One of our four core programs here at Project Access is Community Building, which encompasses family/senior community events, safety awareness, and emergency preparedness.
As highlighted by the National Governor’s Association in 2017, place-based strategies are effective local solutions to poverty and address community-level problems such as poor housing, social isolation, and fragmented service provisions. The organization also highlights that nonprofit institutions, such as Project Access, have traditionally been involved in place-based initiatives by serving as a backbone for coordinating and delivering human services.
To reduce isolation and strengthen a sense of togetherness, community building events are an important strategy Project Access deploys to support communities. These opportunities are provided free to the community and held throughout the year in the form of small pop-up style events or large community gatherings at our Resource Centers and Senior Centers across the country.
The goal of these efforts is to promote safe communities and strong connections. Here are some of the ways we offer Community Building across the country:
Family Community Events/Workshops: Family Movie Night, Bingo Night, and Game Night, are all done to promote family involvement and increase family relationships. Holiday celebrations, gatherings, and other social events are implemented in conjunction with Property Management. These events promote community interaction among residents and increase awareness of the services provided by the resource center.
Safety Awareness & Emergency Preparedness: In collaboration with local disaster relief organizations like the Red Cross, police departments, and Property Management, safety awareness, emergency workshops, and events are provided to promote a sense of safety within the community by increasing knowledge of safety practices.
Natural Disaster/Emergency Preparedness: Resources to support residents, including preparing for, and reducing, the effects of disasters, how to respond to and effectively cope with their consequences. Special attention is given on the area where a site is located when planning these opportunities and information for residents, such as earthquake or tornado prone regions.
Community Safety Awareness: Provides information about crime prevention, safety tips to raise awareness of safety practices either through community meetings, flyers, workshops, or events. The types of safety concerns vary by community and are considered when creating these workshops or when raising awareness. They may include co-operating with police, task forces, or organizations focused on promoting safe communities.
Fall Prevention Workshop (For Seniors): Workshops or activities designed to prevent falls and promote healthy, active, and independent seniors.
Field trips (For Seniors): Field trips exclusively built with seniors in mind, that reduce social isolation and promote improvements to their mental, physical, and emotional health, may include visits to gardens, museums, or park. Field trips should engage seniors in the planning process to identify locations that are of most interest to the community.