POP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Pillars of Promise (POP) is 100% focused on serving the actual needs of the community as told to POP by the community. It is of the utmost importance that we work with, not to or for, the community. As of May 2017, POP has:
Held 3 public town halls
Held 6 community forums
Attended numerous community association meetings, and
Continues to meet separately wHOW WILL POP MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Pillars of Promise (POP) embraces diversity with our partners and the people in the community that we collectively serve. POP seeks to establish vital relationships that are intentionally inclusive beyond racial, gender, cultural, sexual orientation, social, economic and religious boundaries. POP celebrates all faiths to serve the needs of the urban core by bringing hope to the community.
In order for POP to excel it is critical to coalesce around a set of values that will guide POP today and into the future.
Trusting, without judgement, is crucially important for POP to successfully work together in the community.
Listening, understanding and believing, are essentials for hope, growth and renewal of our facilities and neighborhoods.
Researching and focusing on community is vital to self-determination – FOR revitalization, NOT gentrification.
Establishing governmental processes and procedures that inspire individual empowerment and thriving neighborhood development are basic benchmarks for measuring the success of POP.
Promoting health and nutrition includes all aspects, such as: mental, psycho-social, spiritual and physical wholeness.
Aspiring to reach the “American Dream”, is founded upon the quality and level of one’s Education, Employment, Training and access to opportunities – for hopes and dreams to become realities.
Sustaining progress is vital to POP; change does not occur in a day, nor in a vacuum. Being patient and prayerful is the ultimate tactic.
ith key community and public leaders.
In order to maintain continuous dialogue with leaders in the impacted community, POP has formed a Community Advisory Committee to listen, provide advice and share information with their organization represented by the committee member. The committee contains over 20 members representing neighborhood associations, churches, schools, youth and nonprofit organizations. The first committee meeting was held on April 5, 2017.
Through our community engagement meetings, a substantial amount of data has been compiled on the needs of the community, and as importantly, what the community has vocalized they do not need or want to see happen. This data is being utilized as the foundation to drive building and green space design in a campus setting.
A concept master plan to optimize both physical and green space is underway along with high level cost estimates. Significant cost savings and synergies will be derived by utilizing shared space for our partners which is critical. Developing a “one stop shop” space within the community will aid in the mission to better serve those actually in the community. Finally fund raising on a national and local scale to foundations, private companies and public grants is underway.