed to the EC and applied to fund assistance for low-income residents of the 

community. After the tax exemption legislation for the EC became law, the company sent a substantial check to the EC representing the savings from the taxes 

that it did not have to pay. 

Harry Brummer of USDA's Rural Development in Michigan says that the natural 

gas project for Yates Township "is what the EC is supposed to be about. It is a 

combination of State, Federal, and private enterprise." 

For more information contact Mary Trucks, Lake County EC, at 616-757-3785. 

EC Pursues Ambitious Infrastructure Proiects 

Macon Ridge, Louisiana, EC 

Rural areas facing the challenge of building infrastructure can be inspired by the 

story of the Macon Ridge EC, which is one of the largest rural ECs in the Nation. 

It covers 12 parishes (counties) and includes 10 municipalities. But its size has 

not stopped Macon Ridge from pursuing a range of basic infrastructure projects 

that are dramatically improving its water supply and other essential services. 

What Worksl Volume III 
"It's refreshing to know that during a time when the public seems apathetic about 

projects for poor people, the EZIEC initiative is helping the poorest people in 

rural America," says Buddy Spiller of Macon Ridge Economic Development 

Region, Inc., a nonprofit that works closely with the EC . "It's obvious from the 

amount of money funded in our EC and the number of people benefiting that this 

initiative is succeeding here." 

Examples of Macon Ridge's success abound. The Turkey Creek Water System 

received a $1.8-million grant and a loan of $695,000 to build a rural water distribution system, including production wells, elevated storage tank, distribution 

lines, and service connections for approximately 400 households in Franklin 

Parish. In the town of Ferriday, a Rural Business Enterprise Grant of $225,000 

was used to acquire the land and building for the EC Resource Center. In 

Harrisonburg, a $250,000 grant and $200,000 loan were used to finance a new 

wastewater treatment facility. In the Concordia Parish Water District, a 

$1.3 million grant and $482,000 loan enabled an inadequate water system to be 

upgraded with three new water wells, four exchange units, a new metal building, 

and a 200,000-gallon potable water storage tank. In the towns of Wisner, 

Newellton, and St. Joseph and in Catahoula Parish, USDA Community Facilities 

grants were used to buy better firefighting and police equipment. 

The Macon Ridge infrastructure development effort was begun by the EC, which 

easily received the cooperation of public officials throughout the region. The 

infrastructure projects began in 1998 when the EC received USDA Rural 

Development funding. The projects will continue over the next ~ years. 

For more information contact Buddy Spiller, President, Macon Ridge Economic 

Development Region, Inc., at 318-757-3033. 

EC Brings Water and Sewer Service 


to County Residents 


Scott-McCreary Area, Tennessee-Kentucky, EC 

"In our 80-year existence, we'd never had a sewer system in this county and still 

wouldn't without the EC," says Bruce Murphy, Deputy County ludgelExecutive. 

Once the county received EC designation, the Water District began two major 

public infrastructure projects. Both were completed in fall 1998. The first is 

McCreary County's first publicly owned and operated sanitary sewer system. It 

provides access to sanitary sewer services for 365 households and businesses in 

the Whitley City and Marshes Siding communities. 

The second infrastructure project expanded the district's water delivery system to 

provide access to potable water for 127 households and businesses in the Indian 

Knob, Nevelsville, Sawyer, and Wolfe Ridge communities. USDA and the 

Economic Development Administration (EDA) provided funding for a new onemillion gallon per day water treatment facility to provide safe, clean water for the 

residents of McCreary County. 

For more information contact Leslie Winningham, Scott McCreary Area EC, at 

615-741-6852. 

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Historic District Gets Set To Rise Again 

Houston, Texas, EEC 

For nearly 5 years, community activists on Washington and Houston Avenues 

have struggled to bring relief to the distressed conditions of this historic neighborhood on Houston's West side. For most of that time it was a lonely effort, but 

now these committed volunteers have the city backing them with a $20,000 grant 

to supplement the $30,000 they have raised themselves. At last this beleaguered 

neighborhood, once at the heart of Houston's famed streetcar district, is set for 

major urban renewal. 

In November 1998 the Washington and Houston Avenues Historic District 

became an official economic development corridor program. The project is a collaborative effort of local businesses, organizations, neighborhood associations, 

government agencies, and residents to bring about a more positive image of the 

area and attract new businesses and development. "It's one of the few programs 

that has put together a coalition of not only the businesses, but the residents that 

surround the corridor so that everyone has a voice in it," says Judith Butler of the 

Mayor's Office. 

"In the next couple of years, we want you to see new businesses and pedestrian 

traffic on tree-lined streets," explains Barbara Coffee, Executive Director of the 

Washington and Houston Avenues Corridor Revitalization. This vision is in sharp 

contrast to the barbed wire and boarded windows that have dominated the view for 

so long. A mixture of residential, commercial, and industrial properties, this area 

contains some of Houston's oldest structures. 

The timing could not be better for a full-fledged revitalization program in the 

neighborhood. "With all the exciting developments in downtown Houston, this is 

the perfect time for Washington and Houston Avenues to put on their best faces," 

notes Coffee. ''These thoroughfares are key entrances to the theater district, the 

municipal complex, and soon-to-be ballpark." 

While the project is still in its infancy, already there are several reasons to celebrate. R&F Antiques, a major retailer in Houston, has relocated from the 

Morningside area of the city onto Washington Avenue, filling 60,000 square feet 

of abandoned office space. Vacant lots have been subdivided by developers and 

planned new apartment buildings are expected to accommodate 4,000 additional 

residents. ''That will be a huge jump-start for other development along the corridor," says Coffee. 

''The main purpose is to bring people back into the area," says Mike Montalbano, 

a member of the project's oversight board who grew up in the area. "We want to 

bring businesses back and residents back." The way things are going, it looks like 

they will. 

For more information contact Judith Butler, the Mayor's Office, at 713-247-2666. 

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Milwaukee's Brownfields Create 

Employment Opportunities 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, EC 

Residents and community groups in Milwaukee's EC are joining with investors, 

social services agencies, job-training agencies, and land developers to address 

job creation in communities with brownfields. 

Once an area of thriving foundries and manuIacturers, the contaminated soils of 

the Menomonee River Valley are once again contributing to a strong Milwaukee 

economy. "The goal is to enable cleanup of brownIields and to prepare trainees for 

jobs in the environmental industry," states Glen Mattison, Milwaukee's EC 

Program Officer. 

With $50,000 from the EC and a recent $200,000 training grant from the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, underemployed and unemployed residents 

from Milwaukee's low-income neighborhoods are being assigned to complete 

building trade projects and environmental initiatives such as park improvements. 

Under the pilot program, trainees join the Milwaukee Community Service Corps 

(MCSC) and receive guidance from skilled instructors. MCSC has provided youth 

ages 18 to 23 with successful job training and placement for the past 

7 years. As part of their environmental training, corps members receive 40 hours 

of instruction in lead and asbestos abatement and the safe handling of hazardous 

materials. 

For mOre information contact Glenn Mattison, EC Program Officer, at 

414-286-3760. 

Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center Combines Business 

With Environment 

Minneapolis, Minnesota, EZ 

Is it possible to combine the needs of office and industrial businesses with environmental concerns? Yes, and the Green Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is 

leading the way by constructing the Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center, one of the 

"greenest" commercial buildings in the Midwest. 

Located at Hiawatha Avenue and 28th Street, this $5-million building will be one 

of "the most environmentally sound and energy-efficient buildings of its kind in 

the Nation," says Michael Krause, President of the Green Institute. As a tenant in 

the building, the institute will be developing business assistance and workforce 

readiness services in addition to its existing programs, such as the 

DeConstruction Services and Reuse Center, which offer residents training opportunities and employment related to the environmental field. 

Scheduled to open in July 1999, the 64,OOO-square-foot facility includes unique 

design features such as wind and solar energy systems, ground source heating and 

cooling, advanced daylighting systems, high-efficiency light and energy controls, 

and the use of salvaged materials in construction. The Center will use 45 percent 

less energy than structures built to current building code standards, according to 

What Worksl Volume III 
Krause. In addition, all of the project's storm water will be treated onsite. The 

facility also includes a half-acre native prairie restoration and a 4,800-square-foot 

rooftop garden. 

Funding for the project comes from Bremer Bank and the Minnesota Department 

of Trade and Economic Development. Future tenants of the facility will include 

businesses from Minnesota's growing environmental and energy-related sectors 

such as environmental technology, recycling, and energy conservation. Once completed, the center will bling 150 new jobs to the Phillips neighborhood, at least 

half of which are projected to be filled by local residents who receive public assistance or live below the poverty line. 

For more information contact Michael Krause, Director, Phillips Eco-Enterprise 

Center, at 612-874-1148. 

Cleaning Up Omaha One Block At a Time 

Omaha, Nebraska, EC 

The Block-by-Block 2000 Program is sweeping the streets-literally-of 

Omaha's most depressed neighborhoods. Volunteers come together, armed with 

shovels, chainsaws, and heavy-duty garbage bags to clean and repair some of the 

city's ugliest eyesores. The volunteers are predominantly residents of the neighborhood, but they come from other areas of the city as well. 

Mayor Hal Daub, for example, has participated in several of the program's Action 

Days, and is one of the most enthusiastic volunteers. "It's a real example of individuals and employers caring for their communities," he said on the first Action 

Day in August 1998. Since then block cleanups are occurring at an average rate 

of one per week. 

"Block-by-Block 2000 is based on the idea that a clean neighborhood is a safe 

neighborhood," says Scott Knudsen, Executive Director of the Omaha EC. "And 

a safe, clean neighborhood," Knudsen insists, "nurtures pride and invites investment, which leads to prosperity and an enhanced quality of life." 

Individuals, neighborhood associations, and churches that wish to see their 

blocks included in the program are invited to nominate the block by calling the 

mayor's office. Once a block is selected, assessment teams of neighborhood association leaders, block residents, and city employees make a curbside assessment 

of public and private properties. The assessment checklist covers such infrastructure needs as streets, sidewalks, and sewers and can include basic structural restoration recommendations. Once the preliminary work is done and the block 

is approved for improvement, the Action Day is planned. Neighborhood volunteers, community leaders, city leaders, corporations, charitable organizations, 

churches, and anyone else who wants to participate get together for the cleanup. 

The majority of the work includes minor structural repair and removal of weeds, 

brush, tree limbs, and litter. 

The goal of the program is to cle::ln up, fix up, and achieve full city code compliance for the benefit and enjoyment of the neighborhood residents and the entire 

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community. Although the program is supported by EC and City of Omaha funding, broad community and private-sector volunteerism and involvement is essential to this program's success. 

For additional information contact Scott Knudsen, EC Coordinator, at 

402-444--5381. 

Extension Agents Help Small Firms With 

Environmental Complexities 

Seattle, Washington, EC 

Small companies often find the challenge of complying with complex environmental regulations burdensome. A project in the Seattle EC is giving these firms 

the extra help they need with environmental services. 

"This is one of the first private nonprofits to form a bridge between government 

regulatory agencies and businesses," notes Charlie Cunniff, who directs the 

Environmental Extension Service project for the Environmental Coalition of South 

Seattle, Inc. (ECOSS). an established nonprofit organization. The project, which 

is patterned after the agricultural extension agent programs sponsored by land 

grant universities throughout the country, employs three environmental extension 

agents. The agents provide technical assistance to small and medium-sized industrial firms in cleaning up brownfields, preventing pollution, and practicing 

conservation. The agents also serve as bridges between and interpreters for the 

industrial finns and environmental consulting industrial firms and regulators. 

When a firm gets a complex report on contaminated dirt on its property, an agent 

can help it determine what needs to be done, a task that would otherwise require 

a staff of environmental specialists. 

The project has served 65 businesses in the South Seattle industrial area, which 

includes and extends beyond the EC. These firms have had 104 positive environmental outcomes and have saved approximately $200,000 in related costs. The 

project has been funded for approximately $120,000 during a -year period by 

the EC in cooperation with the city, King County, and private and foundation contributions. The project is marketed to small firms through newspaper articles, letters, newsletters, and meetings of the local business community in which ECOSS 

is heavily involved. The project is expected to continue permanently and the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency is expected to join existing donors. 

For more information contact Charlie Cunniff, Executive Director, Environmental 

Coalition of South Seattle, Inc., at 206-767-0432. 

What Works! Vo lume III 
ENVIRONMENT 

Virginia Proiect Is First Eco-Industrial Park in America 

Accomack-Northampton, Virginia, EC 

The Cape Charles Sustainable Technologies Industrial Park is the Nation's first 

eco-industrial park, one of four national demonstration projects of President 

Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development. Eco-industrial parks are designed 

to maximize efficient use of energy and resources while eliminating waste and pollution. A portion of the park is located on land known as "brownfields." The U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines brownfields as "abandoned, 

idled, or underused commercial and industrial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environment contamination." 

However, Cape Charles is a rural brownfields success story. 

The County of Northampton received numerous grants from Rural Economic and 

Community Development's Rural Business Enterprise Program, the U.S. 

Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 

and other agencies. The first tenant in the eco-industrial park is Energy Recovery, 

Inc. (ERI). The company manufactures products that improve many wasteful 

pumping processes and make seawater desalination affordable for coastal communities worldwide. "The Cape Charles Sustainable Technologies Industrial Park 

provides the ideal environment to showcase our products and the evolving technology," says Lief 1. Hauge, President of ERI. "We're pleased to be part of 

America's first eco-industrial park." 

The town of Cape Charles and the County of Northampton, located on a narrow 

strip of land between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, are home to 

rich farmlands, productive waters, vast wetlands, and miles of unspoiled coastline, but they are also home to a ISS-acre former dump, docks, railyard, and an 

abandoned industrial site. The eco-industrial park is designed as one way of 

attacking the threat of hazardous substances in the area and is intended to provide solutions to many local environmental and social problems. 

A variety of local, State, and Federal people are collaborating on this project. 

Thomas Voltaggio of EPA's Hazardous Waste Management Division says, "This 

program was developed with the idea of returning jobs to locations where people 

live, rather than building new industrial parks over farm fields." The redeveloped 

brownfields will provide the eco-industrial park with 50 acres of manufacturing 

space, conference facilities, restored wetlands, a nature trail, an environmental 

education facility, and a tertiary sewage treatment system. The park contains more 

than 200 total acres, and more than 750,000 square feet of building space are 

planned. Phase one of the park began in spring 1999. 

The park hopes to attract other manufacturing, research and development, and 

technology companies, as well as aquaculture firms, organic farms, and other 

companies that have byproducts that can serve as another firm's raw material. 

"This is an example of how effective collaboration between government of all levels, industry, and grassroots community decisionmaking can produce an 

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innovative and cutting-edge product," says Arthur Carter, Executive Director of 

RURAL the Accomack-Northampton EC's lead entity. 

COMMUNITIES For more information contact Arthur Carter, Virginia Eastern Shore Economic 

Empowerment and Housing Corporation, 757-442-4509. 

What Worksl Vo l ume II I 
HEALTH 

Stamping Out the Scourge of Lead Poisoning 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC 

Ninety-five percent of Harrisburg's housing units were constructed before 1980 

and have high concentrations of lead-based paint. Approximately 82 percent of 

these housing units are occupied by very low- and low-income families. In 1995 

through a $1.2-million HUD Lead Hazard Reduction Grant, Harrisburg established a program that includes efforts to reduce lead' hazards in homes as well as 

education and awareness activities geared toward children who are the most susceptible to lead poisoning. 

Children can get lead poisoning by inhaling or ingesting lead dust. At high levels, 

lead can cause seizures, coma, and even death. Even at low levels, lead poisoning can adversely affect children's intelligence. 

Each summer the Pinnacle Health System's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention 

Center (CLPPC), in partnership with the City of Harrisburg, conducts a Lead 

Hazard Awareness Campaigns. Through a variety of interactive and fun activities, 

children learn what to do to avoid lead poisoning. These educational programs 

have featured "Sesame Street's" Oscar and Elmo in 1996, "Sergeant Lead" in 

1997, and the "Lead Detective" in 1998. The 1998 Lead Awareness Campaign 

reached 70 preschoolers at city daycare centers with its lead-poisoning prevention message. 

In addition to activities aimed at children, specially trained contractors remove 

lead hazards in homes where children have been identified by Pinnacle's CLPPC 

as having elevated lead levels in their blood. The lead reduction is conducted in 

conjunction with other housing rehabilitation to bring the homes into compliance 

with city codes. Families can temporarily relocate to a safe house while the lead 

hazard reduction is underway in their homes. The program also eliminates lead 

hazards in vacant houses being rehabilitated for sale to homebuyers under the 

city's Homeownership Opportunities Program. 

Recently, the city was awarded another $1.2-million HUD grant, as well as a 

$500,000 State grant to continue this successful program. With the extra funding, 

a public health nurse was hired to conduct special public education events for 

children and door-to-door screening in high-risk areas and at homeless shelters, 

soup kitchens, and city schools. The nurse also provides family counseling on 

managing lead hazards and reducing a child's exposure. She conducts testing in 

houses prior to rehabilitation and conducts dust wipes following lead reduction 

activity. 

A measure of the program's success so far has been the 50-percent reduction in 

positive blood test results in initial screenings. 

For more information contact JoAnn Partridge, City of Harrisburg, Department of 

Building and Housing Development, at 717-255-6424. 

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Drug Treatment Program Addresses Spiritual Needs 

Jackson, Mississippi, EC 

Seven years ago Larry Perry was the first client to walk through the doors of the 

New Day Drug Rehabilitation Ministry (NDDRM) in the Jackson EC. Today he 

runs the program. 

''The Lord has blessed me considerably through this program," says Perry, who 

was addicted to drugs and alcohol for 23 years. "I came off the streets as a drug 

addict and a homeless person and now I am a responsible husband and a responsible father and a leader in the community and a deacon in my church." 

Since 1992 Perry has shepherded almost 300 men like himself through the program that saved his life. Most clients come to NDDRM after they have completed 

a primary drug treatment program elsewhere in Jackson. Rather than return to the 

environments in which their drug habits flourished, recovering addicts live in one 

of New Day's 2 transitional housing sites for 6 months. Each client in the housing 

program must abide by an 8 p.m. curfew for his first 30 days and get a job with 

the help of the program's job-placement service. Clients also spend at least 40 

hours in community service "giving back what they took from the community," 

says Perry. 

At the core of the New Day program is a 12-step, Bible-based recovery curriculum called "Basic Christian Life Skills." Clients attend classes that teach them 

how to pray and study the Bible, manage their finances, keep a job, respect themselves, and live a holy life. Perry says the NDDRM program is different from 

secular drug rehabilitation because it treats addiction as a spiritual as well as a 

physical problem. The program has a 65-percent success rate, he says. Most participants remain self-sufficient and employed for years after they complete the 

program. 

NDDRM, which received a $55,000 grant from the EC, is sponsored by New 

Horizon Ministries, an affiliate of Jackson's New Horizon Church. The EC grant 

supplemented the program's annual budget, set at $64,000 for 1999. Other program funds come from individuals, churches, and local businesses. The program 

can accommodate 14 men at one time. Seven men are on the waiting list. 

In addition to its transitional housing program, New Day takes an active role in 

helping the Jackson EC deal with problems caused by substance abuse. During 

1998 NDDRM held a conference during which Jackson law enforcement agencies 

taught 100 EC residents how to address substance abuse problems in their families and neighborhoods. Every 3 months, NDDRM volunteers take their message 

to the streets, visiting targeted neighborhoods to talk with residents and distribute 

antidrug literature. 

" During these neighborhood visits, we also feed people, setting up barbecue pits 

on street comers and bringing the community together," says Perry. "We want to 

let them know that we are all in this together." 

What Works! Volume III 
For more information contact Larry Perry, Director, New Day Drug Rehabilitation 

Ministry, at 601-371-1427. 

Medical Students Bring Hope and Fight Costs 

With Free Clinic 

Los Angeles, California, EZ 

South Central Los Angeles is among the most impoverished and medically underserved inner-city regions of the United States. In response to this dire situation, 

several medical students from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) 

and Charles R. Drew University founded the University Free Clinic (UFC) in 

September 1996. 

"The clinic is working," notes David Eder of the EZ staff. "It is totally free to residents and there is a high rate of return. There is also a good referral system to 

hospitals for cases that the clinic cannot handle." UFC was created to provide 

medical care to uninsured and underinsured local residents; it also serves indigent and working poor EZ residents. More than 7,900 residents have received free 

care. Half of these patients made follow-up visits-a remarkable figure for a free 

clinic. 

UFC is located in the heart of the EZ on the site of a former gas station that, after 

environmental rehabilitation, was transformed into a state-of-the-art medical clinic with six examination rooms. The clinic serves a growing population of indigent 

children, women, and families. Integral to its program is well-baby care, expansion of immunizations, and provision of preventive medical services. The clinic 

also offers a broad range of other basic family medical services, such as an onsite 

monthly mobile van that provides free HIV testing. 

To make the clinic a reality, several major partners were involved. The City of Los 

Angeles provided the site and building. Charles R. Drew provided funding, personnel, administrative support, equipment, and insurance. Charles R. Drew currently provides funding, physicians, nurses, and other medical assistance. 

Doctors from the community donate their time and training for the students. 

The clinic also has a tremendous volunteer base in the larger community. More 

than 250 student volunteers have donated more than 11,000 hours of service so 

far. More than 200 medical school faculty volunteers, 36 volunteer doctors from 

local hospitals, 30 medical students, and 2 volunteer nurses donate their time. 

Along with these donations of time, substantial quantities of medicine and supplies are donated by pharmaceutical companies and by individuals and associations. These donations complement the project's funding. The estimated total 

project cost (1996-2000) is $2.7 million. This includes more than $600,000 from 

the City of Los Angeles, $704,000 from the EZ in Title XX Social Services Block 

Grants, and about $1.4 million in varied grants from Charles R. Drew University. 

For more information contact David Eder, Los Angeles EZ/EC Program 

Coordinator, at 213-485-2956. 

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Health Is the Hype in Ogden 

Ogden, Utah, EC 

On Saturday, August 15, 1998, more than 550 residents of the Jefferson target 

area of the Ogden, Utah, EC participated in a free Jefferson Neighborhood Health 

Fair. More than 300 participants were children, 150 of whom had their immunizations brought up to date. 

The primary goal of the health fair was to link the people in the Jefferson target 

area with existing health providers and identify the barriers that prevented residents from using the providers. For the convenience of neighborhood residents, 

the health fair was held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Ogden Area Community 

Action Agency Building in the heart of the community. 

The Jefferson target area has a population of approximately 5,000 residents, 

which is about 7 percent of the entire City of Ogden population (approximately 

70,000). Average income in the Jefferson target area is $19,014, 37 percent of the 

area median income. The poverty rate is 40.9 percent. The unemployment rate in 

this neighborhood is approximately 22.5 percent, a strong indicator that healthcare resources are sorely needed. The neighborhood has a 60-percent immunization rate and more than half of its residents lack health insurance. 

The health fair provided healthcare screenings, physicals, and immunizations to 

children from the Jefferson target area, most of whom come from low-income families. A number of screenings for adults were also available. The health fair also 

included public information booths, representing 16 local and regional health and 

well ness organizations. 

In addition to health screenings and information booths, the health fair included 

many fun activities sponsored by the Treehouse Children's Museum, 4-H, the 

Ogden Nature Center, the American Youth Soccer Association, and Head Start. 

The first 500 participants received a free lunch courtesy of the local supermarkets 

and wholesale vendors. 

This Neighborhood Health Fair is Ogden's ninth neighborhood fair and will be an 

annual event in the Jefferson Neighborhood. The goal of the City of Ogden is to 

provide annual neighborhood fairs in each Ogden EC target neighborhood. These 

neighborhood fairs give service providers the opportunity to talk with and interact 

with neighborhood residents to identify their concerns and needs and bridge any 

gaps III servIces. 

The Jefferson Neighborhood Health Fair was produced in partnership with the 

Ogden Area Community Action Agency, the Weber University School of Allied 

Health, and the Weber-Morgan District Health Department. The out-of-pocket 

cost of the event was approximately $800, which came from EC funds. In addition, $2,500 of in-kind contributions were leveraged from the local business and 

nonprofit communities, and more than 50 professionals contributed more than 

250 hours to the health fair, time valued at approximately $7,000. 

What Works! Vo lume III 
With the development of 24 housing units for low-income homeownership, a Head 

Start program that provides care to more than 300 children, and a new park in the 

planning stages, these neighborhood health fairs are critical to servicing the needs 

of the Jefferson neighborhood's growing population. It is hoped that the culmination of these efforts will help to stabilize the community. 

For more information contact Karen Thurber, Coordinator, Ogden City Enterprise 

Initiative, at 801-629-8943. 

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Rural Partners Help People Pay for Healthcare 

Accomack-Northampton, Virginia, EC 

Of the catastrophes that can befall anyone, and particularly a poor person, one of 

the worst is a health crisis that requires an expensive hospital stay and costly prescriptions. A local hospital on Virginia's Eastern Shore is combining efforts with 

the Accomack-Northampton EC to help poor people cover these kinds of healthcare costs while enabling them to maintain their financial self-sufficiency. 

''The EC Healthcare Project allows low-income people to keep their assets and 

their pride by being able to participate in paying their medical costs but get the 

assistance they need," explains Arthur Carter, the project's Coordinator and head 

of the EC. The project has four main components: a mobile mammography testing 

unit, case-by-case help with hospitalization costs, assistance in paying for hearing examinations and hearing aids, and help with eye care costs. The program 

allows more than 5,000 eligible low-income households to pay as much as they 

can afford, so that in each case charges may be reduced and the remaining 

charges made affordable through a low-interest loan from the EC. 

Shore Memorial Hospital is a partner with the EC in the project. The hospital has 

deeply discounted its charges and people needing ear care have received 

20-percent discounts. The EC has set aside almost $58,000 to provide revolving 

loans for the project and the hospital and its resident doctors will continue to 

adjust their charges as appropriate. The loans are also supplemented by Title XX 

grants. 

Along with the hospital, doctors, and the EC staff, local social services agencies 

and the community college are publicizing the project, although notifying possible participants has not been a problem. Stories in the local newspaper have publicized the project to the extent that people call the EC about it each day. The 

project is just starting up, but given the need and response so far, Carter expects 

it to become a permanent part of the local healthcare effort. 

For more information contact Arthur Carter, Executive Director, Virginia Eastern 

Shore Economic Empowerment and Housing Corporation, at 757-442-4509. 

Health Centers in Roane and Clay Counties, 

West Virginia 

Central Appalachia, West Virginia, EC 

The Central Appalachia EC worked with local communities to bring two health 

and fitness centers to Clay and Roane Counties in West Virginia. The project 

features nutrition education and fitness opportunities for a local population that 

suffers from an unusually high incidence of heart disease, due in part to lack of 

physical activity. The building, with commercial-grade equipment and professional trainers as well as a coordinated, countywide fitness program, is designed 

to help alleviate this problem. 

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The Central Appalachia EC worked with Roane General Hospital to obtain a 

$150,000 grant to establish the Roane County Fitness Center. Renovations 

include a fitness center, aerobic classes, assistance from a physical therapist, and 

an Adult Healthy Heart class involving a monitored exercise program targeting 

people who may be at high lisk for cardiac problems due to high blood pressure, 

high cholesterol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, or other health risks. Community 

outreach programs help low-income people to participate in the program. 

Membership costs are kept at a minimum. The facility provides youth with a safe, 

supervised place to go on Friday and Saturday nights. 

The facility holds smoking cessation classes, diabetes support group meetings, 

nutrition classes, tobacco/drug-free seminars, and other health programs. Periodic 

health fairs are held at which community residents can have their blood pressure 

and cholesterol checked by health professionals. 

Central Appalachia EC also worked with the Clay County Board of Education to 

obtain $150,000 in funding to build the Clay County Fitness Center. The 3,100­

square-foot center will house fitness equipment, aerobic classes, and training sessions on the health benefits of physical activity. 

For more information contact Harold Butler, Central Appalachia EC, at 

304-587-2034. 

Community Centers Provide Needed Services 

Fayette County/Haywood County, Tennessee, EC 

One of the needs identified by the Fayette/Haywood EC in West Tennessee was 

the need for more community facilities in Fayette County. They allocated 

$600,000 of Social Services Block Grant funds to build four multipurpose centers, 

one in each EC census tract in the county. "Mobility is a problem when you're 

dealing with the target residents in the EC ," says John Sicola, Executive Director 

of the Memphis Area Association of Government, explaining the need for four 

community centers rather than one. 

A community center in Census Tract 601 was completed in 1998 at a cost of 

approximately $150,000. Work is continuing on the other three community centers, but costs and land availability have hampered efforts. These problems have 

been at least partially solved by partnering with the small-town governments and 

the utility services in the census tracts. In Census Tract 605, a site was selected, 

plans developed, funds matched from local and other sources, and land purchased 

for a joint community/ambulance center. Census Tract 606 has accepted a site 

donated by a local citizen, and the Town of LaGrange has agreed to share costs on 

a 55-percentl45-percent basis to build a community center/municipal complex. 

The value of the first community center was demonstrated when it was recently 

used as a Red Cross disaster headquarters in the aftermath of devastating tornadoes that lore through West Tennessee and nearby States. The facility is also being 

used for health screenings, immunizations, recreation, and other community 

meetings. 

What Works! Volume III 
For more information contact John Sicola, Executive Director, Memphis Area 

Association of Government, at 901-545-4610. 

Health Clinics 

North Delta, Mississippi, EC 

Como, Mississippi, home of the famous blues artist "Mississippi" Fred McDowell, 

is an underserved town in the Delta with 1,500 residents in town and 1,500 residents in the outlying country. "It's a sleepy, laid-back town that's had a Ii ttle 

health clinic since God was a boy," says EC Administrator Stuart Guernsey. Then, 

as happens in many rural areas, the for-profit hospital that operated the clinic 

gave 2 weeks notice and left town. 

This posed a huge burden for many residents. For the aged and disabled who lived 

far from town, the additional 10 miles to the next town was a logistical and economic burden. Many couldn't afford the $20 it would cost to be driven there and 

back. 

The town publicized the need the raise money to tide the clinic over to the next 

funding cycle. They sponsored many events, including one at the elementary 

school on Martin Luther King Day, and managed to raise $10,000 in goods and 

services. They still needed $20,000 to keep the clinic open for 6 months. Then 

Guernsey hit on a new idea. He had the elementary school principal ask the 

fourth- and fifth-grade students to write an essay beginning, "We need a health 

clinic in Como because .... " 

Responses ranged from the touching to the hilarious. Sixty of these letters were 

sent overnight to Doris Barnett and Janet Wetmore of the Health Resources 

Services Administration, with whom Guernsey had been corresponding. Three 

days later, he received a call. The money had been awarded. "We would probably 

have gotten the money anyway," says Guernsey, "but the timing of the letters was 

perfect and their poignancy bumped things along." 

The Aaron Henry Community Health Center reopened in Aplil to the delight of 

Como residents and students. The EC helps the clinic with transportation for 

clients and publicity and brings partners to the table in cases such as the closure. 

The EC also assists another clinic in Crenshaw that has a dental office, pharmacy, and general family practice clinic. Crenshaw is even more isolated than Como, 

with the nearest town 15 to 20 miles away. 

For more information, contact Stuart Guernsey, EC Administrator, at 

601-487-1968. 

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High School Students Get Head Start on Health Careers 

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Northeast Louisiana Delta, Louisiana, EC 

High school students in Tallulah, Louisiana, are getting a head start on careers in 

healthcare through a nursing assistant program jointly sponsored by the Northeast 

Louisiana Delta EC and Louisiana Technical College. Through the program, students interested in becoming Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) attend training 

sessions at the college while they are still in high school. Students spend their 

mornings in high school classes and take buses to the college for afternoon train­ . . 109 seSSIOns. 

The Northeast Louisiana Delta EC contributes $30,000 per year to the program to 

pay the instructor's salary. Moses Williams, President of the Northeast Louisiana 

Community Development Corporation, says the program will offer high school students marketable skills and will increase the number of healthcare workers in 

Madison Parish, where Tallulah is located. The parish has an acute shortage of 

such workers, he says. 

"We are hoping that kids in the program will become interested in working as 

CNAs," says Williams. "But we also hope their interest in healthcare will be so 

great that they will want to continue their studies and become registered nurses 

or doctors." 

Twenty-two students graduated from the program in 1998. Another 20 students 

will graduate in 1999. 

For more information contact Moses Williams, President and Chief Operating 

Officer of the Northeast Louisiana Community Development Corporation, 

318-574-0995. 

Training Program Prepares Health Workers 

Rio Grande Valley, Texas, EZ 

The Starr County subzone, one of the smallest in the Rio Grande Valley EZ, is 

nonetheless a strong subzone, implementing 10 projects totaling $4.6 million. 

"The health occupations training program is one of the most successful," says 

Bonnie Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of the EZ. 

In partnership with South Texas Community College and Rio Grande City, this 

program has helped approximately 100 students enroll in the program, 25 of 

whom have continued their health occupations training at the local community 

college between 1997 and early 1999. Although the closest university or college 

is almost 50 miles away, this has not hampered the motivation and enthusiasm of 

the students and instructors in the program. 

For more information contact Yvonne "Bonnie" Gonzalez, Chief Executive 

Officer, Rio Grande Valley EZ, at 956-514-4000. 

What Works! Volume III 
Healthcare Agencies Bring Medical and Dental Services 

to the EC 

Robeson County, North Carolina, EC 

"This project is exemplary of a true partnership and collaboration between 

healthcare agencies," says Cynthia Johnson, Executive Director of the Robeson 

Enterprise Community Development Corporation. Southeastern Regional Medical 

Center has teamed up with Robeson Health Care Corporation to bring medical 

and dental services to an EC neighborhood. Southeastern Regional Medical 

Center is financing the construction of a new 6,100-square-foot medical facility 

that will be connected to a 1,100-square-foot dental office. The medical clinic, 

named the AJ. Robinson clinic after a physician who practiced in the area, and 

the People's Dental Clinic will be located in the Southwest Lumberton EC tract. 

The Southwest Lumberton Local Council has provided input on the project. 

Medical services at the clinic will be provided by the Southeastern Regional 

Medical Center, whereas dental services will be administered by the Robeson 

Health Care Corporation. From the Lumberton EC discretionary fund, council 

members voted and approved funding in the amount of $80,000 to purchase dental equipment for the Robeson Health Care Corporation. The projected number of 

dental appointments for the dental clinic's first year is 3,400. Construction of the 

new facility will begin in April. The clinic is scheduled to open in October 1999. 

For more information contact Cynthia Johnson, Executive Director, Robeson 

Enterprise Community Development Corporation, at 910-618-0722. 

EC Improves Access to Healthcare 

Scott-McCreary, Tennessee-Kentucky, EC 

Many EC residents do not receive prompt healthcare and early diagnosis due to 

the shortage of doctors and other medical professionals in rural areas. Residents 

are not able to visit doctors as often as they need to and are not diagnosed and 

treated for illnesses before they become more serious and costly. Residents also 

shoulder the burden of seeking treatment at facilities in other cities. 

The SMART (Scott-McCreary Area Revitalization Team) EC provided Scott 

County with $200,000; this seed money succeeded in leveraging an additional 

$1.2 million to address this problem. The EC leveraged an Appalachian Regional 

Commission (ARC) grant of $850,000; $160,000 from The Thompson Foundation; 

$100,000 from the State of Tennessee; and $150,000 from Scott County government to establish a rural health clinic. It also provided an ambulance station, 911 

services, and additional physicians. ''The residents now have much better and 

quicker access to health care," says Leslie Winningham, lead contact for the 

SMART EC. ''The access to the health center is successful in providing care and 

well ness programs to people who otherwise would not be able to see a doctor." 

For more information contact Leslie Winningham, Scott McCreary Area EC, at 

615-741--6852. 

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Junior Museum Provides Education and 

Economic Opportunities 

Albany/Schenectady/Troy, New York, EC 

"Most people don't see a museum working like we do. We're in fact a community 

center," says Ralph Pascale, Director of the Junior Museum in Troy, New York, 

which provides children with weekend and afterschool activities in science. 

"We're open morning, noon, and night," Pascale says, noting the "sleepover" programs the museum offers. 

"In 1990 we began looking at ways we could work hand in hand with urban revitalization," Pascale recalls. The museum formed a partnership with the city and 

began looking for a site for a new, expanded museum. They found one in the 

Winslow Building, the oldest building on the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

(RPI) campus. They began collaborating with RPI and Russell Sage College. The 

EC is providing $300,000 for construction and renovation toward the $1.25­

million initiative. 

Beyond RPI are census tracts whose populations suffer from the lowest educational attainment and greatest poverty in the area. "We contribute to the goal of 

economic development on several fronts," says Pascale. The museum serves as a 

tourist site, drawing outside dollars into the community. It also provides job training and economic opportunity for residents, who will benefit because the region 

is being developed as a site for microchip fabrication. The new museum will create 50 new, full-time jobs and 745 part-time jobs and will deliver at least 

$600,000 in salalies to EC jobholders. 

Students develop communication and job skills through hands-on learning and 

volunteerism. As children progress through the museum's programs, which are 

intended for preschool and elementary school students, they can become helpers 

and junior guides. Adolescents and high school students then become involved in 

the administration of the museum. Students learn from older students and from 

college interns, who provide learning experiences and serve as positive role models. ''The museum serves as a link between the community and the institute 

because we bring together local children and college students. A child with negative aspirations gets to meet a young person whose goal is to man the next Mars 

flight," says Pascale. 

The museum has been in a rehabilitated 5,500-square-foot firehouse since 1974. 

Construction on the 17,000-square-foot historic Winslow Building began in 

January after community volunteers gutted the building, removing 21 dumpsters 

of debris. Built in 1866, the Winslow Building was originally the Chemical 

Laboratory, the first place in the United States where chemistry was taught using 

hands-on methods. "We like to think that we are continuing that tradition," says 

Pascale. 

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Open 7 days a week, the museum will serve a geographic area of 3 States and 

14 counties, welcoming more than 1,000 people per week. 

For more information contact Anthony Tozzi, Center for Economic Growth, at 

518-465--8975. 

Tech Education Centers Are a Family Affair 

AlbanyISchenectadyIT roy, New York, EC 

"The 100 Net Initiative is a family affair," says Gregory Fields, Chair of the 

100 Net Committee in Albany, New York. The technology centers will provide 

education and technology training to entire families, including computer training 

for seniors. Fields recently watched a 12-year-old work at a computer with his 8­

year-old sister looking over her brother's shoulder. The parents were absorbed in 

training in the next classroom. 

The regional chapter of 100 Black Men, a national organization of professional 

men whose goal is community enrichment, is developing a regional program with 

help from the Albany/Schenectadyffroy EC, the Nation's only regionally governed 

EC. The chapter will receive more than $294,000 in regional EC funds to establish a $1.5-million, regionally directed, community-based technology center in 

each city. 

The 100 Net Initiative will provide 4,000 modules of training and serve 200 people per day. Under the initiative, GEDs and Adult Basic Education certificates 

will be awarded. The program will provide adults and high school students with 

training in computers, applied science, and technology. The program will provide 

tutoring and academic enrichment to children and will serve 140 Head Start and 

daycare children. The program will also provide high school students with teen 

parenting and daycare training. 

The City of Albany provided a 1O,000-square-foot building in 1997. One-third of 

the building has been refurbished and volunteers are currently teaching 24 people in 3 classes. The building includes space for classrooms, training, photocopy 

services, and offset printing. There will be a cybercafe with four tables and three 

computers and a business incubator on the second floor. A videoconferencing 

center will allow communications with II other sites in the region. 

For more information contact Anthony Tozzi, Center for Economic Growth, at 

518-465--8975. 

High School Students Learn While Their Children Play 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC 

On weekday afternoons, visitors to Rio Grande High School in the Albuquerque 

EC find themselves tiptoeing down the hall so they don't wake the napping infants 

and toddlers. The 14 children are enjoying the school's daycare center while their 

parents, who range in age from 14 to 19, earn their high school diplomas. Nine 

newborns will join the program before the end of the academic year. 

What Works! Vo lume III 
Without the Graduation Reality and Dual Role Skills (GRADS) program, says EC 

Coordinator Sylvia Fettes, the 39 students who attend classes next door to the 

daycare center would have dropped out of school long ago. Instead, 16 program 

participants have graduated from high school during the past 2 years. Twelve plan 

to graduate this June, equipped with both academic knowledge and the skills they 

need to be responsible parents. 

GRADS is one of the many programs sponsored by the EC-funded Rio Grande 

Human Services Collaborative (RGHSC), a partnership between the Albuquerque 

Public School District and 14 community agencies. The collaborative instituted 

the GRADS program in response to Rio Grande High School's 44-percent dropout 

rate and a 5-percent pregnancy rate among teens in Bernalillo County. RGHSC 

also administers a program to encourage high school students to abstain from sexual activity. 

In all of its programs, RGHSC attempts to address health issues that can inhibit 

how well students learn. Primarily, it does that by offering medical care and mental health services at II school sites. Doctors, psychologists, social workers, and 

nurse practitioners who work for the participating agencies treat students in 

kindergarten through grade 12. Some agencies maintain a daily presence at certain sites, while others visit sites only when a need arises. The largest demand, 

even among elementary school students, is for treatment of depression, says 

Fettes. Most practitioners receive Medicaid reimbursements. 

Community residents, often the parents of school students, also take advantage of 

RGHSC programs. Parents are encouraged to attend special programs that help 

them earn high school diplomas, learn English as a second language, or find out 

more about available community services. 

Working with a $350,000 EC grant, the collaborative has served more than 

6,000 students and their parents since 1996. It also relies on in-kind donations of 

more than $1 million from participating agency service providers and more than 

$100,000 in grant funds. The collaborative received two grants from the State of 

New Mexico Department of Education (DOE) to establish the GRADS program 

and pay its teacher. A third DOE grant funds the abstinence program. 

"Our aim is to provide essential services in a holistic manner," says Fettes. 

"Perhaps by making conditions better for these families, by addressing their 

[physical] health and mental health needs, we can also improve educational 

outcomes." 

For more infonnation contact Sylvia Fettes, Albuquerque's EC Coordinator, at 

505-768-2932. 

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Bridgeport EC Makes Learning a Family AHair 

Bridgeport, Connecticut, EC 

At a 1997 Town Youth Meeting of the Bridgeport EC, parents expressed their 

strong desire to assist their children with homework and their frustration at being 

unable to do so because of language barriers. 

All members of the community-parents, residents, teachers, business leaders, 

and students-were represented at the meeting, which was part of the intensive 

neighborhood planning process used to develop programs and projects in 

Bridgeport's EC. 

To follow up on these concerns, the EC's Youth Committee, assisted by EC community organizers, began to work immediately with the Bridgeport Recreation 

Department to sponsor an evening tutoring program for students. Out of these 

meetings grew the community-based Hollow Development Corporation'S Tutoring 

Center, which has been in operation since October 1998. 

"The tutoring center was designed and is being implemented by the entire community," states Stacey Ray, a special education teacher and Hollow Development 

Corporation Board member. "The ideas came from parents and the community, all 

working together for the benefit of each other." 

The tutoring center assists neighborhood students with homework and provides 

tutoring jobs for responsible teenagers, which gives them the opportunity to make 

money while giving something back to the community. It also provides the opportunity for parents to learn with their children and to take an active role in their 

education. 

The program is open to everyone in the community. Approximately 120 youth, 

ages 7 to 18, are receiving one-on-one assistance from tutors and supervisors 

recruited from the neighborhood, Columbus School, and Sacred Heart University, 

which runs a reading program at the center. Many parents who bring their children stay while their children are being tutored. Some parents even work with the 

tutor to learn how to help their children at home. 

Ray reports that the center gives students the individual attention they need to 

learn. ''The tutors help me learn how to do my math. A lot of my friends and I 

come here every day. I want to come back next year after I graduate," said sixthgrade Columbus student Latasha Bulerin. 

Tutors are responsible for maintaining a nightly log and for corresponding with the 

student's teacher. Communication with the teacher, as well as teacher feedback, 

assists in the assessment and success of the program. All tutors receive training 

from Connecticut-certified teachers about how to answer questions, find information, and include parents in the tutoring process. 

Tutors benefit from the guidance of the center's two supervisors, who are bilingual 

special education teachers at Columbus. ''The center would not be successful 

without the full support of the school's administration and teachers," says Jackie 

Simmons, a sixth-grade teacher and program organizer. 

What Works! Volume III 
The program is funded by a $43,000 seed grant from the Bridgeport Enterprise 

Community Partnership. The Connecticut Education Association has donated 

funds to purchase a computer and the center is raising additional funds to continue its operation and purchase more equipment and software. 

For more information contact Janice Willis, Central Grants Office, at 

203-332-5662. 

EZ Schools Become the Heart of the Community 

Detroit, Mich igan, EZ 

"The School as the Heart of the Community program takes schools that would 

nonnally be donnant at 3:00 and turns them into bustling community centers with 

afterschool programming for children and adults," says Keith Kaminski, 

Communications Director for the Detroit EZ. In 1996 the Detroit Recreation 

Department joined forces with Detroit Public Schools, the Children's Center, 

Southwest Detroit Community Mental Health Services, and others to establish 

social, cultural, educational, and leisure programming in EZ schools during 

expanded hours. 

Sixteen elementary and middle schools are now participating and offer a variety 

of programs including computer classes, ESL, adult educationiGED, arts and 

crafts, puppetry, swimming, golf, photography, and sign language, to name a few. 

One recent program focused on health education and another celebrated Black 

History Month. Children also enjoy taking field trips with the program. More than 

100 staff members, including site administrators from each participating school, 

work to make schools into resource centers for adults and kids 2 to 5 days per 

week from 3 to 10 p.m. 

Funding for School as the Heart of the Community comes in part from a 

$7.8-million grant from the EZ. Additional funds are leveraged from the Detroit 

Recreation Department and Detroit Public Schools. Program money is used to 

plan field trips, purchase new playscapes, order materials, hire and train staff, 

and evaluate the program. 

"Not only does the program fill the void of extracurricular activities in the community, it also serves to make the community feel that it is a part of the school," 

says Yvonne Johnson, the Project Coordinator. The Detroit Recreation 

Department estimates that an average of 2,000 EZ residents attend School as the 

Heart of the Community each month. Approximately 30,260 people were served 

in 1998. Forty of the 100 jobs created by the program are staffed by EZ residents. 

Program administrators hope to have youth and family services operating in 24 EZ 

schools by July 2000. 

For more infonnation contact Dr. Shirley Harbin, Program Administrator, School 

as the Heart of the Community, at 313-224--1114. 

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At-Risk Teens Gain New Appreciation for the Law 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC 

The Law Academy at Hanisburg High School offers an alternative education program to at-risk students in grades 9 through 12. One of the first of its kind in the 

country, the Law Academy draws students enrolled in the high school's Navy 

Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program and helps prepare them 

for careers in law enforcement, law, public administration, and State and Federal 

jobs. 

"Some of these kids have not had a good relationship with the law," says June 

Brand, Director of the Academy. "They need to know that law enforcement is here 

to help them, not to hurt them." Most of the students are considered at high risk 

for dropping out of school, truancy, and teen pregnancy. When they enter the program, some have been involved in the juvenile justice system for years. Miguel 

Medina, for example, had been in trouble with the law since he was 11. Now he 

is president of the Law Academy, has joined the National Association for the 

Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and is a leader of the school's Students 

Against Violence program. Last year he met with the mayor and was praised as an 

exemplary student of the Academy, which has already transformed the lives of 

many students in just 1 year. 

Because the Academy is located in Harrisburg High School, it functions much 

like a "school within a school." Students take most of their classes in the same 

classrooms with the same group of dedicated teachers. The cuniculum is integrated so that the common thread of law, criminal justice, and public administration is woven through all of the students' classes. In addition, professionals in the 

legal, law enforcement, and public administration communities serve as guest lecturers and hosts for field trips. Mock trials are conducted with professionals from 

the legal and law enforcement communities acting as attorneys, judges, and witnesses and the students acting as jury members. Students are also required to put 

what they learn into action by assisting the elderly, cleaning up the school, working in soup kitchens, and participating in other community services. "You can't 

teach a child values if you don't let him or her practice those values," says Brand. 

In addition to a new appreciation for the law, students develop note-taking, 

employability, social, resume-writing, and test-taking skills. As they move to 

higher grades, they will have opportunities for internships and part-time jobs 

where they can apply these skills. Twenty-four freshmen completed their first year 

at the Academy in June 1998, which had a total of 40 students enrolled in the program. Eventually, the Academy plans to teach up to 200 students-50 in each 

grade level from 9th through 12th. 

The Academy was established through a partnership between Communities in 

Schools of Greater Harrisburg and the Navy Junior ROTC. Initial funding was 

provided through grants from the U.S. Departments of Defense and Justice totaling $275,000. The City of Harrisburg provided $50,000 in EC funding and the 

Harrisburg School District provided $190,000 of in-kind contributions. Numerous 

agencies continue to provide support for the program, including the Dauphin 

What Works! Volume III 
County Human Services Office, the District Attorney's and Public Defender's 

Offices, the City of Harrisburg, Widener and Temple Universities, the National 

Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executive Officers, the Community 

Action Commission, and city law firms. 

For more information contact Joan Brand, Law Academy Director, at 

717-255-2449. 

Acre Family Day Care Corporation Emphasizes 

Self-Employment 

Lowell, Massachusetts, EC 

"By emphasizing continuing education, networking, and high standards for 

childcare providers, AcreFDCC continually redefines the potential of this field for 

providing well-paid and fulfilling work for the low-income women who enter this 

program," says Anita Moeller, Executive Director of Acre Family Day Care 

Corporation. Through its Family Child Care Orientation program, AcreFDCC 

encourages self-employment in family childcare as a professional development 

vehicle for low-income women of color. During the past 10 years, AcreFDCC has 

trained hundreds of women to become providers. One-third of those trained are 

EC residents. 

AcreFDCC has made significant inroads in making family childcare training 

much more responsive to the needs of linguistic and cultural minorities. 

AcreFDCC conducted the first family child care training program in New England 

to provide comprehensive, family childcare training in Spanish and was the first 

in New England to train Cambodian women in Khmer. These women, in turn, provided the first culturally matched childcare to low-income families in the Lowell 

community. "To our knowledge, AcreFDCC has the only licensed Cambodian 

providers anywhere in the U.S. and the only Child Development Associate-certified 

bilingual providers in New England," says Moeller. AcreFDCC's work has motivated other agencies to meet the needs of EC residents. A list of multicultural 

resources available statewide now exists, including Hispanic and Cambodian 

family childcare trainers, CPR instructors, and others. 

AcreFDCC has set new standards both in the training of women prior to licensing 

and in the continuing education of providers. The program has been nationally 

recognized by such organizations as the Ms. Foundation, the Association of 

Enterprise Organizations, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation for the 

excellence of its family childcare training programs for low-income women. The 

training portion of the program far exceeds State requirements. Massachusetts 

requires that family childcare providers receive 15 hours of training over 3 years 

to maintain a license. AcreFDCC provides 240 hours of prelicense instruction, 

half of which is an internship with an experienced provider. The program also provides many opportunities for professional and business growth of the licensed 

providers, including one-on-one technical assistance; monthly networking workshops; classes in ESL, GED, and computer use; Child Development Associate 

certification training; and college-level courses in early childhood education and 

Sustainable Community Development • EDU CATION 

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other related topics. EC funding pays for a portion of the training and the ongoing 

technical assistance for providers. 

For more information contact Anita Moeller, Executive Director of AcreFDCC, at 

978-937 -5899. 

Summerbridge Inspires EC Students To Love 

Learning and Teaching 

Manchester, New Hampshire, EC 

A Manchester, New Hampshire, program that encourages preteens to love learning is also instilling a love of teaching in local high school and college students. 

Summerbridge Manchester is a year-round, tuition-free program that provides 

70 students from the city's public middle schools with an academically challenging 6-week summer session, a weekly afterschool program, and monthly educational activities. High school and college students teach in the program, which is 

affiliated with a national Summerbridge network. 

Students enrolled in the summer session attend required courses in math and 

English and take other classes in the sciences, history, and foreign language. They 

also can choose from among a variety of electives, including computers, visual 

and performing arts, and athletics. Students receive educational advice, go on 

investigative field trips, perform onstage at school meetings, participate in community service, and complete 2 hours of homework every night. 

Summerbridge students continue to take enrichment courses during the school 

year. At the weekly School After School program, they attend accelerated math 

and English classes and receive individual tutoring. During monthly 

Summerbridge Saturday meetings, students take part in theme-based, crosscurricular educational activities. Students can attend only two summer sessions, 

but they can continue to participate in the school-year program as long as they 

want to. Last spring, Summerbridge helped some of its first students plan for 

college. 

Summerbridge Manchester receives $91,000 from the EC and donations of varying amounts from local and national foundations, sen'ice groups, area businesses, 

and individuals. Its EC contract requires that Summerbridge enroll 3 or 4 EC residents each year, but 11 EC students have joined the program in the past 2 years. 

Last summer, one-third of the program participants came from the Beech Street 

School, which serves the EC and sUlTounding center-city neighborhoods. 

Since Summerbridge opened its doors at the Derryfield School in 1991, more than 

88 percent of its graduates have enrolled in college preparatory high school programs. The program has been a success story for student teachers as well. More 

than 75 percent of the high school and college students who taught in the program 

have pursued careers in education. 

"In fact," says Director Natalie Koepp, "of 13 former teachers who have completed college in the last 3 years, 10 have become professional educators and 6 have 

become Summerbridge directors around the Nation." 

What Worksl Volume III 
"The best thing about Summerbridge Manchester is that it works," says one program teacher. ''The passion, the energy, the love, the intellectual fire, and the 

emotional commitment that are brought to every moment at every level of the program make it the most extraordinary educational phenomenon I've ever witnessed 

or experienced. I never could have anticipated the degree to which Summerbridge 

matters." 

For more information contact Natalie Koepp, Director, Summerbridge 

Manchester, at 603-641-9426. 

New Haven Partnership Leads to Dramatic 

Improvement in Performance and Test Scores 

New Haven, Connecticut, EZ 

Students at two New Haven elementary schools who received free home computers and participated in a learning partnership showed significant improvement in 

their school performance and test scores. The two schools, Helene Grant and 

Isadore Wexler, are located in the Dixwell area of the EZ. 

The improvements were a result of the partnership formed by the Dixwell 

Enterprise CommunitylManagement Team, the New Haven Board of Education, 

and the Connecticut Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Technology to provide students and teachers with access to technology, new classroom materials, 

and professional support. 

School teams worked with Academy consultants to design activities that encouraged students to work in cooperative groups to complete assigned tasks. The program focused on learning deficiencies, test proficiency, and problem solving in 

math and science. According to Gemma Joseph Lumpkin of the Academy, ''This 

really represents a true collaboration with the community, the Mayor's Office, the 

Board of Education, and educators stepping up and saying, 'We can work together to improve student performance.' " 

As part of a $40,000 seed grant from the EZ to the Connecticut Academy, new 

computers were also provided to the schools and a technology consultant was 

hired to provide ongoing training for teachers, parents, and students. The 

Academy matched the grant with technical assistance for the principals and 

teachers in planning and professional development. The New Haven Board of 

Education provided classroom materials and other resources, and teachers participated in workshops and dialogues to stimulate their professional growth in 

math and science education. 

''The computers allowed students and their families to learn at home and 

improved their performance on their school-based computers," says Jeffie Frazier, 

principal of Helene Grant Elementary School. Refurbished computers and software were purchased with a $15,000 contribution from Beacon Corcoran 

Development Corp., the New Haven Housing Authority, and the EZ. EZ funds also 

supported the training of students and their parents in the use of the computers. 

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With these efforts, fourth-grade students at the Helene Grant Elementary School 

improved their 1998 mathematics scores on the Connecticut Mastery Test by 

15 points and students at Isadore Wexler increased their scores by 10 points. 

Because of the program's success, the New Haven EZ awarded the Academy a 

$99,000 grant in February 1999 to expand the project to include the Jackie 

Robinson Middle School. 

For more information contact Rhoda Zahler, Office of Business Development, City 

of New Haven, 203-946-7059. 

Tampa EC Supports Education of Domestic 

Violence Victims; Facility Normalizes Life of 

Special Needs Children 

Tampa, Florida, EC 

Remodeling a 1O,OOO-square-foot warehouse in Tampa's EC enabled The Splings, 

Florida's busiest domestic violence shelter, to expand its daycare slots by 60 percent and increase the classroom space available for school-age children by 

66 percent. 

The project, costing roughly one-third of the price of new construction, created a 

children's educational facility across the street from the residential shelter. 

Volunteer architects oversaw the project, which took approximately 6 months to 

complete. Additional funding support was provided by a local foundation. 

Relocating and expanding existing daycare and school programs allows The 

Springs to nonnalize life for its special needs children of domestic violence victims. "With the addition, more clients are able to come without having to worry 

about their children encounteling problems in the community," states Lisa 

Landers, Director of Communications at The Springs. 

By freeing space formerly occupied by daycare classrooms, the new facility also 

allowed The Splings to increase its residential capacity by 33 percent. Homeless 

and in crisis, victims and their families stay at The Splings for about 1 month. 

The new facility includes a library, a basketball half-court, and K-12 public 

school classrooms with computer links to other schools. The facility is estimated 

to serve 900 children annually. 

For more infonnation contact Mabel Bexley, Executive Director, The Springs of 

Tampa Bay, at 813-247-5433. 

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EDUCATION 

Adult Education Programs in Clay County, 

West Virginia 

Central Appalachia, West Virginia, EC 

Scholastic Programs for Reentry (SPREE) is designed to assist adult leamers who 

do not have a high school diploma or GED. The program is funded by an 

UrbanlRural Opportunities Grant awarded to the Clay County School-to-Work 

Partnership and the Central Appalachia EC. Instruction is offered during the day 

and evenings at the Clay County Board of Education. "SPREE participants gain 

skills that lead to employability, better basic skills, higher paying jobs, increased 

self-esteem, and improved technological skills," says Greg Knopp, who operates 

the program. 

SPREE began in February 1999 and 27 Clay County residents had enrolled by 

March, with 9 participants in the high school diploma program. Participants in 

the program have emphasized that they returned to school because they could not 

get a good job without a high school diploma or GED. 

Another opportunity for adults is the daytime Adult Basic Education program 

operating through the Clay County Multicap Head Start office. This program targets the parents of students enrolled in the Clay County Head Start program. Judy 

Vaughan, the Clay County Head Start Director, has worked with Clay County 

schools and the Central Appalachia EC to offer this program. This project provides education in language, writing, reading, mathematics, social studies, and 

sCIence. 

For more information contact Greg Knopp, Clay County Board of Education, at 

304-587-4266, or Judy Vaughan, Clay County Head Start office, at 

304-587-7460. 

Early Admissions Program Opens Doors to 

a College Education 

City of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, EC 

In an effort to help good students attend college who might not otherwise be able 

to for financial or other reasons, the Lock Haven EC is supporting the Early 

Admissions Eager Eagles Program for high school seniors. These students are still 

12th graders at Lock Haven High School, but several have already earned three 

college credits and attained a 4.0 average in a college chemistry course. 

Wendy Stull and Sam Snyder are 2 of 37 local high school students who took part 

in the early admissions program funded by the Lock Haven EC and administered 

by Lock Haven University and Keystone Central School District. "It offers kids 

who may not have otherwise gone to college an opportunity to get there," says Tom 

Lindquist, high school History Teacher and Program Director. "Some of these kids 

may not have even considered college ... because they knew their parents couldn't 

afford it ... or for other reasons," Lindquist says. 

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Stull and Snyder say they had no doubt they wanted to go to college after high 

school, but they knew finances could be a problem. "I loved it ... plain and simple," says Stull, referring to her 3-week stint as a college student last summer. She 

says her experience living on campus and taking a college course " reinforced how 

much I want to go to college." She plans to major in physical therapy at Lock 

Haven University. Both students took chemistry and Pennsylvania history; after 

their senior year, they will take three courses for seven more credits, or a total of 

13 over a 3-year period. Upon successful completion of the program, all students 

are guaranteed admission to Lock Haven University. Lindquist, who spent 

3 weeks living with the students at the university last summer as a teacher, counselor, and chaperone of sorts, says it was a "wonderful experience. What's really 

great about it is that many of these kids never even thought about going to college 

for one reason or another. The retention rate is excellent, with only one or two students dropping out of the program, mostly for personal reasons." 

''To see them challenged ... I saw the other side of the kids and what they're really capable of. They can do so much more than even they think they can do," 

Lindquist observes. The students take full-fledged college courses taught by college professors. The students have all passed, with several, like Stull and Snyder, 

getting straight As. 

For more information contact Maria Boileau, Federal Enterprise Coordinator, 

Lock Haven EC, at 717-893-5907. 

Youth Go From Computer Novices to Junior 

Web Masters 

City of Watsonville/County of Santa Cruz, California, EC 

How can Generation Y youth at low academic levels be inspired to learn-especially during the summer'? In Watsonville, California, they have figured out an 

answer to this question. In summer 1998 the EC offered youth with learning problems an opportunity to learn about computers and Web site creation. 

"This project proved that youth who were testing far below grade level and who 

had never touched a computer (they had to be shown where the power button was 

located) were able to develop basic computer skills," says Lisa Brinton, who coordinated the project. ''The youth were able to develop a publishable Web page in 

a 6-week period. To me this showed how key motivation is in teaching our youth. 

Because of their interest in computers, they pushed themselves to learn and produce good-quality work." 

Through the Y-CREW Summer Project, 24 disadvantaged youth, ages 14 to 18, 

were paid to design Web pages for four local, nonprofit social service agencies. 

The youth came from low-income families and tested below the eighth-grade 

level. They learned how computers work and became proficient in a number 

of software applications while designing the Web pages. The youth learned about 

computers and about the issues that the service organizations address, 

including domestic violence, alcohol and substance abuse, and prevention of 

teen pregnancy. 

What Works! Volume III 
The project paid participants minimum wage and covered instructors' salaries and 

expenses. The Santa Cruz County Human Youth Employment and Training 

Program made the project possible by awarding the EC a contract to implement 

it. The EC provided the facility and equipment, hired staff, and supervised the 

curriculum. Community-based organizations volunteered staff time. 

The project led to an increase in the participants' reading, writing, and computer 

skills. The social agencies also benefited, because they previously could not use 

the Internet to promote their cause and share information about their services. Of 

the participants who completed the training, 64 percent (18 of 28) have been 

placed in jobs with local retailers. One participant had been on welfare. As a 

result of participating in the project, she found work in a local department store, 

was later offered a permanent job there, and was eventually promoted to lead 

manager. She is now able to support herself and no longer receives welfare. 

For more information contact Lisa Brinton, Program Coordinator and Youth 

Services Division Manager for Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services, 

Watsonville/County of Santa Cruz EC, 831-763-4033. 

Families Learn To Read-and To Open Doors to the 

World 

Imperial Valley, California, EC 

California's huge, sparsely populated Imperial County, just north of the Mexican 

border, has had only limited cultural and educational resources. Its libraries, for 

example, recently had approximately 1 book in Spanish for each 120 Spanish 

speakers. But there is hope for the curious who aspire to be readers, thanks to an 

innovative reading project started by the local branch of Literacy Volunteers of 

America that serves adult new readers and their children for whom English is a 

second language. 

"In the past, we have had the vision, but not the money, to try new ways to teach 

reading. Now the EC has given us the money to make things happen beyond what 

we would otherwise have been able to do," explains Phyllis Colter of the Literacy 

Volunteers of Americallmperial Valley. "Opening doors of opportunity-being 

able to try and establish these innovative ways to teach readingis the joy of the EC. Infrastructure projects are always needed, but this kind 

of project adds the precious human element." The project enhances literacy 

services within all five census tracts of the EC. -Seven library teaching sites have 

been opened, 140 people have been enrolled, and progress is being made in connecting with remote rural areas. More than 70 students and their families are 

learning to read with the help of 5 instructors. The family dimension is crucial. 

While the parent learns to read, usually in a library setting, he or she brings the 

rest of the family to the library, where they too begin to want to read. 

Along with these family benefits, students find whole · new worlds of opportunity 

as they start to read. For example, 3 schools challenged their 1,200 kids to read 

as many books as they could in 2 weeks. The students read 69,000 books! 

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The project is receiving almost $50,000 over 10 years from the EC. Its annual 

budget is approximately $100,000. The project raises money to cover its budget 

through an adult spelling bee and a reading rally for local businesses. Both events 

are great tools for marketing as well as fundraising. Supporting these efforts is the 

project's solid foundation in the local communities. Its partners include the 

Imperial County Board of Supervisors, the Imperial County Board of Education, 

and 19 school districts in Imperial County, Campesinos U nidos, Region XI 

Headstart and Migrant Headstart, local and State libraries, Computers in Your 

Future, the business community, preschools, and churche~,~ Because the program 

is locally sustainable, it will last after the EC funding ends. 

In addition to Families for Literacy, Literacy Volunteers of AmericalImperial 

Valley administers the California High School Proficiency Examination, worksite 

literacy courses, and one-to-one tutoring in basic reading. 

For more information contact Phyllis Colter, Executive Director, Literacy 

Volunteers of AmericalImperial Valley, at 760-352-8541. 

Center Lessens Rural Isolation While Helping 

Families Learn 

Josephine County, Oregon, EC 

Most preschoolers who come to the Oregon Parent Information and Resource 

Center in Wolf Creek have never played with other children their own age. 

Typically, they live miles away from their nearest neighbors and many have never 

been left in the care of adults who were not their parents. "This isolation can be 

a hindrance to development and a setback once they begin school," wrote Joyce 

Riha Linik in a recent article about the center published in NW Education 

magaZIne. 

All that isolation seems to fade quickly when the preschoolers arrive at the center with their parents and enter into activities planned by Child Development 

Specialist Marion Schneider. Through these activities, some of which involve parents, the children learn important lessons, including how to socialize and how to 

follow instructions. Linda Blackburn, a kindergarten teacher at Wolf Creek 

Elementary School, welcomed the center's first graduates to her class in 

September 1998. She told NW Education that the children who attended classes 

at the center were considerably more advanced than those who started school 

without the kind of preparation the center offers. 

While Schneider readies the young children for school, Center Director and Wolf 

Creek Principal Michael McManus meets with their parents to talk about the challenges of raising children in a rural environment. Exploring such topics as appropriate discipline or the qualities of a good parent, the gatherings are described by 

NW Education as "a blend of group therapy and gab session, interspersed with 

pearls of wisdom from McManus." During these conversations, participants talk 

about parenting issues that are important to them, share their own experiences, 

and learn from McManus and from other parents. 

What Works! Volume III 
The center operates with $500,000 of a $1.5-million grant that the U.S. 

Department of Education awarded in 1998 to the Albina Head Start Program in 

Portland. The project's goal is to test two parent education models, both of which 

were developed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Albina Head 

Start operates the urban model in Portland. The Sunny Wolf Community Response 

Team, the organization that administers EC funds in the southern portion of rural 

Josephine County, operates the rural model through its affiliate, the Sunny Wolf 

Family Coalition. The center has served 39 preschoolers and their parents since 

it opened in the 1997-98 school year. 

For more information contact Gary O'Neal, Director of the Sunny Wolf Community 

Response Team, at 541-866-2600. 

Community Education Program's Computer Lab 

Gains Momentum 

Joseph i ne County, Oregon, EC 

''The Community Education Program has been a tremendous success! With the 

new computer lab we have a tool in hand to really make a difference in our community and economic development efforts. Both the community at large and the 

business community have enthusiastically embraced the unique program. We are 

proud of our accomplishments," says Winifred Danke, Executive Director of the 

Illinois Valley Community Response Team (IVCRT). IVCRT, the southern arm of 

the Josephine County EC, partnered with the Three Rivers School District and the 

Illinois Valley High School to develop a learning center for the entire Illinois 

Valley community. The focal point of the community learning center is a $136,247 

Community Education Program computer laboratory at the Illinois Valley High 

School. 

This project was spearheaded by IVCRT's Education Committee and developed 

through countless hours of volunteer service in close partnership with the Three 

Rivers School District. In 1996 IVCRT financed a first phase of the computer lab 

development with $49,400 in Social Services Block Grants (SSBGs) for computer 

upgrades. The following year IVCRT spent $6,647 in SSBG funds to install 

Internet service and related equipment at the lab. In 1998 purchase and installation of 25 state-of-the-art computer workstations complete with high-speed 

Internet access, two portable LCD projectors, one stationary LCD projector, software, and miscellaneous supportive equipment were made possible through 

grants from the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Fund; the 

Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc., Regional 

Strategies/Rural Investment Fund; and the Carl Perkins Foundation. These recent 

additions have transformed the Community Education Program laboratory into 

one of the most powerful and advanced computer labs in Oregon. 

The computer lab is used day and night by both high school students and community members. On any given day, approximately 150 high school students use 

the computer equipment in their coursework and to complete homework assignments. Up to 30 high school students voluntarily attend computer classes on 

Saturday mornings. 

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At night community members who are enrolled in workforce training classes 

through the Community Education Program frequently use the computer lab. For 

the current semester more than 100 students have enrolled in computer classes 

such as Beginning Internet and Introduction to Computers and Windows 95. In 

addition, one of the Illinois Valley's largest employers, Fire Mountain Gems, is 

taking advantage of the facility. Establishment of the advanced computer lab at 

the high school has enabled the Community Education Program to successfully 

reach out to the local business community, thus demonstrating its potential to 

become a major element in a comprehensive workforce development initiative for 

the Illinois Valley. 

IVCRT is exploring using the computer lab as the first "tax super-site" in 

Southern Oregon for electronic filing of income tax returns for elderly and lowincome residents. During tax season IVCRT and community volunteers assist 

Illinois Valley residents in preparing and filing their taxes through a partnership 

with the American Association of Retired Persons and the Internal Revenue 

Service. 

For more information contact Winifred Danke, Executive Director of the Illinois 

Valley Community Response Team, at 541-592-2838. 

Rural County Prepares Young People for 

Jobs of the Future 

McDowell County, West Virginia, EC 

McDowell County might appear to have a bleak future if you didn't look past 

the scarred surface of its abandoned mines. Since 1960, as the coal mines 

have closed, the county's population has dropped from 100,000 to 28,000. Of 55 

counties in West Virginia, McDowell ranks 53rd in child well-being; 83 percent 

of the county's children qualify for the school lunch program. The future now looks 

brighter for these kids, thanks to the EC's strong School-to-Work program. 

''The most exciting thing about the Federal, State, and now local School-to-Work 

initiative is that there's the flexibility for a county to actually zero in on its needs 

and what's going to benefit its students in the future," according to Tom Hatcher, 

the county's Facilitator for this program. "The EC grant has given us great impetus in this effort." The McDowell County Action Network (McCAN), the local EC, 

has put together a multi pronged attack on the no-jobs hopelessness that could 

easily plague students. The program is developing a variety of practical educational effOlts in such growing fields as nursing, horticulture and hydroponics, 

caregiving for senior citizens, and computer technology. To further strengthen the 

local educational infrastructure, program funds are enabling McCAN to build a 

new middle school and set up horticulture and hydroponics retail centers for students to get hands-on experience. The program first targeted elementary school 

children, but next year will be broadened to include high school students as well. 

The McDowell School-to-Work program received a $491,069 grant from the 

Federal School-to-Work program that is being supplemented by money from the 

State. The program depends on strong local partners, including the schools, busiWhat Works! Volume III 
nesses, community and labor organizations, the housing authority, and an organization seeking to stop physical abuse. Building on this support, the program is 

able to get the word out and increase its effectiveness through such activities as 

publishing career handbooks for students and parents and creating a jobshadowing project that allows kids to follow a person doing the job to which they 

aspire. The program is now entering its third year and looks fonvard to another 5 

years of helping students reach toward careers of the future. 

For more information contact Tom Hatcher, Facilitator, McDowell School-toWork, at 304-436-8441. 

Learning Center Offers Local Access to Training 

and Education 

Scott-McCreary Area, Tennessee-Kentucky, EC 

The Scott-McCreary EC helped the McCreary County Learning Center expand its 

facilities by 12,000 square feet. Renovation of the original 7,500-square-foot 

building was completed in January 1999. " We're extremely proud of this project, 

our answer to centralized educational programs. We don't draw traditional academic lines," says Bruce Murphy, Deputy County JudgefExecutive. The center, 

30 miles from the nearest college, provides local access to higher education and 

vocational training. The center just received its first distance learning grant and 

offers courses ranging from adult education to training for daycare workers. 

The learning center represents a partnership of local government, the citizens of 

McCreary County, Somerset Community College, and the McCreary County 

Educational Development Foundation. Funding for the $1.6-million investment 

came from a $711,000 Rural Housing Service (RHS) loan, a $91,000 RHS grant, 

a $250,000 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant, a $97,800 ARC 

grant, and local contributions of $534,000. 

For more information contact Leslie Winningham, Scott-McCreary Area EC, at 

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Art Club Reaches Out To Help Kids Rekindle 


Their Artistic Energies 


Birmingham, Alabama, EC 

Wisdom holds that every child is an artist, but these creative impulses usually are 

buried by external pressures to conform. The Birmingham Art Club, with support 

from the EC, is working to bring the arts to local children and rekindle their artistic appreciation and abilities. The club knows that even if the kids do not become 

artists, they will be enriched, better citizens. 

"If we can get students to learn to appreciate the arts even though they may not 

become artists, they will be better people," says Cleophus Vann, who helps direct 

the effort. The Art Club, which has been pursuing this and other community 

efforts since the 1960s, has a 3-year, $90,000 grant from the EC to expose more 

kids to art. The grant has enabled the club to broaden its activities. Starting from 

its base in the A.M. Brown Community Center, the club has added activities in 

three more community centers and four schools. Since 1996 nearly 1,300 children 

have learned a wide variety of visual and perlorming arts and crafts in 3-, 4-, and 

6-week courses. Each course ends with perlormances that have reached more 

than 4,000 people in the community. Thanks to the program, the Art Club also has 

a writer-in-residence in a high school and an arts and crafts specialist-inresidence in an elementary school. 

The program's partners and supporters include the State humanities association, 

local arts organizations, corporations, and individual donors. Corporations have 

underwritten entire sessions of the 3-week courses. Given this ongoing level of 

support, Vann is confident that the established Art Club will further increase its 

outreach to children even after the EC grant ends. 

For more information contact Cleophus Vann, Assistant Director of Programs, 

Birmingham Art Club, at 205-929-1457. 

Neighborhood Outreach Center Revitalizes 


Heart of BuHalo 


Buffalo, New York, EC 

When 5-year-old Robbie stepped up on Gary Welborn's porch in 1992 and casually asked "Wanna buy some marijuana?" he lent a face to the underclass existence of the West Side Buffalo neighborhood. Rather than avoiding that face, 

Welborn and his wife Eileen stayed to found the Massachusetts Avenue Project 

(MAP), a resident-driven social action organization working to revitalize the heart 

of Buffalo's West Side. 

West Side residents have brought their neighborhood a long way from the dangerous summer of 1992. With 3 drug houses and 5 shootings in the ll-block area, 

the ethnically diverse community-home to Italian Americans, African 

Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and a growing Asian population-lived 

in fear. 

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In 1994 MAP organized its signature Playground Project. That project brought out 

more than 500 volunteers in 5 days to build Sunshine Park, the city's only supervised playground, with materials paid for with a $140,000 grant. Now more than 

200 children visit Sunshine Park daily. After that successful project, residents 

were surveyed to see what they wanted. The result was a mural project to help 

children envision their community more positively. 

Last year MAP opened the Neighborhood Outreach Center next to Sunshine Park. 

Local residents designed and painted a mural that served as a backdrop for the 

opening ceremonies. The one-stop center offers EC residents direct help or referrals and family support services such as counseling, parenting workshops, and 

family violence prevention. It provides a site for block clubs and community 

groups to hold meetings and events. In its first 9 months, the center's activities 

included 213 referrals, monthly youth meetings attended by 10 to 15 young people, and a bimonthly WIC program attended consistently by more than 25 women. 

Collaborating for Community supports the Neighborhood Outreach Center with 

$200,000 to pay for operating expenses and full-time director Diane Picard's 

salary. The city provided the building for $1 per year in rent and has agreed to pay 

the utilities. But the center really is a product of the community. According to 

Gary Welborn, Sociology Professor at Buffalo State College and MAP Cochair, 

MAP is alive and well because residents have refused to give up. 

For more information contact Paula Rosner, Executive Director, Federal EC of 

Buffalo, at 716-842-6923. 

Good News Garage Gets People's Lives Rolling 

Burlington, Vermont, EC 

What can you do if you are a low-income person and your car breaks down, leaving you without a way to work? What can you do if you need to have regular dialysis treatment but can't afford to buy a reliable vehicle and public transportation 

is unavailable? What can you do if you are a single parent with two children who 

receives public assistance and you are unable to afford a car to drive your children to childcare or yourself to a job-training program? You can call the Good 

News Garage, a nonprofit garage in Burlington, Vermont, where hope and helping 

hands serve people in need. 

The Good News Garage, a program of Lutheran Social Services of New England, 

provides donated, reconditioned vehicles to people in need. Eligible buyers are 

charged only the repair costs. The program has also provided apprentice mechanic training to six individuals, three of whom are women. In almost 3 years of operation, more than 250 households have received affordable, reliable vehicles that 

enabled their families to drive to work, medical services, childcare, and the grocery store. The program receives two to three donated vehicles daily from all over 

New England; donors receive a tax write-off. The Good News Garage works in 

partnership with the Vermont Department of Social Welfare's Reach Up program. 

Seventy-five percent of the Reach Up referrals who have received vehicles have 

moved from the welfare rolls to full-time payrolls. The innovative program, which 

What Works! Vo lum e III 
is being used in Burlington's EC, has received national recognition from such 

media as CBS, NBC, National Public Radio (NPR), and Smithsonian magazine. 

The Good News Garage recently received an Innovation Award from the Peter F. 

Drucker Foundation for Non-Profit Management and the NPR story about it 

received the Edward R. Murrow Award for Journalism. More than 100 communities have been sent information to start their own programs. 

The Good News Garage is a faith-based, community-based project that arose out 

of need. The program founder and director, Hal Colston, was working at 

Chittenden Community Action 5 years ago, when a single mother of two children 

who was receiving public assistance came to him distraught because the used car 

she had just bought for $500 had broken down and the dealer had told her that it 

was her problem and not his. Colston was outraged at the injustice and tried for 2 

weeks to resolve the matter. Although the used car lot managed to escape its obligation to deliver a working vehicle, it occurred to Colston that a solution could be 

a community garage that serves low-income people. 

The Good News Garage brings transportation equity to people in need all over 

Vermont. Its staff of seven full-time employees and five volunteers contribute 

more than 60 hours per week and manage a waiting list of 250 low-income persons, as well as the incoming vehicles that need work. The program has attracted 

attention and support from the State of Vermont because its services to welfare 

recipients allow the State to realize cost savings of approximately 8 to 1. A recent 

recipient of a Good News Garage car got a full-time job earning five times more 

than her welfare benefits paid. This program demonstrates that low-income persons don't want to be poor, but are just looking for a break. And breaks at the 

Good News Garage happen to have four wheels. 

For more information contact Hal Colston at (802) 864-6017. 

McClure Multi-Generational Center Celebrates 

Grand Opening 

Burlington, Vermont, EC 

The McClure Multi-Generational Center, an innovative community development 

project in Burlington, Vennont, celebrated its grand opening on March 22, 1999. 

The project included redevelopment and cleanup of a brownfield site located in 

the heart of Burlington's Old North End, relocation of two human service programs, and a community effort to raise $1.2 million from the private sector to complete the project. 

The McClure Multi-Generational Center is the new home of the Burlington 

Children's Space and the Champlain Senior Center. The Burlington Children's 

Space is an accredited, nonprofit childcare center that offers day, evening, weekend, and second-shift childcare services for children birth to age 12. The 

Burlington Children's Space currently serves 145 community families. The 

Champlain Senior Center is an activity-based program for citizens age 60 and up 

living in the community. The Champlain Senior Center serves 10,000 meals each 

year to more than 600 senior citizens. 

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This unique facility provides improved program space for the two organizations 

while bringing together young and old. Children, senior citizens, college students, 

and baby boomers all interact on a daily basis. Joint activities include a book buddies program that focuses on literacy. Senior citizens are book buddies for toddlers 

and preschoolers. Reading brings buddies together regularly and offers opportunities for children and senior citizens to share in an invaluable activity. The 

Legacy Project creates books and incorporates storytelling, history, and the community. Children and senior citizens make Legacy Books to share. 

Intergenerational activities are endless; music, gardening, field trips, exercise, 

and computer activity are all regular events that children share with senior 

citizens. 

Also included in the design of the McClure Multi-Generational Center is space for 

community use, including two conference rooms, a computer library, and a large 

multipurpose space. Within 1 week of the grand opening, groups were signing up 

to use the space for meetings, training sessions, community development activities, and playgroups. Located in the heart of the EC, this community space is an 

invaluable resource. 

The Burlington Children's Space interfaces with a network of family-based childcare providers in the neighborhood. This group of providers will use the community space for playgroups and other meetings. In addition, the Burlington 

Children's Space will share resources, materials, and professional development 

opportunities with the network. This way, the Burlington Children's Space and 

network of providers can support each other by providing high-quality childcare 

while sharing resources and opportunities. 

The McClure Multi-Generational Center is a model project in community development. The project used funding from a variety of sources: the EC, CDBG funds, 

a tax-exempt bond, and substantial private-sector contributions. A total of $1.2 

million was raised in the private sector in less than 8 months. This effort marks 

the commitment of community members to improving the quality of life in their 

community. More than 250 people contributed to the campaign. 

For more information contact Angela Irvine at (802) 658-1500. 

Phoenix From the Flames 

Burlington, Vermont, EC 

Burlington's first downtown affordable housing cooperative has risen from the 

ashes of a twice-burned building. Called the Park Place Cooperative, these 34 

new affordable apartments overlook City Hall Park and Lake Champlain in 

Burlington, Vermont's EC and contribute to the rebirth of a critical city center 

block that used to house the bus station and 51 very affordable apartments. 

Because of its prime location and lake views, the original owner had it slated for 

luxury housing. This project ensured that downtown Burlington would remain 

affordable and accessible to all residents regardless of income. 

The project involved the renovation of the historic Huntington Hotel using the 

Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, as well as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, 

What Worksl Vo lume II I 
city HOME funds, and State housing funds. The project includes 9 efficiency 

apartments; 24 I-bedroom apartments; and a 2-bedroom apartment. It is organized as a housing cooperative where residents are owners in the corporation that 

master leases the housing. As owners, the residents set house rules, generate 

operating budgets and rents, choose new residents, and hire a property manager. 

Rents range from $230 to $610 per month and include heat and hot water costs. 

The project also includes commerciaVretail space in a highly visible downtown 

location, contributing to the vitality of Burlington's downtown. 

For more information contact Brenda Torpy at (802) 862-6244. 

New Family Center Builds on Successful Model 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC 

"My family and I needed help!" says Danny Williams, a resident of the Hall 

Manor Public Housing Complex and an example of many people in his building 

and the surrounding community who have received help at the Hall Manor Family 

Center. "The first place I went when I moved to Hall Manor was the Family 

Center," Williams explains. "We found a place that helped us when we were 

down. Now they are helping us to move up." 

Since April 1998 the Hall Manor Family Center has been providing social services to people in need of help like Williams. Case managers assist them with goal 

setting, job-readiness skills and training, GED preparation, and budgeting, all 

designed to help them achieve a higher level of self-reliance. "The staff of the 

Family Center shows that they really care and want to help you do better," say 

Felicia and Curtis White, other members of the community who have sought help 

from the Hall Manor Family Center. 

In addition to case management services, the Family Center works to establish 

partnerships with other organizations in the community. For instance, the Family 

Center has collaborated with several area elementary schools and the District 

Justice Office to prevent truancy. 

The Hall Manor Family Center is similar to another family center established in 

1994 in the Harrisburg EC. The Lincoln Family Center, located at the Lincoln 

Elementary School, was created with a grant from the Department of Public 

Welfare. Capitol Area Head Start administered the Lincoln Family Center until 

July 1997 when the Community Action Commission took over its administration. 

The Community Action Commission now administers the Hall Manor Family 

Center as well. 

The idea of establishing a family center in Harrisburg originated in 1992 when a 

task force of partners came together to study what it would take to create a facility to provide a range of family support services in one location. The task force 

held community meetings to invite parent participation-parent involvement is 

the lifeline of these two family centers-and provide a forum for parents to discuss problems that could be addressed at a comprehensive family center. One way 

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the family centers team up with parents is by hosting fun-filled days for the entire 

family every month. 

The family centers were created with $165,000 of EC funding, less than onequarter of which has been used thus far, leaving plenty of funding available to add 

other family centers around Harrisburg as well as improving the Hall Manor and 

Lincoln Family Centers. Partners include the Community Action Commission, the 

City of Harrisburg, the Dauphin County Commissioner's Office, the Harrisburg 

School District and Housing Authority, and Dauphin County Human Services. 

For more information contact JoAnn Partridge, City of Harrisburg, Department of 

Building and Housing Development, at 717-255-6424. 

Philadelphia Hires Its Own To Survey Community 

Childcare Needs 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 

When the Philadelphia EZ decided to evaluate its residents' childcare needs, it 

came up with an innovative solution. Rather than contract the job out, the EZ, 

along with Cabot Community of Concerned Citizens, Inc., developed the idea as 

the Child Care Survey Employment Training Project. 

The project trained 32 residents in data collection in 1996 for the door-to-door 

survey. Some served as supervisors and directed assigned groups. They all worked 

the streets in pairs, dressed in blue and white uniforms of T-shirts, caps, and 

canvas bags. Interviewers and writers worked together to record the responses of 

more than 1,000 residents from single-family homes, Philadelphia Housing 

Authority units, and businesses. The interviewers also served as EZ information 

ambassadors. 

The survey gathered data on children, employment, daycare, transportation, and 

educational issues. The survey found 2,558 children between 1 and 18 years old. 

Most of the 899 children 5 years old and younger received childcare from a family member. Of 993 households polled, 551 lived on $10,000 a year or less. Of 

parents polled, 430 would work if their childcare needs were met. 

The investigators concluded that a need for childcare existed in the community. 

Residents would take advantage of alternative daycare arrangements or would 

work second or third shifts if daycare services were available. Many residents surveyed needed transportation to access daycare and many wanted afterschool or 

educational programs for their children. Residents believed that these programs 

were available, although that perception was not borne out by the data. 

The survey provided a springboard for assessing North Central's childcare needs 

while training EZ residents. Many trainees continue to serve the community in 

youth development programming and other capacities. Project Assistant Denise 

Brown used her training to become an administration manager at a local firm. 

The survey is only one example of the Zone's commitment to childcare. The EZ 

has funded several childcare worker and parent training and certification programs and at least 10 existing childcare centers, more than any other EZ. As 

What Works! Volume III 
Malaika Davis, Coordinator of Policy and Linkages in the Zone, adds, EZ residents are not to be forgotten. There is great passion among residents, signifying 

the dedication and sincerity with which they embrace the Empowerment Zone 

concept. 

For more information contact Malaika Davis, Coordinator of Policy and Linkages, 

Philadelphia EZ, at 215-683-0465. 

R.B. Brown: A One-Stop Community Center 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 


Sometimes a small failure is a sign of a big success. When the R.B. Brown 

Community Center used EZ funds to expand an emergency dropoff program for 

children, parents didn't use it. They liked what they saw so much that they decided to enroll their children in daycare at the center instead. And why not? The R.B. 

Brown Community Center has served North Central Philadelphia for 52 years and 

provides, according to Director Yvette Fuller, "one-stop shopping" when it comes 

to community services. 

The multipurpose center provides daycare for 180 children, afterschool programs 

for 121 children, and teen and evening recreational programs. It also offers specialized foster care for court-adjudicated youth who are referred to placement as 

a last chance before prison. In this successful program, young people are matched 

with mentor homes and provided training in life skills, communication, and goal 

setting. 

The center also provides drug treatment programs for pregnant women and 

mothers who can enroll their children in childcare while they participate in the 

addiction program and parenting classes. 

"What makes us successful," says Fuller, "is the fact that our programs work 

together and our doors are open to other community organizations. This, coupled 

with a dedicated staff, has been the key to our success." 

R.B. Brown has a staff of 110 full-time and part-time employees, 40 of whom are 

childcare workers. Some teachers have been at the center as long as 19 years. 

Many are beneficiaries of the Early Childhood Education and Child Development 

Associate (CDA) training program, an affordable method for childcare professionals to earn an associate's degree in early childhood education. 

The center also trains parents. According to Fuller, "Some programs think that the 

less parents know, the less accountable the program has to be, but our goal is just 

the opposite." Through monthly parenting meetings, center educators train parents to recognize best practices in early childhood programs. "Our parents call us 

on the carpet if they don't see best practices in action," says Fuller. Parents are 

more active in the center because they have a say in programming and because 

staff take a genuine interest in parents and their families. 

R.B. Brown initially responded to an EZ Request for Proposals to provide daycare 

and teen afterschool programs to EZ residents at a time when welfare cuts pushed 

residents to find employment. EZ daycare funding gave residents extra time to get 

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better paying jobs that would allow them to become self-sufficient. The center also 

developed parents' self-sufficiency by helping them find other ways to pay for 

daycare once EZ money ran out. When the EZ contract ended in March 1998, parents kept their children at the center, and the center stayed in the EZ network. 

For more information contact Yvette Fuller, Director, R.B. Brown Community 

Center, at 215-763-0900. 

One-Stop Shopping for Family Services 

at the People's Building Proiect 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, EC 

"What we wanted was to create a hub for services," says Kate Garvey of the 

Allegheny Intermediary Unit (AIU). And they have. The People's Building Project 

in the Pittsburgh EC has brought together more than 30 human services agencies 

that serve the McKeesport community in one location. Services available include 

family therapy, educational training, and transitional housing for people who lose 

their homes. 

"None of the agencies felt that the project was superseding what they were already 

doing in their previous locations," says Garvey, who is in charge of the project. 

She explains that the project began as expansion of an existing family support 

center. "The People's Building was designed with a more systematic view of family services in mind," says Garvey. The facility also serves as an incubator for 

groups and organizations in the community, providing a place for meetings. Small 

resident councils, block clubs, or women's support groups can come to the building and use the resources there-not just the fax machine and computers, but the 

people who staff the facility. 

AIU managed the expansion, which included bringing in the needed agencies and 

services, providing them with rental subsidies to relocate, installing a 

computer network to link participating agencies with other resources for more efficient and effective service delivery, and adding a common area. Approximately 

$750,000 of EC funding earmarked for the project has made it possible to renovate a site, the former McKeesport Bank Building, large enough to accommodate 

so many services in one location. 

The project represents a collaborative effort among families, the City of 

McKeesport, churches, human services providers, businesses, educators, and 

many other community partners. To provide leadership to the project, representatives from these many sectors are included on the Peoples' Building board. Board 

members have been selected through an effort to represent as many sectors of the 

McKeesport community as possible. 

For more information contact Kate Garvey, People's Building Project Coordinator, 

Allegheny Intermediary Unit, at 412-394--5940. 

What Works! Volume III 
Helping Women Become Self-Sufficient 

Springfield, Massachusetts, EC 

Disadvantaged women in Springfield, Massachusetts, are becoming more selfsufficient and independent with the help of the recently created Access 

Enterprise program at the Massachusetts Career Development Institute, which 

provides ongoing educational and work assistance in Hampden County. 

"Because we match the person with individual training needs, our educational 

programs for these students varies," says Doreen Fradus, Coordinator for the 

institute's McKinney Program for the Homeless, which oversees the program. "As 

a result, completion of the program depends on the person's level of skills and 

commitment to learn." The program, which began in fall 1998, currently serves 

154 low-income women. 

In addition to the traditional adult education programs offered through the institute, the Access Enterprise program highlights three critical components: direct 

job placement, intensive case management, and varied work experiences. A 

16-week work experience program allows a student who has never worked to 

develop a positive employment record. Financial compensation for the student 

includes a salary for a 23-hour work week in addition to Department of 

Transitional Assistance benefits. 

A second program, the Supported Work program, provides the same opportunity 

for growth for individuals with prior work experience. Once these programs are 

completed, the students are hired by the employer as permanent employees. 

Among the employers involved in this program are the Early Childhood Center of 

Greater Springfield, Goodwill Industries, Partners for a Healthier Community, the 

Springfield Housing Authority, Holyoke Community College, the WARE Group, 

Springfield Technical Community College, and Child and Family Service of 

Pioneer Valley. 

For more information contact Jerry Phillips, Executive Director of the 

Massachusetts Career Development Institute, at 413-781-5640. 

North End Youth Center: A Home Away From Home 

Springfield, Massachusetts, EC 

What is a home? One definition can be found at the North End Youth Center, a 

nonprofit facility that provides mentoring, training, and recreational activities for 

youth who live in Springfield, Massachusetts. 

"We work to meet the needs of our community," says Louis Manzie, Director of the 

center. "Initially we offered programs for older kids in the area. However, the need 

for afterschool programs for younger kids has resulted in our drop-in program for 

6- to 10-year-olds." The center currently serves 350 children from the community, the biggest portion of the EC. 

The center has worked in close collaboration since 1997 with various local organizations, such as the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, the Springfield Parks and 

Recreational Departments, and the New North Citizens Council to provide a 

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nurturing and fun environment for the area's youth, most of whom are Latino. It 

operates with funds from the City of Springfield and local nonprofit organizations, 

including the Community Foundation. 

Among the offerings of the center are an AIDS Teen Team, a GED preparatory 

course, lifeguard training, CPR and first aid training, a computer club, and a writers' workshop. "This center is for youth," says Manzie, "and it is run by the 

youths." A youth advisory board collaborates with an adult advisory board to tailor pertinent and educational activities to participants. 

The center's affiliation with the YMCA has even placed Springfield youth in seats 

of government. The center palticipates in the Statewide Youth in Government program, which teaches high school students about the governing process. "For 

4 months each of our teenagers learns to write a legislative bill by researching 

what is currently available, who will pay for the particular bill, and why it is 

important to the community," says Manzie. 

Upon the completion of this phase, the teenagers travel to Boston where, with 

other children from around the State, they meet at the State House in Boston and 

make mock presentations of their bills in actual State House rooms. "Over the 

course of one weekend, the teenagers experience what it is like to be a senator or 

representative and they see firsthand how the legislative process works," says 

Manzie. "This teaches the kids about the importance of collaboration and teamwork to get things accomplished." 

For more information contact Louis Manzie, Director, North End Youth Center, at 

413-739-5820. 

What Worksl Vo lume III 
HUMAN SERVICES 

EC Child Care Initiative Puts Children First 

City of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, EC 

A unique partnership regarding childcare was formed in March 1998. Recognizing 

that affordable, quality childcare is an important factor in attaining selfsufficiency, a round table discussion was organized by Stacey Glantz, a client of 

an intensive case management program funded by Lock Haven EC. As a welfare 

mother enrolled full time at Lock Haven University, she personally experienced the 

gaps in chiIdcare. Her situation was poignant because she did not qualify for childcare subsidy since she is attending a 4-year university and her work schedule did 

not qualify her for aid. She was concerned that she was not alone in her experiences. 

In 1998 she held a meeting with childcare professionals and childcare providers 

to discuss the gaps in obtaining childcare. As a result of her efforts, the Clinton 

County Child Care Initiative was formed with a mission to educate businesses as 

well as the community in general on affordable, quality childcare. 

The Clinton County Child Care Initiative is a monthly gathering of childcare professionals and interested community representatives who share information and 

new ideas about childcare issues. 

Organizations participating in this initiative include Keystone Central School 

District's Pregnant and Parenting Teen program, Pennsylvania State University's 

Cooperative Extension office, Infant Development program, Clinton County assistance office and Head Start programs, Lock Haven University, childcare 

providers, and the City of Lock Haven EC. In 1999 the Child Care Initiative has 

developed plans for an education strategy for business and the community regarding childcare. The plans include applications for funding to educate the community on healthcare issues, a conference with employers in Clinton County, and the 

development of brochures and educational presentations for local residents about 

the options available for their children's care. 

"This is the first time we have seen childcare providers, professionals, community residents, and representatives of the local government working together on the 

issues of affordable, quality childcare in our community," said Mark Egley, 

Executive Director of Lycoming Child Care Services. 

For more information contact Maria Boileau at 717-893-5907. 

New Center Provides Services to Victims 


of Domestic Violence 


Fayette County/Haywood County, Tennessee, EC 

Rural victims of domestic abuse sometimes live miles from town and may not even 

have a phone or television hookup. The Journey Center in rural Fayette, 

Tennessee, is reaching out to these women and children thanks to a $20,000 EC 

grant to Fayette Cares, a local social services organization. The money will be 

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used to turn three rooms in the existing Fayette .Cares building into offices housing the Journey Center. 

Fayette Cares already has an efficiency apartment to be used in emergencies, as 

well as storage, a thrift store, and a food pantry. The Journey Center offers group 

counseling and individual listening sessions, a court advocacy program, a lending 

library, and community outreach to senior citizen centers, schools, churches, and 

businesses. The center also offers workshops in stress and anger management, the 

effects of abuse on children, and ways to promote effective living. 

Staffing for the facility will come from a pool of professional psychologists and 

social workers who volunteer their time and expertise to do counseling and referrals. A 24-hour crisis line is also planned. 

The Journey Center has served 45 women since it opened last summer. Alexandra 

Wardlaw, Director of the center, plans to expand its services to underserved populations, especially Spanish speakers and the physically challenged. ''The number of calls we've received has grown tenfold since we opened in July 1998," 

Wardlaw says. ''The community is very receptive and lots of people have 

expressed a deep need for these services. It takes an entire community to make 

this kind of change, to send the message that domestic violence affects whole 

communities and children." 

Journey Center partners include the Tennessee Office of Criminal Justice, the 

Tennessee Department of Human Services, the Family Life Resource Network, 

the county justice system and health department, the Methodist Hospital, local 

churches, and the Family Trouble Center of the Memphis Police Department. 

For more information contact John Sicola, Fayette/Haywood EC, at 

901-545-4610. 

St. Gabriel Education Center Provides Help 

for Local Residents 

Mid-Delta, Mississippi, EZ 

Parents, teenagers, and children benefit from the counsel, practical assistance, 

and compassion given by the Mercy Care Program of the St. Gabriel Center in 

Mound Bayou, Mississippi. The primary focus of the program is to teach parents 

about the developmental stages of children during the years of rapid growth from 

infancy to age 3. The program teaches parents about the need to support children 

with understanding, and ways to detect developmental problems. It also refers 

parents to resources for help. The program teaches parenting skills that will help 

promote strong parent-child relationships. 

Sister Helen Papan, the Project Director, has done an exemplary job of reaching 

out to the residents of Bolivar County. Every other week she gives a session to 

approximately a dozen teenage girls at the Mental Health Center in Cleveland, 

Mississippi. She provides advice that may lead them to promising futures, while 

pointing out the hazards along the way. Sister Helen talks with the girls about 

avoiding teen pregnancy, building values and self-esteem, and obstacles they will 

What Works! Vo lum e III 
face. The sessions provide an opportunity for feedback from the counselors and 

the girls. The Acting Director of the Mid-Delta EZ (MDEZ), Shirley Williams, 

says, "Sister Helen is an excellent role model for these teenage girls, many of 

whom don't have self-confidence, and she provides that. She's someone who is 

always there for them." 

Because of the financial assistance provided by MDEZ, Sister Helen has been 

able to get electricity and gas turned on for several needy families, while remaining within her budget. On one occasion, when furniture was removed from a home 

by a storekeeper because of past-due balances, money was provided to buy beds 

for the children. The EZ provided $23,000 in funding for Mercy Care, and this 

seed money leveraged another $30,000 from local charitable organizations to 

raise the necessary $53,000. 

As Sister Helen visits various homes, she offers assistance to Increase 

parental skills. She understands the deprivation of the families and has been 

instrumental in having several new homes built by the Rural Economic County 

Development Farmers' Home in Cleveland, Mississippi. The first families moved 

into these homes during summer 1998. In addition to assisting parents with parenting skills, she has given clothing to needy families and provided transportation 

to doctors' offices and welfare departments. 

"We have many single-parent families here," Williams says, "and Sister Helen 

uses the Mercy Care van to pick them up and take them to medical appointments, 

and that has been very helpful in improving their access to healthcare." 

With the assistance of an AmeriCorps volunteer, classes are held three times a 

week for fourth-grade students at the I.T. Montgomery Elementary School to 

enhance study skills. As Williams says, "Sister Helen has given a lot more than 

she has received, and she's doing a tremendous job of reaching out to the people 

of the community." 

For more information contact Shirley Williams, Mid-Delta EZ, at 601-254-9957. 

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Boston TV Show Informs Residents 

Boston, Massachusetts, EZ 

"This program is a way for us to advertise things that are going on with the EEC 

program. It uses a different approach to inform the residents," says Reginald 

Nunnally, the Executive Director of the Boston EEC. In partnership with the 

Boston Neighborhood Network News (BNN), the EEC that became an EZ in 

January 1999 has created a half-hour cable program, "Boston EZ Update," to 

keep EZ residents informed of what is going on in their neighborhood. The program is aired live at 4 p.m. every Tuesday and is rebroadcast four to five times 

during the week. Topics covered on the show include governance, real estate 

development, business development, health-related issues, daycare, job opportunities, and other human services topics. Each week the program welcomes a guest 

from the community or from city government. Viewers have the opportunity to call 

the program and ask questions pertaining to the EEC/EZ initiative of Nunnally, 

who hosts the program, or of the guest. 

"Residents actively call the show," says Nunnally. Eight shows have been aired 

and many residents have called to speak with guests such as the Director of the 

Redevelopment Authority or the EEC Chairperson. 

Program participants have informed the community about the $1O.5-million revitalization taking place in Dudley Square as well as the redevelopment in the 

Grove Hall neighborhood. The program costs the EEC $14 per show. 

The show has already been expanded from 14 weeks to 48 weeks and the BNN 

General Manager, himself an EZ resident, is exploring changing the format of the 

program into a dialogue show where residents, city representatives, and community leaders could come together to discuss the revitalization of the EZ. The EZ is 

also working to partner with the banking and insurance industries to sponsor an 

expanded program in the future. 

For more information contact Reginald Nunnally, Executive Director, Boston 

Empowerment Zone, at 617-445-3413. 

Communicating the Ouachita EC's Progress 

Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, EC 

The Ouachita EC (OEC) communicates its progress through a weekly column 

in the Business section of the local Gannett newspaper, the NewsStar; a weekly 

quarter-page advertisement in a minority-owned weekly newspaper, the Free 

Press; and a weekly 30-minute program on the LA Cable Vision access channel. 

"Our Chairperson does occasional articles in both the minority-owned weekly 

newspapers, the Free Press, the Monroe Dispatch, and the newsier NewsStar," said 

Eric Loewe, Executive Director of the OEC. 

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OEC has an extensive physical presence in the community according to Loewe, 

with administrative offices and full-time shared facilities at four prominent neighborhood centers. One community center, where OEC has a full-time presence, 

takes Cable Vision payments and has up to 2,500 visitors per month. 

OEC representatives attend neighborhood watch meetings and OEC has 

partnerships with the three chambers of commerce, the economic development 

corporation, local government, nonprofit organizations, and local churches and 

corporations. 

For more information contact Eric Loewe, Executive Director, Ouachita 

Enterprise Community, at 318-329-4031. 

What Worksl Volum e III 
TECHNOLOGY A",ID COMMUNICATIONS 

Rural County Helps Its People Reap the Rewards of the 

Telecommunications Revolution 

Kentucky Highlands, jackson County, Kentucky, EZ 

The telecommunications/Internet revolution theoretically will benefit people 

everywhere-even those in rural areas. But the infrastructure of high-speed data 

lines, computers, and related equipment is expensive and complex. That is exactly the challenge being met in the Kentucky Highlands EZ. The new CenterNet 

facility is making Jackson one of 40 counties in eastern Kentucky that are being 

linked for teleconferencing, Internet access, and other related services thanks to 

the regionally based Center for Rural Development. 

"Some high school students in a drafting class connected at CenterNet to the 

Louisville Science Center hundreds of miles away," explains Norma Thomas of 

the local school district. "The students-and students at eight other high schools 

in eastern Kentucky-were able to speak with and get help from architects at the 

center. This kind of interaction would never have been possible before 

CenterNet." 

The Center for Rural Development donated the equipment and support to enable 

Jackson County to set up its CenterNet, as it is also doing for each of the 39 other 

counties. Jackson County's CenterNet is temporarily housed in the EZ office. The 

facility includes four public terminals with Internet access and a room where local 

students, business executives, and others can participate in teleconferences by 

appointment. 

Thomas and the staff of the local telephone company, electric company, and court 

system are publicizing CenterNet with presentations for interested groups, a 

brochure, and coverage by the local newspaper and television station. Another 

partner in the project is Eastern Kentucky University, which will offer courses 

through a video link. The CenterNet project came about through the leadership of 

U.S. Representative Harold Rogers, who was also instrumental in the founding of 

the Center for Rural Development. 

For more information contact Norma Thomas, Project Manager, Jackson County 

Schools, at 606-287-7181. 

EC Residents Empowered by Technology Skills 

Robeson County, North Carolina, EC 

As part of its Decade of Home Strategic Plan, the Robeson Enterprise Community 

Development Corporation envisioned a rural society in which people are equitably empowered with technology skills. The EC recognized that in a society 

increasingly dominated by technology, people who are socially and/or economically disadvantaged will become further disadvantaged if they lac k access to 

computers and computer-related technologies. 

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Today, people who cannot use computers have to be considered candidates for a 

new fonn of poverty that is both cultural and economic in nature. The EC felt that 

the only way to fight this emerging poverty was to provide quality education, training, and Internet access. Using EC funding, the EC began a campaign against 

"technological poverty" by offering free computer and introductory-level Internet 

tutoring and training to EC residents, organizations, and businesses. The goal of 

the program was to provide a service initially and eventually make the program 

self-sustaining. 

"Overall, the program was successful [in] identifying additional brokers in the 

community to continue providing technical assistance and training in the future," 

says Cynthia Johnson, Executive Director for the Robeson EC Development 

Corporation. 

Seven state-of-the-art multimedia computers were purchased and placed in 

accessible community locations throughout the EC communities of Maxton, 

Fairmont, Rowland, Marietta, Red Springs, South Lumberton, and West 

Lumberton. Internet access and computer time were provided at no charge and 

were subject to the availability of open time periods. Initial training sessions covered introduction to computers, computer basics, hardware configurations, and 

DOSfWindows operating systems. A total of 126 community residents received 

training through 72 training sessions over 336 hours. 

A community-based EC Web site was created as part of the program. Access to 

the Internet helped create new and exciting opportunities for growth and jobs by 

providing communities with the ability to communicate with one another, conduct 

business, enhance job skills, and exchange information and ideas. The project 

represents a creative approach to electronic community networking and empowerment by helping EC residents identify ways in which computers and the Internet 

can solve day-to-day problems. Based on feedback from participants, the project 

has offered opportunities for individuals to improve education levels, gain jobrelated skills, and build individual and community capability. The EC grant for 

the program ended in February, and the program is now run by volunteers. 

For more information contact Cynthia Johnson, Executive Director, Robeson 

Enterprise Community Development Corporation, at 910-618--0722. 

What Works! Volume III 
LOOKING To THE FUTURE: 


REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 


Communities in regions throughout the country have found that working 

together within a regional development initiative can yield a variety of 

benefits for economic and community development. Communities that 

join together in a regional initiative have discovered major advantages in speaking with a regional, united voice. Regional initiatives can enhance efforts to 

attract Federal resources and ensure accountability while allowing residents and 

entrepreneurs to gain access to capital resources for the creation and expansion 

of business. Regional infrastructure funds can create opportunities for capitalizing innovative public/private projects. The cooperative, regional approach provides a sharing of information and expertise across communities throughout a 

region that faces common social and economic challenges. 

Many regions throughout America have seen the wisdom in developing a unified 

regional approach to developmental issues, including Appalachia, the Pacific 

Northwest, the Northeast, the Mississippi Delta, the Southwest Border, and other 

regions. The following two articles review the progress made in the last few years 

by two of these initiatives: the Mississippi Delta Regional Initiative and the 

Southwest Border Regional Partnership. 

sou'rHWEST BORDER REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP 

Vice President AI Gore's support: In the 1990s, many community leaders in 

Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico expressed strong interest in developing a united, regional approach to economic and community development. The 

ideas that originated with local people along the border gradually came to the 

attention of the White House. On April 16, 1997, at the White House 

Empowerment Conference in Detroit, Michigan, Vice President Al Gore challenged the communities in the Southwest Border Region to work together to 

develop a regional approach to shared issues and concerns. 

Responding to the Vice President's challenge, in June 1997 the Rio Grande 

Valley EZ and USDA held a Southwest Border Region Conference at the 

University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas. Representatives of EZs, 

ECs, and Champion Communities from California, Arizona, New Mexico, and 

Texas attended and signed a mutual agreement to form the Southwest Border 

Regional Partnership. The Vice President personally witnessed and applauded the signing of this new partnership. 

The Southwest Regional Partnership identified seven areas of priority: housing, 

infrastructure, education, workforce development, environment, trade, and 

health. In October 1997 the Partnership held a meeting including representati ves 

from across the region, as well as representatives from the Tennessee Valley 

Authority and USDA. The partnership developed a framework from a comprehensive strategy and formed a steering committee. A capitalization strategy was 

INITIATIVES 

developed, and the region was defined as encompassing all rural communities 

with long-term endemic poverty within 150 miles of the border. 

In July 1998 U.S. Representative Ruben Hinojosa of Texas and U.S. 

Representative Joe Skeen of New Mexico, Chairman of the Agriculture 

Appropriations Subcommittee, held discussions with the regional initiative's 

leaders. Rep. Skeen asked the partnership to prepare a formal proposal for presentation to the United States Congress. 

Responding to the congressional request, the partnership developed an indepth proposal based upon research by the community leaders, the four State 

governments, plivate-sector organizations, academic institutions such as the 

University of Texas-Pan American, and numerous Federal departments including Labor, Agriculture, Treasury, and others. The partnership pointed out a vast 

array of statistics concerning the need for development along the border. The 

border has a rapidly growing population that increased by a dramatic 15 percent between 1990 to 1996, compared to 6.6 percent for the Nation as a whole. 

The region suffers from endemic poverty; in 1995 more than a quarter of the 

region's counties had a per capita income of less $10,850. Unemployment figures for the region soared well beyond the rates for the country as a whole, yet 

fundamental infrastructure lagged far behind. In the areas of environment, 

housing, health, education, and other issues, the partnership has also developed 

a mass of data demonstrating the compelling needs of their region. In late 1998 

and early 1999, the partnership continued to gain input from the communities 

throughout the region. 

The vision of the Southwest Border Regional Partnership is fixed on the future, 

in its efforts to attract greater funding and other resources from local, State, 

regional, and Federal resources to address the great challenges the region faces. 

Yet the process of regional planning and shared information has already been 

beneficial, according to Maria Matthews (Imperial County, California, Enterprise 

Community) and Yvonne "Bonnie" Gonzalez, the Co-Chairs of the Partnership's 

Steering Committee. Ms. Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of the Rio Grande 

Valley Empowerment Zone, said that the process of developing networks all 

across the region has been helpful, as "the communities feel they're not alone. 

The process of regional planning has been very successful in enabling communities to develop comprehensive solutions to common problems rather than looking 

at it piecemeal." 

Unless a comprehensive plan is developed and implemented into a structure of 

coordinated decisionmaking, many community leaders in the region feel that it 

will suffer rapid growth without prosperity. After an in-depth review of the 

region's staggering demographics, historic circumstances, and common challenges, the Southwest Border Regional Partnership believes that a comprehensive regional strategy is the key to unlocking the gateway to a regional border 

economy for the 21st century. 

What Works! Volume III 
MISSISSIPPI DELTA REGIONAL INITIATIVE 

The regional development approach in the Mississippi Delta received a powerful 

impetus from the establishment of the Southern EZ/EC Forum. This Forum began 

as an informal organization of rural and urban EZs and ECs in Arkansas, 

Louisiana, and Mississippi. This organization held quarterly meetings starting in 

1995 to share program ideas and discuss issues of mutual concern. The Chair is 

Thelma French, New Orleans EC (urban), and the Vice Chair is Moses J. 

Williams, Northeast Louisiana Delta EC (rural). The USDA Office of Community 

Development (OCD) discussed with Forum leaders in August 1997 the possibility of forming a Delta regional initiative. In October 1997 USDA began implementing a Cooperative Agreement with the Lower Mississippi Delta Development 

Center (LMDDC), which was formerly known as the Lower Mississippi Delta 

Development Commission. The commission, under the chairmanship of thenGovernor Bill Clinton of Arkansas, published a major report in 1990, called The 

Delta Initiatives, which contained an in-depth series of recommendations that 

have motivated many policy decisions in the Delta during the 1990s. USDA and 

the Southern EZfEC Forum developed a partnership with LMDCC. By using the 

remaining years of priority funding in Round I and leveraging other resources, 

they could effectively aid in implementing the recommendations in The Delta 

Initiatives. 

The forum and USDA cooperated in forming a regional initiative consisting of 

LMDDC, the EC of the Delta, the forum, and the Foundation for the Mid-South. 

The forum then expanded to include all the EZs and ECs throughout the seven 

States studied by the Commission in 1990-Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, 

Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and Illinois-and also voted to add Alabama. 

Vice President Gore's endorsement: In April 1998 a Delta Partnership 

Agreement was drafted in the form of a social compact between the organizations 

to work cooperatively for sustainable economic and community development in 

the Delta. The parties signed the agreement in New Orleans in April 1998, with 

Vice President Al Gore, USDA secretary Dan Glickman, and the Department of 

Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater signing as witnesses. The Delta 

Partnership plans to have a Board of Directors composed of community leaders 

from the EZs, ECs, and Champion Communities. The Board will develop an overall Delta Regional Initiative strategic plan based on the Lower Mississippi Delta 

Development C.enter's recommendations, and upon the strategic plans of the 

EZIEC members of the forum. 

Like the Southwest Border Partnership, leaders of the Delta initiative believe that 

while the process looks toward gaining greater resources for the immediate and 

long-term future, there have already been benefits from the process of information 

sharing and cooperation among the Delta communities. Moses Williams, ViceChair of the initiative, said, "Sharing ideas about common problems was very 

helpful." Initially, communities were not familiar with the process of establishing 

benchmarks, but what they learned from each other, as well from USDA and HUD, 

Looking to the Future 
helped them understand that process. "We've also helped each other with organizational structure. Few of us at first knew about 501(c)(3), but we've learned how 

to organize to get the most bang for your buck." 

Before the Southern EZIEC Forum and the Delta regional initiative, Williams 

said, "You tended to think you were alone in your community with your problems, 

as if you were on an island. You feel better knowing you're not by yourself ... and 

then you start solving problems." With its grassroots support, the Mississippi 

Delta Regional Initiative shows great promise of expanding the horizons of economic and community development for the people of the Delta in the years beyond 

2000. 

What Worksl Volume III 
- ·:"'.wi';:J 

INDEX BY COMMUNITY 


URBAN COMMUNITIES 

Akron, Ohio, EC 

Plastics Training Project Molds New Job Force .............................................................25 


Akron Parents Use Small Loans for Transportation .......................................................77 


AlbanyISchenectadyIYroy, New York, EC 

New Shopping Center To Keep Dollars in Community ..................................................117 


Junior Museum Provides Education and Economic Opportunities ..................................147 


Tech Educotion Centers Are aFamily Affair ...............................................................148 


Albuquerque, New Mexico, EC 

Business Center Makes Loans and Teaches Lessons .....................................................55 


EC's Vacant Lots May Yield New Homes ....................................................................93 


Return of Wimpy Burgers Signals Corridor's Rejuvenation ...........................................117 


High School Students Learn While Their Children Play ................................................148 


Atlanta, Georgia, EZ 

Alianlu OSCS Exceeds Goals for Service and Assisl'ance ...............................................56 


Baltimore, Maryland, EZ 

EZ Businesses Stort and Stay in Business Thanks to Loan Funds ...................................26 


Customized Job Training-the Bridge to High-Tech Jobs ..............................................78 


Birmingham, Alabama, EC 

Walk Right Up and Get aJob ...................................................................................26 


Art Club Reaches Oul To Help Kids Rekindle Their Artistic Energies ...............................165 


Boston, Massachusetts, EZ 

School-to-(areer Program Links Students to Promising Careers ......................................27 


Boston TV Show Informs Residents .........................................................................179 


Bridgeport, Connecticut, EC 

Bridgeport EC Makes Learning aFamily Affair .........................................................150 


Buffalo, New York, EC 

Job-Training Program Targets Hispanic Community ........................................................28 


Canisius College Puts Small Businesses on the Map .....................................................56 


Buffalo Blooms with 50,000 Daffodils ....................................................................107 


Neighborhood Outreach Center Revitalizes Heart of Buffalo ........................................165 


Burlington, Vermont, EC 

Burlington Public Safety Project ..............................................................................108 


Good News Garage Gets People's Lives Rolling .........................................................166 


McClure Multi-Generational Center Celebrates Grand Opening ......................................167 


Index by Community 

URBAN 

COMMU~IITIES 
URBAN 

COMMUNITIES 

Phoenix From the Flames ...................................................................................... 168 


Charleston/North Charleston, South Carolina, EC 

From Welfare to Wark and Beyond: Charleston EC Residents Get 


Valuable Occupational Skills ...................................................................................29 


Charlotte, North Carolina, EC 

Training Pragram Teaches Unemployed To Work Hard ..................................................30 


Unemployed Residents Rebuild Neighborhoods and Themselves ....................................31 


Small Childcare Business Has Big Impact on EC ..........................................................57 


Chicago, Illinois, EZ 

Chicago EZ Streamlines Acquisition and Rehabilitation Financing of Multifamily Buildings ...94 


Cincinnati, Ohio, EZ 

Tangible EZ Programs Attract Committed Partners ...........................................................5 


Cleveland, Ohio, EZ 

Patrols Keep Crime at Boy in EZ's Commercial District ................................................109 


Renovated Factory Brings Hope of Economic Renewal ...............................................118 


Columbus, Ohio, EZ 

Residents Use Point To Wage War ........................................................................... 119 


Cumberland County, New Jersey, EZ 

Cumberland County Prepares for the Future ...................................................................6 


Dallas, Texas, EC 

Public/Private Partnerships Foster Business in the Dallas EC .........................................58 


Denver, Colorado, EC 

From Vicious Cycle to lending Circle: Credit for the Creditless .......................................78 


Detroit, Michigan, EZ 

Recycled Materials Used in Recycled Building ............................................................... 94 


EZ Schools Become the Heart of the Community ......................................................151 


EI Paso, Texas EZ 

EI Paso EZ Encourages Community Partnerships .............................................................7 


Flint, Michigan, EC 

Eagle Ridge Summit: A New Tax Credit Program To Build low- and 


Moderate-Income Housing .....................................................................................9 5 


Gary/Hammond/East Chicago, Indiana, EZ 

Northwest Indiana Benefits From New Regional Partnership-Calumet Area EZ Plan 


Sets Ambitious Agenda ............................................................................................8 


Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, EC 

Residents Toke Bock Their Neighborhoods ..................................................................96 


Stomping Out the Scourge of lead Poisoning ............................................................ 135 


At-Risk Teens Gain New Appreciation far the low ......................................................152 


New Family Center Builds on Successful Model .........................................................169 


What Worksl Volume III 

Houston, Texas, EEC 

YO! Program Offers Opportunities to Dropouts ............................................................32 


Historic District Gets Set To Rise Again ..................................................................... 129 


Indianapolis, Indiana, EC 

Technical Assistance Equals Access to Capitol ..............................................................79 


Streetlights Create Safe Corners ............................................................................. 120 


Jackson, Mississippi, EC 

Historic Designation Reverses EC's Downward Spiral ....................................................97 


Drug Treatment Program Addresses Spiritual Needs ................................................... 136 


Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri, EEC 

Parents Learn the Business of Caring for Kids .............................................................33 


Las Vegas, Nevada, EC 

Incubator Reduces Gamble in Small Business Ventures .................... .............................59 


Los Angeles, California, EZ 

Big City Comes Through With Tax Breaks for Inner{ity Businesses ................................ 60 


Attention EZ Shoppers! Free Equipment and Supplies for Schools and 


Nonprofit Organizations ........................................................................................80 


Medical Students Bring Hope and Fight Costs with Free Clinic .......... ........................... 137 


Louisville, Kentucky, EC 

Louisville Community Development Bonk Restores Businesses, Jobs, 


and Neighborhoods: .............................................................................................81 


Park DuValle Revitalization Offers Homeownership Opportunities ...................................98 


Lowell, Massachusetts, EC 

New Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program Creates Financial Planning 


and Saving Vehicle for EC Residents and Others .......................................... .............82 


Acre Family Day Care Corporation Emphasizes Self·Employment................................... 153 


Manchester, New Hampshire, EC 

Center Helps Point Residents in the Right Direction .......................................................34 


Old Mill Yard Helps Incubate New EC Businesses .........................................................60 


Summerbridge Inspires EC Students To Love Learning and Teaching ............................. 154 


Memphis, Tennessee, EC 

Memphis EC Jayhawk Program Soars: Computer Repair Training Leads to Successful 


Job Placements ....................................................................................................35 


Milwaukee, Wisconsin, EC 

Milwaukee's EC Training Offers Path to Excellence .......................................................36 


Milwaukee's Brownfields Create Employment Opportunities ........................................130 


Minneapolis, Minnesota, EZ 

Phillips Eco·Enterprise Center Combines Business With Environment ...................... .......130 


Muskegon, Michigan, EC 

People Taking Core of People ..................... .. ............. ...............................................36 


EC Helps One Business Return to Its Roots .................................................................61 


Index by Community 

URBAN 

COMMUNITIES 

I' 
URBAN 

COMMUNITIES 

Loon Progrom Provides Big Assistonce to Small Businesses ........................................... 62 


Nashville, Tennessee, EC 

library Expansion Expands Possibilities for Low-Income Residents ..................................... 9 


New Haven, Connecticut, EZ 

New Haven Partnership Leads to Dromatic Improvement in Performance 

and Test Scores .................................................................................................155 

New Orleans, Louisiana, EC 

EC Store Offers More Than Ice Cream ........................................................................ 37 


EC's Community Outreach Program Addresses Domestic Violence .................................110 


New York, New York, EZ 

Boilers Boost Economic Development in the Bronx ...................................................... 63 


Newark, New Jersey, EC 

Troining Focuses Nonprofits on Outcomes, Not Output................................................... 10 


Capacity-Building Progrom Helps (DCs Develop Housing ............................................... 99 


Newburgh/Kingston, New York, EC 

Educational Opportunities, Increased Public Safety, and Community-Based 

Partnerships Come Together in Kingston EC ...............................................................11 

Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia, EZ 

Job-Troining Progrom in Norfolk Puts Tools in Women's Hands and Fixes Lives .................38 


Oakland, California, EEC 

High-Quality Meot Processor Moves Into Centrol City ond Creotes Jobs ........................... 39 


Ogden, Utah, EC 

Heolth Is the Hype in Ogden .................................................................................. 138 


Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, EC 

ACommunity Is Fed When a Grocery Store Owner Gets Help in Buying a Building ........... 64 


Lending Circle Helps Dreamers Become Entrepreneurs ..................................................65 


Omaha, Nebraska, EC 

Cleaning Up Omaha One Block At aTime ....... .........................................................131 


Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, EC 

Ouachita Takes Out Insurance Against Poverty .............. ..............................................39 

Faith-Based Community Development Corporotion Creates New Businesses and 

Expands Existing Businesses ..................................................................................66 

Communicating the Ouachita EC's Progress ............................................................. 179 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey, EZ 

Changing the Complexion of the City: Operotion Makeover .......................................... 12 


Heart of American Street EZ Remediated and Developed ..............................................67 


Liberties Construction Brings Jobs and Growth to Zone .................................................68 


Recycling the City From the Inside Out-Camden Drows New Business .........................69 


Roadmaps to Success: Entrepreneurs Receive Troining in Camden ..................................69 


Philadelphia Field of Dreams ...................................................... ............................ 121 


What Worksl V o lum e III 
Philodelphio Hires Its Own To Survey Community Child care Needs ...............................170 


R.B. Brown: AOne-Stop Community Center................. ............... ............................... 171 


Phoenix, Arizona, EC 

Community Teom Helps People Connect With-ond Get-Jobs .................................. .40 


Smoll Businesses Get Colloterol To Expond ond Creote Jobs ..........................................83 


Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, EC 

One-Stop Shopping for Fomily Services ot the People's Building Project.........................172 


Providence, Rhode Island, EC 

Flogship Progrom Soils Strongly Along .......................................................... ............84 


Self Starters Find 0 Ploce To Nurture Their Entrepreneuriol Spirit ....................................85 


Pulaski County, Arkansas, EC 

Helping People Stort Careers-Not Just Get Jobs ...................................................... .41 


Smoll Construclion Workers Get Help for Long, Hard Journey to Independence ............... .4 2 


San Antonio, Texas, EC 

Throw Out the Lifeline in Son Antonio ..................................................................... 100 


San Diego, California, EC 

Son Diegons Cooperote To Tockle Welfare-ta-Work Tronsition .......................................... 13 


San Francisco, California, EC 

Former Troubled Youth Leorn To Run 0 Business-ond Help Keep 0 City Cleon ...............43 


People Find Careers in Fost-Growing Hospitolity/Tourism Industry ..................................43 


Santa Ana, California, EZ 

New EZ Sets 0 Wide Ronge of Strotegic Gools ............................................................. 13 


Seattle, Washington, EC 

Extension Agents Help Smoll Firms With Environmentol Complexities ........................... 132 


Springfield, Illinois, EC 

Monufocturing Compony Produces Jobs .....................................................................70 


Springfield, Massachusetts, EC 


Pre-Apprenticeship Progrom Unites Minority Youth With Trode Unions .............................44 


Helping Women Become Self-Sufficient ................................................................... 173 


North End Youth Center: AHome Awoy From Home .................................................. 173 


St. Louis, Missouri/East Sf. Louis, Illinois, EZ 


Coolition Unites Employment Service Providers to Increose Job Opportunities .............. ..... 14 


Internet Links Locol Neighbors ond Businesses ............................................................ 15 


Toking Control of St. Louis' Neighborhoods .............. .................................... ............ 110 


St. Paul, Minnesota, EC 

Willioms Hill Project Increases Economic Opportunities for Businesses and Residents ........ 71 


Tacoma, Washington, EC 


City Envisions an Exciting New Cluster of International Firms ......................... ...... .......... 16 


New Building Promises Jobs in Fast-Growing Healthcare Field .......... .............................4 5 


New EC Jobs Filled at Historic Schoenfeld Building ........................ ..............................46 


Index by Community 

URBAN 

COMMUNITIES 
URBAN 

COMMUNITIES 

15th Street Gateway To Become an Artistic City Welcome ........................................ .. 122 


Rite-Aid Store Will Faster New Business Growth .........................................................122 


Waterway Development and Municipal Dock Building Renovation Will 


Bring Community Together .................................................................................. 123 


Tampa, Florida, EC 

Tampa EC Stems Housing Emergencies; Program Provides Repairs 


for Elderly Homeowners ...................................................................................... 101 


Tampa EC Supports Education of Domestic Violence Victims; Facility 


Normalizes life of Special Needs Children .............................................................. 156 


Upper Manhattan, New York, EZ 

Educating and Assisting Entrepreneurs in Upper Manhattan .......................................... .72 


Waco, Texas, EC 

Waco Develops Job Training .....................................................................................46 


What Works! Volume III 

RURAL COMMUNITIES 

Accomack-Northampton, Virginia, EC 

Innovative Bus Service Allows Rural Residents To Reach City Jobs and Services ............. 125 


Virginia Project Is First Eco-Industrial Park in America .................................................133 


Rural Partners Help People Pay for Healthcare .................................................. ........ 141 


Central Appalachia, West Virginia, EC 

Health Centers in Roane and Cloy Counties, West Virginia ....................................... .. 141 


Adult Education Programs in Cloy County, West Virginia ............................................. 157 


Chambers County, Alabama, EC 

Chambers County Builds Community Enterprise ............................................................ 17 


City of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, EC 

Small Business Development Center Expands Business in EC ........................................7 5 


Community Policing Program Attacks Drug Abuse and Other Crime ..............................113 


Early Admissions Program Opens Doors to aCollege Education ....................................157 


EC Child Care Initiative Puts Children First ................................................................175 


City of Watsonville/County of Santa Cruz, California, EC 

Youth Go From Computer Novices to Junior Web Masters ........................................... 158 


Fayette County/Haywood County, Tennessee, EC 

Housing Partnerships Develop Neighborhoods ........................................................... 103 


Community Centers Provide Needed Services ............................................................142 


New Center Provides Services to Victims of Domestic Violence .................................... 175 


Halifax/Edgecombe/Wilson, North Carolina, EC 

Neighborhood Resource Centers Revitalize Communities ................... ............................. 17 


Turtle Islond Theme Park Emphasizes Native American Culture .................... ..................87 


County Provides Housing Opportunities for Disadvantaged Neighbors .......................... 103 


Wilson Community Improvement Association: laying aFirm Foundation for the Future ......... 1 04 


Imperial County, California, EC 

Imperial County California Job Resource Centers .........................................................49 


Families learn To Read-ond To Open Doors to the World ........................................ 159 


Jackson County, Florida, EC 

Farmers Bond Together To Feed Schools and Sustain Jobs in Agriculture .........................4 9 


Josephine County, Oregon, EC 

Small Business loon Program Grows Tomatoes and Much More ....................................87 


Center lessens Rural Isolation While Helping Families learn ....................................... 160 


Community Education Program's Computer lob Goins Momentum ...............................161 


Kentucky Highlonds, Kentucky, EZ 

Flat Rock Furniture Opens New Plant in Jackson County ............ .. ................................ 50 


Kentucky EZ Job Training Program for Youth .............. .................................................51 


Rural County Helps Its People Reap the Rewards of the 


Telecommunications Revolution ............................................................................181 


Index by Community 

RURAL 

COMMUNITIES 
COMMUNITIES 

RURAL 


Lake County, Michigan, EC 

EC Helps Township Win 30-Year Quest to Goin Affordoble, Sofe Heating ...................... 125 


Macon Ridge, Louisiana, EC 

Building Trade Boosts Local Employment in Macon Ridge .............................................52 


EC Pursues Ambitious Infrastructure Prajects ............................................................. 126 


McDowell County, West Virginia, EC 

Business Promo~on Project ......................................................................................75 


Courtesy Patrol Combines Welfare to Work With Public Safety Assistance ..................... 113 


Rural County Prepares Young People for Jobs of the Future ........................................ 16 2 


Mid-Delta, Mississippi, EZ 

St. Gabriel Educo~on Center Provides Help for Local Residents .................................... 176 


Mississippi County, Arkansas, EC 

Developers Join Forces With Nonprofits To Improve Housing Stock .............................. 105 


North Delta, Mississippi, EC 

Research Project Will Study Communication Between Races ......................................... 18 


North Delta Mississippi EC Revolving Loan Assists Variety of Smoll Businesses ....... ..........88 


EC Triples Dollars In Housing Loan Fund ....................................................................105 


Health Clinics ........................................................................................................143 


Northeast Louisiana Delta, Louisiana, EC 

Local Ingenuity Brings Shipbuilding Plant Up River .......................................................52 


High School Students Get Head Start on Health Careers .............................................144 


Rio Grande Valley, Texas, EZ 

Capital Injection Helps Small Businesses Thrive ...........................................................53 


Small Business Incubator Meets locoI Need ...............................................................7 6 


EZ Helps Reduce Emergency Response Time ..............................................................114 


Training Program Prepares Health Workers ...............................................................144 


Robeson County, North Carolina, EC 

Healthcare Agencies Bring Medical and Dental Services to the EC ................................145 


EC Residents Empowered by Technology Skills ..........................................................181 


Scott-McCreary Area, Tennessee-Kentucky, EC 

EC Brings Water and Sewer Service to County Residents ............................................127 


EC Improves Access to Healthcare ...........................................................................145 


Learning Center Offers Local Access to Training and Education .....................................163 


Southeast Oklahoma, Oklahoma, EC 

Hugo Lake Holds Key to Ee's Economic Development ..................................................88 


Southwest Georgia United EZ, Georgia 

Childhood Advocacy and Family Resource Center Aids Local Families ...............................18 


Historic School Becomes local Cultural Center .............................................................20 


Williamsburg-Lake City, South Carolina, EC 

EC Helps Attract South Carolina Industrial Investments .................................................89 


What Worksl Vo lum e III 

AVAILABLE PUB LI CAT I-0 N 5 


Available Publications for Urban Communities 

Federal Programs Guide: Provides a list of Federal Government programs 

available to distressed communities. Applicants can use this Guide to identify 

current or prospective Federal Government programs that can be used to help 

revitalize their neighborhoods. 

Strategic Planning Guide: Provides a comprehensive overview of how to prepare a Strategic Plan: including a discussion of the planning process and the 

ways in which residents, community-based organizations, businesses, nonprofits, 

government entities, and others come together to create a shared vision for the 

future . 

Performance Measurement System Guide: Provides communities with a 

"how-to" approach to establishing and implementing a performance measurement system. Performance measurement systems provide an organized process 

for gathering information to track how well programs and projects are meeting 

their goals, and then using that information to improve performance and report to 

interested stakeholders. 

Internal Revenue Service Publication 954, "Tax Incentives for 

Empowerment Zones and Other Distressed Communities," Rev. February, 1999. 

What Works! in the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities, 

Volume III: A compilation of successful projects from current Empowerment 

Zones and Enterprise Communities (includes contact names and telephone 

numbers). 

The Empowerment ZonelEnterprise Community Initiative: A Guide 

for Business: Business is key to the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise 

Community Initiative. This practical hands-on guide is designed to provide 

information to businesses on the advantages and benefits of locating and 

expanding in the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities. 

The President's Community Empowerment Board: The Community 

Empowerment Board (CEB) includes the heads of 26 Federal agencies. The 

CEB is responsible for the development of the overall community empowerment 

efforts with particular attention given to the implementation of the 

Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community Initiative. 

To request publications for urban communities, please call 

1-800-998-9999. 
AVAILABLE 

PUBLICATIONS 

Available Publications for Rural Communities 

A Guide to Strategic Planning for Rural Communities: Leads communities 

through the process of establishing a vision, evaluating problems and opportunities, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and setting goals and 

strategies. 

A Guide to Implementation and Benchmarking: Helps rural communities 

tum their Strategic Plans into specific work programs and create performance 

measures to evaluate their own progress. 

Federal Programs Guide: Provides a list of Federal Government programs 

available to distressed communities. Applicants can use this Guide to identify 

current or prospective Federal Government programs that can be used to help 

revitalize their neighborhoods. 

Internal Revenue Service Publication 954, "Tax Incentives for 

Empowerment Zones and Other Distressed Communities," Rev. February 1999. 

What Works! in the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities, 

Volume III: A compilation of successful projects from current Empowerment 

Zones and Enterprise Communities (includes contact names and telephone 

numbers). 

To request publications for rural communities, please call 1-800-851-3403. 

Other Resources 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Two CD-ROMS that detail information on Federal procurements valued at more 

than $25,000 for an entire fiscal year, the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

and the Census Bureau's Federal Assistance Award Data Systems are available. 

This information helps to identify who buys what, who gives grants and loans, and 

who gets Federal funding. 

Program/Agency Contact: 

Governmentwide Information Systems Division 

U.S. General Services Administration 

Phone: 202-708-5126 

Web site: www.gsa.gov 

What Worksl Vo lume III 
· .·-·I~.. 

RESOURCES 


u.s. Department of Housing and Urban Development 

Andrew Cuomo, Secretary 

Office of Community Planning and Development 

EZ/EC Initiative 

451 Seventh Street, SW. 

Room 7130 

Washington, DC 20410 

Phone: 202-708-6339 

Fax: 202-401-7615 

Web site: http://www.hud.gov 

Community Connections (HUD's Resource Center) 

For information on programs to help build communities: 

P.O. Box 7189 

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-7189 

Phone: 800-998-9999 

E-Mail: comcon@aspensys.com 

YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNER 

U.s. Department of Agriculture 

Dan Glickman, Secretary 

Office of Community Development 

300 Seventh Street, Sw. 

Reporters Building 

Suite 701 

Washington, DC 20024 

Phone: 800-645-4712 

Fax: 202-401-7420 

E-mail: ocd@rurdev.usda.gov/ocd 

Web site: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ocd 

Rural Economic Development Resources 

Web site: http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric 

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities 

Web site: http://www.ezec.gov 

USDA 


· .. ;-;r-.-.-..... 

EZ/EC MAIN CONTACT liST 


CA, Los Angeles 

Robert Perez 

City of Los Angeles 

Community Development Department 

215 West Sixth Street, Third Floor 

Los Angeles, CA 90014 

Phone: 213-485-5725 

Fax: 213-237-0551 

David Eder 

Community Development Department 

215 West Sixth Street, Third Floor 

Los Angeles, CA 90014 

Phone: 213-485-2956 

Fax: 213-237-0890 

CA, Santa Ana 

Cindy Nelson 

Executive Director 

Community Development Agency 

20 Civic Center Plaza-M-25 

Santa Ana, CA 92702 

Phone: 714-647-5360 

Fax: 714-647-6549 

CT, New Haven 

James Horan 

City of New Haven 

200 Orange Street, Fifth Floor 

New Haven, CT 06510 

Phone: 203-946-7672 

Fax: 203-946-7683 

Diana Edmonds 

Phone: 203-946-7727 

Fax: 203-946-7683 

FL, Miami/Dade County 

Ari Lynn Tunez 

Office of the Mayor 

III NW. First Street, Suite 2910 

Miami, FL, 33128 

Phone: 305-375-5058 

Cynthia Curry 

Miami-Dade Empowerment Trust, Inc. 

140 West Flagler Street, Suite 1107 

Miami, FL 33128 

Phone: 305-372-7620 

Fax: 305-372-7629 

Tony E. Crapp, Sr. 

Office of Economic Development 

140 West Flagler, Suite 1000 

Miami, FL 33130--1561 

Phone: 305-375-3431 

Fax: 305-375-3428 

GA, Atlanta 

Joseph Reid 

Executive Director 

Atlanta EZ Corporation 

675 Ponce De Leon Avenue 

Second Floor, Suite 2100 

Atlanta, GA 30308 

Phone: 404-853-7610 

Fax: 404-853-7315 

IL, Chicago 

Ronald Carter, Jr. 

City of Chicago 

20 North Clark Street, 28th Floor 

Chicago, IL 60602 

Phone: 312-744-9623 

Fax: 312-744-9696 

IN, Gary/Hammond/East Chicago 

Taghi Arshami 

Office of Planning and 

Community Development 

475 Broadway, Suite 318 

Gary, IN 46402 

Phone: 219-881-5075 

Fax: 219-881-5085 

URBAN 

EMPOWERMENT 

ZONES 
URBAN 

EMPOWERMENT 

ZONES 

MD, Baltimore 

Diane Bell 

Empower Baltimore 

Management Corporation 

111 South Calvert Street, Suite 1550 

Baltimore, MD 21202 

Phone: 410-783-4400 

Fax: 410-783-0526 

MA, Boston 

Juanita Wade 

Chief of Human Services 

Boston City Hall, Suite 603 

Boston, MA 02201 

Phone: 617-635-2953 

Fax: 617-635-3496 

Reginald Nunnally 

Boston Empowennent Center 

20 Hampden Street 

Boston, MA 02119 

Phone: 617-445-3413 

Fax: 617-445-5675 

MI, Detroit 

Paul Bernard 

Executive Director 

City of Detroit Planning 

and Development 

2300 Cadillac Tower Building 

Detroit, MI 48226 

Phone: 313-224-6389 

Fax: 313-224-1629 

Denise Gray 

Executive Director 

Detroit Empowerment 

Zone Corporatibn 

1 Ford Place, Suite 2D 

Detroit, MI 48202 

Phone: 313-872-8050 

Fax: 313-872-8002 

MN, Minneapolis 

Ken Brunsvold 

Office of Grants and Special Projects 

350 South Fifth Street 

City Hall, Room 200 

Minneapolis, MN 55415 

Phone: 612-673-2348 

Fax: 612-673-3724 

What Worksl Vo lume III 

MO, St. LouislIL, East St. Louis 

Chad Cooper 

St. Louis Development Corporation 

1015 Locust Street, Suite 1200 

St. Louis, MO 63101 

Phone: 314-622-3400 

Fax: 314-231-2341 

NJ, Cumberland County 

Stephen Kehs 

Executive Director 

Cumberland County Department of 

Planning and Development 

800 East Commerce Street 

Bridgeton, NJ 08302 

Phone: 609-453-2175 

Fax: 609-453-9138 

NY, New York (Main Contact) 

James Ilaco 

Special Counsel and Corporate 

Secretary 

New York Empowennent Zone 

Corporation 

633 Third Avenue 

New York, NY 10017 

Phone: 212-803-3240 

Fax: 212-803-3294 

NY, New York (Bronx) 

Jose Ithier 

Bronx Overall Economic 

Development Corporation 

198 East 161st Street, Second Floor 

Bronx, NY 10451 

Phone: 718-590-3549 

Fax: 718-590-3499 

NY, New York (Upper Manhattan) 

Deborah Wright 

Upper Manhattan Empowennent Zone 

Development Corporation 

290 Lenox Avenue, Third Floor 

New York, NY 10027 

Phone: 212-410-0030 

Fax: 212-410-9616 
OH, Cincinnati 

Timothy Sharp 

City Hall 

801 Plum Street, Room 104 

Cincinnati, OH 45202 

Phone: 513-352-2457 

Fax: 513-352-5357 

OH, Cleveland 

Chris Warren 

Cleveland Empowerment Zone 

City Hall, Room 335 

601 Lakeside Avenue 

Cleveland, OH 44114 

Phone: 216--664-3083 

Fax: 216-420-8522 

OH, Columbus 

John Beard 

Columbus Compact Corporation 

815 East Mound Street, Suite 108 

Columbus, OH 43205 

Phone: 614-251-0926 

Fax: 614-251-2243 

Patrick Grady 

Economic Development Administrator 

99 North Front Street 

Columbus, OH 43215 

Phone: 614-645-7574 

Fax: 614-645-7855 

PA, PhiladeiphiafNJ, Camden 

Eva Gladstein 

Executive Director 

City of Philadelphia 

1515 Arch Street 

1 Parkway, Ninth Floor 

Philadelphia, PA 19103 

Phone: 215-683-0462 

Fax: 215-683-0493 

Richard Cummings 

Chairperson 

Camden Empowerment Zone 

Corporation 

412 North Second Street 

Camden, NJ 08104 

Phone: 609-541-2836 

Fax: 609-541-8457 

Brian Finnie 

City of Camden Empowerment 

Zone Corporation 

800 Hudson Square, Suite 300 

Camden, NJ 08102 

Phone: 609-365-0300 

Fax: 609-365-1058 

SC, Sumter/Columbia 

Leona Plaugh 

Assistant City Manager 

City of Columbia 

Department of Community Service 

1225 Laurel Street 

Columbia, SC 29201 

Phone: 803-733-8313 

Fax: 803-733-8312 

TN, Knoxville 

Jeanette Kelleher 

Community Development Administrator 

City/County Building 

400 Main Street, Room 514 

Knoxville, TN 37902 

Phone: 423-215-2120 

Fax: 423-215-2962 

TX, El Paso 

Deborah G. Hamlyn 

City of El Paso 

No.2 Civic Center Plaza, Ninth Floor 

El Paso, TX 79901-1196 

Phone: 915-541-4643 

Fax: 915-541-4370 

VA, Norfolk/Portsmouth 

Eleanor R. Bradshaw 

Norfolk Works 

201 Granby Street, Suite 100A 

Norfolk, VA 23510 

Phone: 757-624-8650 

Fax: 757-622-4623 

WV, Huntington/OH, Ironton 

Cathy Bums 

Community Development and Planning 

P.O. Box 1659 

800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 14 

Huntington, WV 25717 

Phone: 304-696-4486 

Fax: 304-696-4465 

EZ/EC Main Contact List • URBAN 

URBAN 

EMPOWERMENT 

ZONES 

CA, Oakland 

Lonnie Carter 

City of Oakland 

Community and Economic 

Development Agency 

250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3315 

Oakland, CA 94612 

Phone: 510-238-3716 

Fax: 510-238-6956 

William Claggett 

City of Oakland 

Community and Economic 

Development Agency 

250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3330 

Oakland, CA 94612 

Phone: 510-238-3303 

Fax: 510-238-6538 

KS, Kansas CityIMO, Kansas City 

MARC 

600 Broadway 

300 Rivergate Center 

Kansas City, MO 64105-1554 

Phone: 816-474-4240 

Fax: 816-421-7758 

TX, Houston 

Judith Butler 

901 Bagby Street 

City Hall Annex 

Mayor's Office, Fourth Floor 

Houston, TX 77002 

Phone: 713-247-2666 

Fax: 713-247-3985 

URBAN 

E~IHANCED 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 

EZ/EC Main Contact List • URBAN 

AL, Birmingham 

Alice Ann Whetzel 

City of Birmingham 

City Hall, Room 224 

710 North 20th Street 

Birmingham, AL 35203 

Phone: 205-254-2870 

Fax: 205-254-2541 

AR, Pulaski County 

Henry McHenry 

Enterprise Community Committee 

Board 

400 West Markham, Suite 703-704 

Little Rock, AR 72201-2424 

Phone: 501-340-5675 

Fax: 501-340-5680 

AZ, Phoenix 

Ed Zuercher 

City of Phoenix 

200 West Washington Street, 12th Floor 

Phoenix, AZ 85003-1611 

Phone: 602-261-8532 

Fax: 602-261-8327 

CA, San Diego 

Bonnie Contreras 

City of San Diego 

202 C Street, MS 3A 

San Diego, CA 92101 

Phone: 760-236-6846 

Fax: 760-236-6512 

CA, San Francisco 

Anna Yee 

City of San Francisco 

San Francisco Enterprise 

Community Program 

25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 700 

San Francisco, CA 94102 

Phone: 415-252-3100 

Fax: 415-252-3110 

CO, Denver 

Ernest Hughes 

City of Denver 

200 West 14th Avenue, Room 203 

Denver, CO 80204 

Phone: 303-640-5734 

Fax: 303-572-4636 

CT, Bridgeport 

Janice Willis 

City of Bridgeport Central Grants Office 

45 Lyon Ten-ace, Room 317 

Bridgeport, CT 06604 

Phone: 203-332-5662 

Fax: 203-332-5657 

DE, Wilmington 

James Walker 

Wilmington Enterprise Community 

Louis L. Redding City/County 

Building 

800 French Street, Ninth Floor 

Wilmington, DE 19801 

Phone: 302-571-4189 

Fax: 302-571-4102 

FL, Tampa 

Jeanette Fenton 

City of Tampa 

2105 North Nebraska Avenue 

Tampa, FL 33605 

Phone: 813-274-7959 

Fax: 813-274-7927 

GA, Albany 

Julie Duke 

City Manager's Office 

225 Pine Avenue 

Albany, GA 31701 

Phone: 912-431-3234 

Fax: 912-431-3223 

lA, Des Moines 

Caroline Gathright 

City of Des Moines 

602 East First Street 

Des Moines, IA 50309 

Phone: 515-283-4151 

Fax: 515-237-1713 

IL, East St. Louis 

Percy Harris 

City of East St. Louis 

301 River Park Drive 

East St. Louis, IL 62201 

Phone: 618-482-6642 

Fax: 618-482-6648 

URBAN 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 

EZ/EC Main Contact List • URBAN 
URBAN 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 

IL, Springfield 

Timothy Rowles 

Office of Economic Development 

231 South Sixth Street 

Springfield, IL 62701 

Phone: 217-789-2377 

Fax: 217-789-2380 

IN, Indianapolis 

Jennifer Fults and Amy Arnold 

Division of Community Development 

and Financial Services 

1860 City County Building 

Indianapolis, IN 46204 

Phone: 317-327-7876 

Fax: 317-327-5908 

KY, Louisville 

Carolyn Gatz 

Empowerment Zone Community 

601 West Jefferson Street 

Louisville, KY 40202 

Phone: 502-574-4210 

Fax: 502-574-4201 

LA, New Orleans 

Thelma H. French 

Office of Federal and State Programs 

1300 Perdido Street, Room 2ElO 

New Orleans, LA 70112 

Phone: 504-565-6414 

Fax: 504-565-6423 

LA, Ouachita Parish 

Eric Loewe 

Ouachita Community Enhancement 

Zone, Inc. 

P.O. Box 4268 

Monroe, LA 71211 

Phone: 318-329-4031 

Fax: 318-329-4034 

MA, Lowell 

Sue Beaton 

Department of Planning and 

Development 

City HaU-JFK Civic Center 

50 Arcand Dri ve 

Lowell, MA 01852 

Phone: 978-446-7150 

Fax: 978-446-7014 

What Worksl Vo lum e III 

MA, Springfield 

Miguel Rivas 

Community Development Department 

36 Court Street 

Springfield, MA 01103 

Phone: 413-787-7666 

Fax: 413-787-6027 

MI, Flint 

Larry Foster 

Township of Mount Morris 

G-5447 Bicentennial Parkway 

Mount Morris Township, MI 48458 

Phone: 810-785-9138 

Fax: 810-785-2545 

Chris Davenport 

City of Flint 

1101 South Saginaw Street 

Flint, MI 48502 

Phone: 810-766-7436 

Fax: 810-766-7351 

MI, Muskegon 

Cathy Brubaker-Clarke 

City of Muskegon 

Community and Economic 

Development Department 

933 Terrace Street 

Muskegon, MI 49443 

Phone: 616-724-6702 

Fax: 616-724-6790 

Reatha Anderson 

Department of Planning and 

Community Development 

2724 Peck Street 

Muskegon Heights, MI 49444 

Phone: 616-733-1355 

Fax: 616-733-7382 

MN, St. Paul 

Harriet Horwath 

City of St. Paul 

Planning and Economic Development 

25 West Fourth Street 

St. Paul, MN 55102 

Phone: 612-266-6591 

Fax: 612-228-3341 
MS, Jackson 

Angela Gobar 

Office of City Planning/Minority 

Business 

218 South President Street 

Jackson, MS 39205 

Phone: 601-960-1908 

Fax: 601-960-2192 

NC, Charlotte 

Charlene Abbott 

Neighborhood Development 

Department 

600 East Trade Street 

Charlotte, NC 28202 

Phone: 704-336-2106 

Fax: 704-336-2527 

Stanley VVatkins 

Key Business Executive and 

Neighborhood Development 

600 East Trade Street 

Charlotte, NC 28202 

Phone: 704-336-3796 

Fax: 704-336-3904 

NE, Omaha 

Scott Knudsen 

City of Omaha 

1819 Farnum Street, Suite llOO 

Omaha, NE 68183 

Phone: 402-444-5381 

Fax: 402-444-6140 

NH, Manchester 

Amanda Parenteau 

City of Manchester 

889 Elm Street, Fifth Floor 

Manchester, NH 03101 

Phone: 603-624-2111 

Fax: 603-624-6308 

NJ, Newark 

Angela Corbo 

Department of Administration 

City Hall, Room B-16 

920 Broad Street 

Newark, NJ 07102 

Phone: 973-733-4331 

Fax: 973-733-3769 

NM, Albuquerque 

Sylvia Fettes 

Family and Community Services 

Department 

400 Marquette NW, Suite 504 

Albuquerque, NM 87103 

Phone: 505-768-2860 

Fax: 505-768-3204 

NV, Las Vegas 

Yvonne Gates 

Clark County Commissioners Office 

500 South Grand Central Parkway 

P.O. Box 551601 

Las Vegas, NV 89155-1601 

Phone: 702-455-3239 

Fax: 702-383-6041 

Jennifer Padre 

Southern Nevada Enterprise 

Community 

500 South Grand Central Parkway 

P.O. Box 551212 

Las Vegas, NV 89155-1212 

Phone: 702-455-5025 

Fax: 702-455-5038 

NY, Albany/SchenectadylTroy 

Anthony Tozzi 

Center for Economic Growth 

One Key Corp Plaza, Suite 600 

Albany, NY 12207 

Phone: 518-465-8975 

Fax: 518-465-6681 

NY,Buffalo 

Paula Alcala Rosner 

Buffalo Enterprise Development 

Corporation 

617 Main Street 

Buffalo, NY 14202 

Phone: 716-842-6923 

Fax: 716-842-6942 

URBAN 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMU",IITIES 

EZ/EC Main Contact List. URB A N 
URBAN 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 

NY, NewburghlKingston 

Allison Lee 

City of Newburgh, Community 

Development 

62 Grand Street 

Newburgh, NY 12550 

Phone: 914-569-1680 

Fax: 914-569-1630 

NY, Rochester 

Valerie Wheatley 

Staff Assistant to the Deputy Mayor 

City of Rochester 

City Hall, Room 205A 

30 Church Street 

Rochester, NY 14614 

Phone: 716-428-7207 

Fax: 716-428-7069 

OH, Akron 

Jerry Egan 

Department of Planning and 

Urban Development 

166 South High Street 

Akron, OH 44308-1628 

Phone: 330-375-2090 

Fax: 330-375-2387 

OK, Oklahoma City 

Carl Friend 

Oklahoma City Planning Department 

420 West Main Street, Suite 920 

Oklahoma City, OK 73102 

Phone: 405-297-2574 

Fax: 405-297-3796 

OR, Portland 

Regena S. Warren 

Multnomah County 

421 Southwest Sixth Avenue 

Suite 700 

Portland, OR 97204 

Phone: 503-248-3691, ext. 28134 

Fax: 503-248-3379 

PA, Harrisburg 

JoAnn Partridge 

City of Harrisburg 

Department of Building and 

Housing Development 

MLK City Government Center 

10 North Second Street, Suite 206 

Harrisburg, PA 17101-1681 

Phone: 717-255-6424, ext. 6443 

Fax: 717-255-6421 

PA, Pittsburgh 

Joan Blaustein 

City Planning Department 

City of Pittsburgh 

200 Ross Street, Fourth Floor 

Pittsburgh, PA 15219 

Phone: 412-255-2206 

Fax: 412-255-2838 

RI, Providence 

Kim Rose 

Providence Plan 

56 Pine Street, Suite 3B 

Providence, RI 02903 

Phone: 401-455-8880 

Fax: 401-331-6840 

SC, CharlestonINorth Charleston 

Patricia W. Crawford 

Housing/Communi ty Development 

75 Calhoun Street, Division 616 

Charleston, SC 29401-3506 

Phone: 803-724-3766 

Fax: 803-724-7354 

TN, Memphis 

Vernua Hanrahan 

Center for Neighborhoods 

619 North Seventh Street 

Memphis, TN 38107 

Phone: 901-526-6627 

Fax: 901-523-9388 

What Worksl Volume III 
TN, Nashville 

Phil Ryan 

Metropolitan Development and 

Housing Agency 

701 South Sixth Street 

Nashville, TN 37206 

Phone: 615-252-8505 

Fax: 615-252-8559 

TX, Dallas 

Mark Obeso 

Empowerment Zone Manager 

1500 Marilla, 2B South 

Dallas, TX 75201 

Phone: 214-670-4897 

Fax: 214-670-0158 

TX, San Antonio 

Curley Spears 

City of San Antonio 

419 South Main, Suite 200 

San Antonio, TX 78204 

Phone: 210-207-6605 

Fax: 210-886-0006 

TX, Waco 

George Johnson, Jr. 

City of Waco 

300 Austin Avenue 

Waco, TX 76701-2570 

Phone: 254-750-5640 

Fax: 254-750-5880 

Charles Daniels 

City of Waco 

P.O. Box 2570 

Waco, TX 76702-2570 

Phone: 254-750-5640 

Fax: 254-750-5880 

UT, Ogden 

Karen Thurber 

Ogden City Neighborhood 

Development 

2484 Washington Boulevard, Suite 211 

Ogden, UT 84401 

Phone: 801-629-8943 

Fax: 801-629-8902 

VT, Burlington 

Maria Vaivao 

Office of Community and 

Economic Development 

City Hall, Room 32 

Burlington, VT 05401 

Phone: 802-865-7182 

Fax: 802-865-7024 

WA, Seattle 

Charles Depew 

City of Seattle 

Seattle Municipal Building 

Second Floor 

Seattle, WA 98104-1826 

Phone: 206-684-0208 

Fax: 206-684-0379 

WA, Tacoma 

Dr. Shirl E. Gilbert II 

Tacoma Empowerment Consortium 

1101 Pacific Avenue 

Tacoma, WA 98402 

Phone: 253-274-1288 

Fax: 253-274-1289 

WI, Milwaukee 

Glen Mattison 

City of Milwaukee 

Community Block Grant Administration 

City Hall, Room 606 

200 East Wells Street 

Milwaukee, WI 53202 

Phone: 414-286-3760 

Fax: 414-286-5003 

URBAN 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 

EZ/EC Main Contact List • URBAN 

Rural Contact List 

Round I EZIECs were designated on 

December 21, 1994. Round II EZ/ECs 

were designated on January 13, 1999. 

CA, Desert Communities Round II 


John Thurman 


46-209 Oasis Street, Second Floor 


Indio, CA 92201 


Phone: 760-863-8225 


GA, Southwest Georgia United 


Round II 


Kim Sheffield 


P.O. Box 587 


Cordele, GA 31010 


Phone: 912-273-9111 


IL, Southernmost Illinois Delta 

Round II 


Lisa Thurston 


219 Rustic Campus Drive 


Ullin, IL 62992 


Phone: 618-634-2284 


Fax: 618-634-2287 


KY, Kentucky Highlands Round I 


Jerry Rickett 


P.O. Box 1738 


London, KY 40743-1738 


Phone: 606-864-5175 


Fax: 606-864-5194 


MS, Mid-Delta Round I 

Shirley Williams 

14000 Highway 82 West 

P.O. Box 7275 


Mississippi Valley State University 


Itta Bena, MS 38941 


Phone: 601-254-9957 


Fax: 601-254-9941 


ND, Griggs-Steele Round II (EZ) 

Roger Monson 

301 Central Avenue 

P.O. Box 255 


Finley, ND 58230 


Phone: 701-524-1921 


Fax: 701-524-1713 


SD, Oglala Sioux-Pine Ridge 


Round II 


Bob Ecoffey 


P.O. Box 203 


Pine Ridge, SD 57770 


Phone: 605-867-5125 


TX, Rio Grande Valley Round I 


Bonnie Gonzalez 

301 South Texas 

Mercedes, TX 78570 


Phone: 956-514-4000 

Fax: 956-514-4007 

EZ/EC Main Contact List • RURAL 

RURAL 

EMPOWERMENT 

ZONES 

AK, Metlakatla Indian Round II 

Timothy Gilmartin 

P.O. Box 668 


Metlakatla, AK 99926 


Phone: 907-886-4441 


Fax: 907-886-7997 


AL, Chambers County ROlUld I 


David Umling 


1130 Quintard Avenue, Suite 300 


Anniston, AL 36201 


Phone: 256-237-6741 


Fax: 256-237-6763 


AL, Greene!Sumter Counties 

Round I 


John Zippert 


County Road 2 


P.O. Box 95 


Epes, AL 35460 


Phone: 205-652-9676 


Fax: 205-652-9678 


AR, Mississippi COlUlty ROlUld I 


Sam Scruggs 


205 South Second Street 


Blytheville, AR 72316 


Phone: 870-532-2348 


Fax: 870-532-2625 


AR, East Central Arkansas Round I 


Judge Tom Catlett 


1000 Airport Road 


Forrest City, AR 72335 


Phone: 870-630-2005 


Fax: 870-630-2035 


AZ, NM, UT, Four Corners Round n 

Larry Rodgers 

P.O. Box 663 


Window Rock, AZ 86515 


Phone: 520-871-6504 


AZ, Douglas Round I 


J. Art Macias Jr. 


425 10th Street 


Douglas, AZ 85607 


Phone: 520-364-7501 


Fax: 520-364-7507 


AZ, Arizona Border Region 

ROlUld I 


Laura Ornelas 


777 North Grand Avenue 


Nogales, AZ 85621 


Phone: 520-432-5301 


Fax: 520-432-5858 


Frank Carillo 

23222 First Street 

P.O. Box 1170 


San Luis, AZ 85349 


Phone: 520-627-2027 


Fax: 520-627-3879 


AZ, Arizona Department of 

Commerce Round I 


Pat Schroeder 


3800 North Central, Suite 1400 


Phoenix, AZ 85012 


Phone: 602-280-8111 


Fax: 602-280-1305 


CA, Central California Round II 


Becki Mendibles 


SER-JOBS for Progress 


524 South Clovis Avenue 


Fresno, CA 93727 


Phone: 559-452-0881 


CA, City of Watsonville! 

COlUlty of Santa Cruz ROlUld I 


Lisa Brinton 


215 Union Street, Second Floor 


Watsonville, CA 95076 


Phone: 408-763-4033 


Fax: 408-761-0736 


CA, Imperial County Round I 


Maria Matthews 


836 Main Street 


EI Centro, CA 92243 


Phone: 760-337-7814 


Fax: 760-337-8907 


FL, Southwest Florida ROlUld II 


Barbara J. Kent 


2400 Tamiami Trail North, No. 300 


Naples, FL 34103 


Phone: 941-649-5000 


EZ/EC Main Contact List • RURAL 

RURAL 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 
RURAL 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 

FL, Jackson County Round I 

William R. Stanton, Jr. 

P.O. Box 920 


Marianna, FL 32447 


Phone: 850-526-4005 


Fax: 850-526-4008 


GA, Central Savannah River Area 

(CSRA) Round I 


Grady Sampson 


CSRA Regional Development Center 


4729 Quaker Road 


Keysville, GA 30818 


Phone: 706-554-0342 


Fax: 706-554-8826 


GA, Crisp/Dooly (designated in 


Round II as Southwest Georgia 


United EZ) Round I 


Kim Sheffield 

U5 13th Avenue West 

P.O. Box 587 


Cordele, GA 31010 


Phone: 912-273-9111 


Fax: 912-278-0450 


HI, Molokai Round II 


Karen M. Holt 


P.O. Box 1046 


Kaunakakai, HI 96748 


Phone: 808-553-3244 


IN, Town of Austin Round II 


Lanny Mcintosh 


80 West Main Street 


Austin, IN 47102 


Phone: 812-794-2877 


Fax: 812-794-2859 


KS, Wichita County Round II 


Sharla Krenzel 


206 South Fourth Street 


P.O. Box 345 


Leoti, KS 67861 


Phone: 316-375-2182 


Fax: 316-375-4350 


What Worksl Volume III 


KY, City of Bowling Green 


Round II 


Charlotte Mathis 


P.O. Box 430 


Bowling Green, KY 42102 


Phone: 502-393-3000 


Fax: 502-393-3168 


LA, Macon Ridge Round I 


Chip Rogers 


903 Louisiana Avenue 


P.O. Drawer 768 


Ferriday, LA 71334 


Phone: 318-757-3033 


Fax: 318-757-4212 


LA, Northeast Louisiana Delta 

Round I 


Moses Williams 


400 East Craig Street, Suite B 


Tallulah, LA 71282 


Phone: 318-574-0995 


Fax: 318-574-3132 


ME, City of Lewiston Round II 


John Bott 


27 Pine Street 


Lewiston, ME 04240 


Phone: 207-784-2951, ext. 315 


MI, Clare County Round II (EC) 


Tim Wolverton 


225 West Main 


Harrison, MI 48825 


Phone: 517-539-2510 


MI, Lake County Round I 


Mary Trucks 


P.O. Box 37 


302 North Main Street 


Scotville, MI 49454 


Phone: 616-757-3785 


Fax: 616-757-9669 


MO, City of East Prairie Round I 


Martha Ellen Black 


Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center 


207 North Washington Street 


P.O. Box 249 


East Prairie, MO 63845 


Phone: 573-649-3731 


Fax: 573-649-5028 

MS, North Delta Round I 


Stuart Guernsey 


215 South Pocahontas Street 


Sardis, MS 38666 


Phone: 601-487-1968 


Fax: 601-487-0088 


MT, Fort Peck Assinihorne and 


Sioux Tribe Round II 


Susan Parker 


P.O. Box 1027 


Poplar, MT 59255 


Phone: 406-788-5155, ext. 321 


NC, HalifaxlEdgecombelWilson 

Round I 


Terri Anderson 


PO. Box 1180 


Rocky Mount, NC 27802 


Phone: 252-972-1609 


Fax: 252-972-1590 


NC, Robeson County Round I 


Cynthia Johnson 


204 North Chesnut Street 


Lumberton, NC 28358 


Phone: 910-618-0722 


Fax: 910-618-1504 


NM, City of Deming Round II 


John Strand 


P.O. Box 706 


Deming, NM 88031 


Phone: 505-546-8848 


Fax: 505-546-6442 


NM, La Jicarita Round I 


Ron Martinez 


P.O. Box 546 


Penasco, NM 87553 


Phone: 800-458-7323 


Fax: 505-587-1687 


OH, Greater Portsmouth Round I 


Bob Walton 


PO. Box 1523 


433 Third Street 


Portsmouth, OH 45662 


Phone: 614-354-7541 


Fax: 614-354-3933 


EZ/EC 

OK, Southeast Oklahoma 

Round I 


Bob Yandell 


502 West Duke Street 


Hugo, OK 74743 


Phone: 580-326-3351 


Fax: 580-326-2305 


OK, Tri-County Indian Nations 

Round II 


Billie Floyd 


Rou te 7, Box 238 


Ada, OK 74820 


Phone: 580-332- 3257 


Fax: 580-332-3325 


OR, Josephine County Round I 


Vinnie Danke 


PO. Box 1824 


Cave Junction, OR 97523 


Phone: 541- 592-2838 


Fax: 541-592-4106 


OR, Josephine County Round I 


Gary O'Neal 


P.O. Box 127 


Wolf Creek, OR 97497 


Phone: 541-866-2600 


Fax: 541-866-2449 


PA, City of Lock Haven Round I 


Maria Boileau 


20 East Church Street 


Lock Haven, PA 17745 


Phone: 570-893-5907 


Fax: 570-893- 5905 


PA, Fayette Round II 


Debra Hanna 


2 West Main Street, Suite 407 


Uniontown, PA 15401 


Phone: 724-437-7913 


SC, Allendale County Round II 


Joe Vuknic 


PO. Box 252 


Allendale, SC 29810 


Phone: 803-584-7117 


Main Contact List • RURAL 

RURAL 

ENTERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 
RURAL 

E",ITERPRISE 

COMMUNITIES 

SC, Williamsburg-Lake City Round I 

John H. Whittleton 

114 West Main Street 

P.O. Box 428 

Kingstree, SC 29558 

Phone: 843-354-9070 

Fax: 843-354-3252 

SD, Beadle/Spink Dakota 

Round I 

Lori Hintz 

P.O. Box 68 

Yale, SO 57386 

Phone: 605-599-2991 

Fax: 605-599-2992 

TN, Clinch-Powell Round II 

Marvin Hammond 

P.O. Box 379 

Rutledge, TN 37861 

Phone: 423-828-5927 

Fax: 423-828-5212 

TN, Fayette CountylHaywood 

County Round I 

John Sicola 

157 Poplar, Room B150 

Memphis, TN 38103 

Phone: 901-545-4610 

Fax: 901-545-3519 

TN-KY, Scott-McCreary Area 

Round I 

Leslie Winningham 

P.O. Box 186 

Huntsville, TN 37756 

Phone: 423-663-3280 

Fax: 423-663-3290 

TX, Middle Rio Grande Round II 

Leodoro Martinez Jr. 

P.O. Box 1199 

Carnizo Springs, TX 78801 

Phone: 830-278-4151 

VA, Accomack-Northampton Round I 

Arthur Carter 

P.O. Box 814 

Nassawadox, VA 23413 

Phone: 757-442-4509 

Fax: 757-442-7530 

What Worksl Vo l u m e III 

WA, Lower Yakima COWlty 

Round I 

Mike Gregory 

P.O. Box 329 

Sunnyside, WA 98944 

Phone: 509-839-6847 

Fax: 509-839-7462 

WA, Tri-County Round II 

Martin E. Wold 

347 West Second, Suite A 

Colville, WA 99114 

Phone: 509-684-4571 

Fax: 509-684-4788 

WI, Northwoods Niijii Enterprise 

Round II 

Gale Kruger 

P.O. Box 910 

4 Tribal Loop Road 

Keshena, WI 54135 

Phone: 715-799-5182 

WV, Central Appalachia Round I 

Harold Butler 

P.O. Box 176 

Clay, WV 25043 

Phone: 304-587- 2034 

Fax: 304-587-2027 

WV, McDowell County Round I 

Dr. Clif Moore 

P.O. Box 158 

Wilcoe, WV 24895 

Phone: 304-448-2118 

Fax: 304-448-3287 

WV, Upper Kanawha Valley 

Round II 

Gregory Lipscomh 

407 Virginia Street 

Charleston, WV 25338 

Phone: 304-357-0570 


· ."". '( -:::'. 

CDBG 

COPc 

DoD 

EC 

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ED. 

EEC 

ESl 

EZ 

GED 

HHS 

HOME 

HUD 

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NASA 

SBA 

SEZ 

SSBG 

TANF 

USDA 

TERMS AND 


Community Development Block Grant 

Community Outreach Partnership Centers 

U.5. Department of Defense 

Enterprise Community 

U.S. Department of Education 

Economic Development Initiative 

Enhanced Enterprise Community 

English as a Second Language 

Empowerment Zone 

General Equivalency Diploma 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

HUD HOME funding program 

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 

Job Training Partnership Act 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

U.S. Small Business Administration 

Supplemental Empowerment Zone 

Social Services Block Grant 

Temporary Aid to Needy Families 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

DEFINITIONS 


The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, 

color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. (Not 

all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of 

program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (Voice 

and TOO). 

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whjtten Building, 14th 

Street and Independence Avenue, Sw., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (Voice or TDD). USDA is an 

equal opportunity provider and employer. 
USDA YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNER 

u.s. Department of Housing and Urban Development U.s. Department of Agriculture 

Andrew Cuomo, Secretary Dan Glickman, Secretory 

OHice of Community Planning and Development Rural Development 

Cordell Cooper, Ass istant Secretory Jill Long Thompson, Under Secretory 

I