Lifting up neighbors, friends and visitors alike, the sounds of the Heritage & Harmony Festival are already drawing interest, attention and accolades on this, the first day of its 3-day run in Flint’s Historic Civic Park Neighborhood. Organizers feel that it is important to bring celebratory events like this back into Flint’s neighborhoods and are […]
Music, a marketplace and more are all a part of the inaugural Heritage & Harmony Festival, which kicks off Monday, July 2. The aim of the event is simple: To bring Flint residents together through music and fellowship in the heart of the historic Civic Park Neighborhood, which was among America’s first planned neighborhoods. The neighborhood […]
Cordel Garrett doesn’t know how his life might have turned out if he hadn’t met the mentor who became like his dad. So close was his relationship with John Rhymes that he lived with Rhymes’ family. Today Garrett resides in Georgia and works full-time with the goal of eventually becoming a social worker. “He supported […]
Long before the first pitch was thrown, Dashawn Vickers had a pretty good idea how he wanted to spend the summer. After playing for the Jackson Park Youth Baseball League in 2017 he wanted to get in on the action again. “I just like the coaches and the style of how they teach us,” says […]
By Kristin Longley It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when Greg Gaines didn’t know a green from a weed. That was long before he became farmer-in-chief of Catholic Charities’ award-winning gardening and mentoring program for at-risk youth, where he’s spent more than a quarter of a century helping Flint-area teens learn how […]
Talk of change is becoming increasingly common among Flint residents. From front-lawn chats to community meetings, neighbors are inspired by the progress they see in the city and they’re often more motivated to contribute their time and energy toward greater success. An ongoing series promoting organizing and leadership skills is one of the latest opportunities […]
Success is nothing new to participants of a popular Flint youth program. The goal of TeenQuest, an initiative of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, is to promote succeeding as a lifelong habit for every student it reaches. TeenQuest, a free afterschool pre-employment and leadership training program, will graduate 120 high school students on […]
Many have already taken the first step. Other local residents who want to learn how they can impact their communities are welcome to attend the “Neighbors Changing Flint: The First Step Is Yours” training series, says Ashley Everhart, agency director of the Neighborhood Engagement Hub. Set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday March 28 at Asbury United […]
So many times, the person behind the scenes of the biggest development is the person next door. What becomes the new neighborhood mural, playground or renovation project usually starts as an idea in the mind of a resident with a vision and commitment. This is critical when it comes to the priceless work of community […]
They are solution seekers. The people who attend the Flint Neighborhoods United (FNU) meeting the first Saturday of every month come to voice their concerns, hear those of others, and make decisions for change in the respective places they call home. It’s the same people every time. Familiar faces from neighborhood block clubs and area […]