Resident participation and leadership are keys to creating strong and stable communities. When residents are empowered to solve problems, make decisions and take leadership, neighbors create a powerful tool for developing community assets. All residents have a stake in their communities’ futures. Successful communities will be those whose residents have the tools to identify the community’s needs, to shape the programs to meet those needs, and to influence positive outcomes upon meeting the outlined needs. Those residents will be the leaders who watch over their communities for years to come, and help identify and train the next generation of leaders.
The Belair-Edison Healthy Community Coalition is comprised of everyday neighbors who tirelessly volunteer a countless number of hours to the place they call home.
Our volunteer efforts to date have:
- Developed, nurtured and managed a network of civic, educational, faith-based, local and federal partnerships;
- Conducted a needs-assessment of the community;
- Created two (2) computer labs in the community;
- Operated after school and summer camp programs;
- Brought over $30,000 to human service programs in Belair-Edison.
Please take a moment to review the Volunteer Page on the Coalition’s website. Join the movement!
As we can see, volunteers bear such a major impact in the community when we all come together.
Question for thought: Why don’t more people in the Belair-Edison and 4×4 communities volunteer?
From experience in working in the “4X4″ COMMUNITY there is not a lot going on in the community to volunteer. They seem to be afraid to step outside the box. I asked a recent widow to come to New Pleasant Grove to help with the kids for movie night and she showed up. I was surprised because she has no little ones. I guess it starts from being neighborly. Some just don’t want the “whole village raising their children”.
The primary reason that residents of Belair-Edison & 4×4 do not participate in community based activities is because many residents overwhelemingly do not vaule their commnity and want to someone to do things for them intstead for themselves.
Many city residents throughout Baltimore ( especially in majority black communities) demonstrate an “lassire faire” (leave things as they are) attitude and want government to “give” them something. The role of government is to support the community when the community collectively comes together with a mission and vision to enhance the quality of life for all who live there.
When is the majority of the black community going to stand for something? Instead of being reactive- become proactive! There are FEW african-american members who care about the quality of their neighborhoods and schools which surround them ( I stand firm on this position). Many blame poverty as a leading issue, but poverty is not an excuse for deviant behavior by many of our childen and parents ( the blind cannot lead the blind). The lack of vaules and morals has corrupted the african-american community and it is like a plague; only a few people (such as programs like Belair-Edison Healthy Coalition) are fighting back as though they were an anitboitic, fighting this disease. The question is: are we winning or losing?
Years ago as a child growing up in Berea, I would look at Belair-Edison and see a tranquil neighborhood and I hate to state this, (but it’s true) it was majority white folks who resided there, demonstrating an affinity and appreciation of their community. Years later, it has become majority black and the community has declined. By looking at these comparisons, is it saying that black people cannot appreciate their surroundings? I surely hope not; but, it makes one think…as blacks…WHAT DO WE VALUE AND WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANTTO BLACKS AS A WHOLE?
Respectfully Submitted,
Vernon E. Crider
Former City Councilperson
13th District
I hate to say this but lately a word that pops up into my head about this community - is APATHY.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source -
1. absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
2. lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.
3. Stoicism. freedom from emotion of any kind.
[Origin: 1595–1605; (< F) < L apathīa < Gk apátheia insensibility to suffering, equiv. to apathe- (s. of apaths) unfeeling (a- a-6 + pathe-, var. s. of páthos pathos) + -ia -ia]
It seems to apply to the majority of the community. There are a few people that are doing what they can by volunteering with the community association, the coalition or just doing small projects on their blocks. However these people are running themselves ragged and in some cases just burning out, too much is expected of them. There is too much to do in our neighborhood with only a few fighting the cancer permeating through the community. Remember that many of these community leaders have jobs and other life issues too. Unfortunately the majority of the community just seems to want to have things done for them - as Mr. Crider said, and not work for improvement.
I do not believe it is a matter of poverty or race. It is more a matter of ignorance and yes - Apathy.
Maybe I am wrong - it could just be something as simple as a lack of communication and people in the neighborhood not working together.
When most people are looking to buy a home, they look for things such as a good community, pleasant neighbors, good schools, churches, etc. What people have to realize is that in order to have these things, you have to have strong committed residents who want to make sure their kids have a safe place to play and their families can feel comfortable sitting on their front porches and yards without looking at any unsanitary conditions or negative behavior. You have to want to get involved to help keep your neighborhood safe. We all have a busy daily schedules but we cannot use ” I am busy, I don’t have the time” as an excuse for not getting involved in our community. We cannot expect others to solve our problems while we sit back and watch. We must be part of the solution and not part of the problem. A lot of parents work long hours and get home late but have teenagers in their homes doing nothing but watching tv, playing video games or sometimes being a nuisance to society. I say ” GET THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE OUT YOUR HOMES, BUT A BROOM IN THEIR HANDS AND HAVE THEM CLEAN UP IN FRONT AND BACK OF THE HOMES IN WHICH THEY SLEEP EVERYDAY.” We need to bring back the old days, when elders were able to say something to a young person if they heard them curse or acting disrespectful and that young person said nothing else but ” I am sorry”. With this new generation, the word respect means nothing and you have some young people who don’t even have respect for their parents and these parents allow this type of behavior. We have men young and old walking around with their underwear showing, girls and women with their bodies exposed and skirts shorter than the young children they are carrying and they think that is cool. These same young people will go on a job interview dressing the way they do on the street. In addition to job training, a lot of these young people need job etiquette training. They need to be taught how to dress and act appropriately. When you know better, you do better. We need more programs that promote healthy self esteem so that young people can feel good about themselves and know that they do not have to be part of a gang to get whatever they are missing in their lives. Know that being cool means staying in school and getting that education to become successful. Know that ignorance is not fashionable and you do not have to disrespect yourself or others to be in control. We must work together to make a difference. We must not continue to sit back and complain and do nothing. We must say enough is enough and mean it. We must reclaim our community.
Add A Comment