The National Community Network, INC
Formally:
the National Community Network and Coalition of Highlands, INC
923 South A Avenue
Avon
Park, FL 33825
Office: (863) 657-2407
Website: TheNationalCommunityNetwork.org
E-Mail:
Info@TheNationalCommunityNetwork.org
Technology@TheNationalCommunityNetwork.org
A Project of the National
Community Network, INC.
The Agenda: November 1st - Fiscal
Year 2014-15
A
$1,337,154.20 Operation
Solution and Response next year's budget is a challenge we can answer , but only
if we work together: Requires $623,116.28 per year in In-kind Contributions of
volunteerism or 29,336.24 man hours which is equal to 14 fulltime jobs over a
one year period. Our hope is to recruit at least 50 volunteers and our key
staff will be dedicated to our mission, as well a community service volunteers
and people in the community that might consider trying some of our ideas.
We are apply for grants now, so our
blogs are limited, but this is something you should learn not by just reading,
but putting some of the ideas in to action. We are trying to fund both the
Thanksgiving Weekend Events and Operation Solution and Response. This
comes to $1,337,154.20 + $50,000 = $1,87,154.20 or $1.9M.
Today we solicited $10,000 for Winn Dixie, yesterday $2,500 from Wal-Mart,
today $250,000 from the USDA and tomorrow $10,00 from Publix. I have the
ability to manage 10 key members with corporate e-mail, thereby crating a
coordinate management in a cloud system of administration.
A: With a 15 Security Force Detail
consisting with armed security, which will be coordinated and assigned by us.
We will use them at all our events and fund raisers to include nightclub
sponsored events Also remembering security is the key to being able to
attract winners into our circles of sponsors.
B: with 4 dedicated key members who
will live this program daily.
C: We will seek after at least 2 or 3
long term community service personnel. This would be in line with what we are
all about, helping reduce crime and prevent recidivism. The system
offers them worker compensation, if they get injured on the job, which is good
to know.,
D: 10 people engaged in our recording
studio project "Social Impact."
E: Our on call list of volunteers,
who will assist only during event, unless they decide to get more
involve. This list should exceed 20 people, who are real and committed.
As you can see this is really doable and by doing this successfully, we will be
able to get even more money into our community and start to create paid
positions.
Our
Services Addresses these community related problems:
1: Preventing Criminal Recidivism
2: Education and Illiteracy
3: Hunger
4: Community Activities
5: Poor Community Economy
6: Disproportionately High Community Unemployment Rates
7: Homelessness and Housing Issues
8: AIDS/HIV
9: Human Rights
Introduction and Overview:
The National Community Network, INC, was founded on October 20th, 2009, as
the National Community Network and Coalition of Highlands, INC., in the State
of Florida, in the City of Avon Park, located
in Highlands County. We were founded by
siblings of the Jones Family, with a mission of "building a better
community," and an oath to "give back to the community." This
promise I made to Worshipful Master Eston E. L. Roberts, with an understanding
we will be traveling in another direction, so to speak, "for those who
have ears." The Co-founders were Rev. Frank Paul Jones, Rev. Egeria
F. Jordan, Lujuana M. Flood and Rev. Ella E. Williams. Egeria F. Jordan
is deceased since July 13th, 2012, may she RIP, established our organization on
20 October 2009.
We owned our two story headquarters is located at 923 South A Avenue, Avon
Park, FL. 33825, we refer to our
headquarters location as the Blue
Building, because of its
Freemasonic history, this institution was once the home of Prince Hall
Freemasons. The building is now in good condition, however we have some needed
some capital investments. We need a 3 ton condenser unit for our
downstairs central AC unit, two 12,000 BTU window units upstairs, a parking lot
to expand our educational services and fence placed around our perimeter.
Our purposes, mission and vision was designed intentionally to act as the
framework for different types of comprehensive plans to redevelop poor
communities that have falling behind economically across our nation, but this
specific operation was designed for Avon
Park, FL.
The National Community Network, INC. is designed to face the challenges of
economically deprived neighborhoods and has built in mechanisms to support Community
Redevelopment Agencies "CRA" nationwide and not just in Avon Park,
Fl where our headquarters is located. Though we are operating as a local
charity, with a current local agenda, in time we plan to branch out. And
hopefully as a result of our progress in Avon
Park, FL., this program may be
duplicated in another community in the State of Florida
or even in States in America,
such as New York City.
The function of the NCN is to act as an agent, to assistant and also to take
on the leadership role in
solving community problems with our main focus on
economics and social issues. Our complete program design is meant to be
duplicated with modifications to create community solutions wherever needed
where there are programs designed with the intentions of "building a
better community" in mind.
The National Community Network, INC., admits to our humble beginnings, but
what we are introducing is a potential nation builder. The reason for our
limited community work so far was the lack of funds, because we didn't have our
501 c 3 statuses, but now this has changed and hopefully we will be able to
find Funders to support our programs designed for building a better community
in the Southside Redevelopment Area and a build a better Avon Park.
1: The National Community Network , took ownership of the Business Area of
the Southside Redevelopment Area around South Delaney Avenue, by maintaining the
area daily by keeping it clear of garbage and debris. We did this for
over 3 years and will continue to do this. Before the upcoming South
Delaney Community Development Block Grant was even considered we were there on
the frontline maintaining South
Delaney Avenue, in hopes that someday would be
today and today has seemed have found its way. The CDBG Grant is overdue!
2: We advocated for our community. We plan to expand these services by
creating a new Facebook page, Wordpress.com blog, Website and Newsletter, to
support these initiatives.
3: We took what once had life and became a skeleton after being closed down
for over 5 years, with a seriously leaking roof and transformed it with a new
tin roof, also fixing the water damages inside and we did a lot of other
maintenance work and repairs, all out of pocket. Now we are well on
our way of converting this once empty shell into a structure for a program of
comprehensive community services, which will bring forth more unity among
us. Now as a post 501 c 3 commitment we will finish this job and
transform our headquarters into respectful and accommodating place of community
services, open for business. We want our property to be pleasing to
the eyes of the community given the SRA new hope through the initiation of
services through "Operation Solution & Response."
Supporting
the Local Businesses:
When America in general
faces a recession the people in poor communities across America already
are experiencing a depression. Hard economic times is nothing new to poor
America.
And the Southside Redevelopment Area is now in a state of depression.
Many of our businesses are failing or struggling because of the lack
investment capital. Causing less money to circulate within our community, which
is an already over unemployed population and under invested. These are
some of the after effects of long term poor economic conditions.
While the Avon Park CRA announced that South District's South Delaney Avenue will receive a much
needed overhaul of the streets and roads through a federally funded CDBG Grant,
the plans within local government to redevelop the businesses in this area do
not go far enough. While the CRA already condemned at least two major
properties in this area in our recent history, we at the National Community
Network is concerned with the remaining properties being determined as plight,
as of the results of these improved streets and roads. If the businesses
are not improved the properties on the Delaney Avenue Strip may then appear to
be plight as a result of progress community progress. And that would a be a sad
time in the history of all of Avon
Park, Fl.
The Avon Park "new historic facade grant," is a
step in the right direction, but is hardly enough. First of all, for many
of the businesses that could use these grants, they are struggling, or cannot
reopen due lack of investment capital and/or is behind on property taxes. So to
offer them a dollar for dollar grant to improve the external areas, with 100%
upfront cash required, is really a slap in the face. What is actually
being said is if you can put up $10,000 to fix your property, we will give you
a refund of $5,000 at a later date.
Here is the middle ground and what we think should be done. The properties
that qualify for the new historic facade grant, be given the grant by creating
an escrow account. This way properties that need these grants most, can
apply for them and when they come up with the matching funds, they will be able
too use the money set aside for their property renovations. This could be
the beginning of a comprehensive program whereby government and citizens can
work together, to accomplish the redevelopment of the Southside Redevelopment
Area's Southside District.
One must attempt to understand the reality and state of South Delaney Avenue. It is a slum
area.
And then one must take into consideration the proud history
of S. Delaney Ave.
With this understanding, we will be able to see the logic of trying to restore
these business properties to their current owners. By doing this, we will
be able to start a transformation within community to become a safer, cleaner
and more independent, by reducing crime based on property ownership
incentives to care take their restored properties. Either this or
the CDBG Grant will be meaningless to our current property owners, which means
we are all be subject to a hostile takeover in the future, due to the increased
value of the real estate. It happened in New York City's Harlem Communities and it can
happen here. We all know Avon
Park, FL., is prime real
estate just waiting for major investors to come to a compromise with these
local agriculture tycoons.
Now what I will propose may have sounded far-reaching just a year ago, but
today it is a rational thought process and its foundation is principle
based. We believe the solution to the redevelopment of the Southside
Redevelopment Area, is the new taxes on the sales of medical marijuana in State
of Florida
and City of Avon Park. Whereby as of its inception into law, the City of Avon
Park, FL., sell a 10 year - $150,000 municipal bond, splitting the
$150,000 equally among Avon Park CRA Districts and continue to give at least
50% of these taxes towards CRA designated areas in Avon Park for the history of
this law or until it is determined to no loner be needed.
The $50,000 for the Southside Redevelopment Area, should be used to start
the redevelopment process of our businesses. It should be a comprehensive
plan that requires active participation by the grantees and or management of
these businesses. Because fixing a building and putting equipment inside
it, without the assurance of proper management is a cocktail for failure. We
believe that a major part of our problem is the lack of knowledge concerning
business practices. Many of these properties were within families for more than
one generation and while beneficiaries may have inherited the family
properties, they did not necessarily inherit the family business or know how.
Helping
our Disadvantage Young Adults:
We think the main problem in the United States
today is the jobless rate that is causing us to create a generation of
hopelessness among our youth and this is amplified in black communities
nationwide and is now a serious issue in Avon Park's
Southside Redevelopment Area of Avon Park, Fl and this is what we will
address.
While our youth, sees Hollywood and Multimedia as outlets as a means to
creates dreams about success and a way out of their state of oppression, what
Hollywood depicts is often just an illusion that is often not obtainable by
many of them due to the lack of education and connections and this degrades
their moral fiber. Because they grew to want something that they cannot
have. Too often due to joblessness, they stay home all day and play
violent video games, listen to rap music often filled with filthy and degrading
language and watch fantasy television shows, only to end up turning to
the streets with nothing to do ("an idle mind is the workshop of
Satan"). And too often this ends in violence, the loss of young
lives which isn't new to the Southside District and the incarceration of too
many of our young adults. And we want to curb this! We want to curb
crime and recidivism. And because many of us within the National
Community Network to include myself have been there and done that, by operating
on the other side of the law, who better qualifies to reach out to our
disadvantaged young adults, than one with a common past life of crime and/or
just being on the streets.
They need to see a way out, today many of them would not and could accept an
invitation to a better way of life, because it requires education and skills,
something many of our disadvantaged young adults fear to take on the endeavor
or simply do not understand the incentive in a tangible way. Many of
these young adults are even afraid to take on the simple task of obtaining a
GED, to many of them this is not simple at all, but is a very complex
measure. Many of them are simply afraid to fail! Yet many of them
will need higher education beyond a GED in order to survive in the future Highlands County, which is headed for major
development. We have a problem called hopelessness in the Southside
Redevelopment Area and among the poor in Avon Park
today.
We believe that the fastest way to create noticeable change in
"building a better community," is to put a major focus on the
redevelopment of our young adults between the ages of 18-35 and older, because
often it is at this age group when most of our young adults engage in
self-destructive and/or unproductive behavior that could be modified if they
were given other options with meaningful incentives. Because these are
truly the children who will be our leaders of tomorrow.
Helping
our Young Children:
Before we created the disadvantaged young adult, we were handed an innocent
child through the grace of God. They did not ask to come on this earth
because none of us did, but they were born and came to us as babies unable to
support or even take care of themselves. They therefore had to go through
a molding process in order to function as upright American citizens, with the
responsibility of someday being caretakers of America themselves.
Highlands County
has some of the worst performing high schools in the state of Florida. Only six Florida
districts had lower graduation rates than Highlands County
in 2011-12. While the graduation rate was about 74% in the state of Florida, it was only 61% in Highlands County
in 2012. And Avon Park is the worst performing high school within Highlands County. And the residents of the
Southside Redevelopment Area and poor communities like the public housing
complexes in Avon
Park, are on the
forefront of academic failure, which transcends and becomes a community filled
with street crimes, violence, and intellectual vegetation. This is an
after effect of long term poor economic conditions.
Meanwhile our young children see our young adults on the streets 24/7 being
unproductive or trying to survive. They live in a community whereby illegal
drugs is the number one commodity. They see a community of victims being slaves
to poverty and eventually see themselves as forever victims also, without any
real option to gaining a part of the American dream, but often end up within a
life of crimes, jails, institutions, long term addictions and death. Our
children need to feel safe, loved and protected and believe it or not and this
is very important, they need to feel needed, because the reality is one day
will depend on them or self-destruct.
We believe as a community we must be the caretakers of our younger children,
who are under 18 years old and are not emancipated. If we as a community do not
raise our children properly, we as a community has failed tomorrow
already. Part of the cause of our current social and economic problems
and conditions are our past failures in the molding processes of our children.
It is due to our past failures as a community in education, crime prevention
and community economics that this program we are presenting now has become a
program of community need and not community convenience. Operation Solution and
Response is a SRA community need.
We want to insure that every child in our community has a fair chance in
life and will be able to grow and enjoy the Declaration of Independence in America as
adults. Something too often taking away from our youth due to their
responses to the conditions of poverty.
Serving
our Senior Citizens:
The senior citizen is the backbone of our community and it is from them that
we gain our strength in character as a union throughout the world. We
will find within this group of people, a lot of knowledge, wisdom understanding
through experience and education. It is a fact that through the process of life
and aging, most people grow to care more about humanity as a whole and find a
God of their understanding that they serve. Like a child should be born
innocent and it is the journey of humankind, to once again try to become
righteous and be in service to the God of their understanding. And often
this is done through one's community work.
But the reality is that many of our senior citizens are barley surviving in
the Southside Redevelopment Area. Most are living on a fixed incomes or
food stamps that barely allows them to make all their bills and eat
properly. Many of senior citizens find themselves in really lonely
situations, without anyone to socialize with. Many of our senior citizens
are without structure and only want to do some meaningful volunteerism.
Many of our senior citizens are huge resources of information waiting to be
tapped for knowledge. And some are just doing fine in retirement and just
want to give back to our community. Whatever it is, if it is good, our
senior citizens deserve it and more. So we set aside Sunday as "Weekly
50+ Senior Citizen Recreational Spot," whereby we are open all day
to address senior citizen issues, offer recreational activities, food and
other services.
Serving
our Underserved:
With the mentality that "nobody will be left behind," we try to
help anyone experiencing misfortunes, with a focus on economic and social
issues.
Serving
People with AIDS/HIV:
We believe that the virus that causes AIDS, was developed in a laboratory in
Germany
during the winter of 1976-77. I was designed as a biological weapon to kill off
people. The target was the Gay community, drug addicts and people of color. And
it had early successes but resulted in a lot of unintended damages. We
believe the orders to create this deadly virus originated at the CIA. And
in 1980 it was released upon mankind.
We believe that in 1989 the cure to AIDS was developed, but never release,
because the pharmaceutical industry is profiting from the many very expensive
treatments being made available. Therefore position isn't to fight for a cure,
but to fight for the release of the cure to AIDS.
Therefore our approach to dealing with the AIDS pandemic, is to inform the
people as to what is really going on to create a movement of AIDS awareness
that is based on the idea that this disease was not by chance, but was in fact
develop in a laboratory and was government sanctioned.
Through AIDS awareness programs and advocacy, we believe we will the
forefront and leaders of change in policy that will bring about the end of
AIDS.
Helping
Enforce the Human Rights of all people:
We realize that their a many important social issues that deserve and need
to be resolved but are being denied of. We believe the most relevant
social issues of the day are Gay and Lesbian Rights, the marijuana dilemma
concerning it legalization & uses and the AIDS pandemic. And always
we must keep close to us the ongoing fight of the African American, which is
for the true emancipation of the African America Slaves in America, because we know that the 14 Amendment
did not free black slaves, but was only a measure to reunite the Confederation
back into the Union. No more and no less!
For this reason we will attempt to be at the forefront of information
sharing and advocacy, through continuing campaigns designed to inform, lead,
support and assemble people together. Though we are different we have a common
enemy and through unity the war against humanity can be won. We see us as
a coalition of the diverse underserved and as a community against unjust laws
and rules, whom will get a fair shot of true inclusion within American society
as equal partners in the Union, unless we
fight for our right.
Operation Solution & Response
The National Community Network has solutions that will help the Southside
Redevelopment process and our future community economic growth as well as
prepare the people in our community to be able to survive, excel and grow in
the future Highlands
County by becoming better
prepared and therefore "building a community" and it is
"Operation Solution and Response."
What it is?
Operation Solution and Response is a long term initiative designed to perform services for
people in determined CRA eligible areas, Residents of Public Housing Complexes
and other subsidized housing and communities determined poor in need of
assistance by some government standards. We will assist in and initiate
and facilitate the renewal of physical, economic, and social conditions through
the redevelopment and/or development of community structures but most importantly
the people. The OSR is designed to assist the people within these
communities as well and not just fix the structural problems. Because
when communities become, blight, plight and slum areas, you can believe the
mindset of the community also suffered drastically.
What is required?
Operation Solution and Response is a community response initiative.
Therefore in order for this project to have any real successes, it will require
a lot of community participation and dedicated volunteers. Therefore we call on
other non profits, the churches, the local businesses and most importantly the
people, to take an interest in this program and to do so is to take an interest
in yourselves, by helping us build a better community. Because we are in
this together and together is the only solution.
How It Works:
By using a 7 tiers approach we address what we think are major problems
associated with these type community problems, whereby the businesses are going
out of business and or struggling, the residents also suffer due economic
problems, crime and illiteracy and or in some cases just being down in
the dumps emotionally as well from the stresses of constant poverty.
Because poverty we understand, we drafted our response.
We have a 7 tier approach:
1) Unemployment (2) Education and Illiteracy (3) Hunger (4) Criminal
Recidivism
(5) Poor Performing Economy. (6) Community Activities (7) Homelessness and
Housing Issues
What are we designed to do?
The Operation Solution and Response is designed to reduce blight thru
renovations as an alternative to demolition in designated CRA areas, develop
community resources, stimulate government and private sector investment in the
communities and cities we serve, give communities comprehensive support,
organize and develop community leadership and create the leaders of tomorrow
and create a network to collectively collaborate and address the social and
economic problems in our communities and to solve them through a team effort
using centralized and interactive communications, as the foundation
for organized movements for economic and social development and
redevelopment.
The Program Basic Figures:
Hours of Availability
Operations Maximum: 112 hour per week or 16 hours per day.
Availability will be 7 days
Sunday through Saturday we will be available if necessary from 8:00 am to 12:00
am
Sunday: 9.00 am to 11 pm - Weekly 50+
Senior Citizen Recreational Spot: Giving us one hour to open and one hour to
shutdown.
Total
Costs Itemization:
1) Total hrs. Blue Building
Available: 112 hrs per week or 16 hours per day max @ 20 per hour costs = @
$2,240 overhead budget per week for outside presenters = 50% of operation costs
or $58,240 annually or $1,120
2) Total hours. Blue Building
used: Minimum 108 hrs per week or 2,239.92
3) Total hours. of support projected
labor minimum: 174 hrs. weekly or $3,695.76
4) Administrative Man hours needed:
200 man-hrs wkly min. 5 full time or at least 10 part time jobs. Value of labor
= $4,248 0r $200,896
5) Security: 16 hours times 2 =
$679.68 weekly x 5 x 52 = $179,716.80 per year.
6) Value of labor per week @
$21.24 per hour @ Florida Volunteer labor valuation - $11,983.39 weekly or
$623,116.28 total In-Kind Contributions annually to run the essentials of
Operation Solution and Response.
7) Value of labor per week does
not include the costs of the actual services being rendered by outside entities
performing the seminars in our building, this is only the costs required by us
to facilitate these services and events and the needed supporting personnel.
We can expect at least another 112/2 weekly being hours used times 2 visitors
per presentation on average = $2,378.88 or $123,701.75 per year.
8) Total Minimum In-Kind
Contributions: $623,116.28 per year.
9) Overhead: At 16 hour per day
availability if deem necessary the cost of operation is $20 about per hour,
because we own our headquarters location which is two stories tall with about,
which makes this a donation of space that could be rented. We will apply 75% of
the cost or $15 x $10 x 52 = $7,800 for overhead that is subject to
adjustments to meet our current demands.
10) Stationary: $100 per week
or $5,200 per year.
11) Miscellaneous supplies: $50
per week or $2,600 per year.
12) Events: $150,000
annually.
13) Initial investment:
$20,049.33 to $23,168.91
14) Fence: $13,628.91
Total Essentials for Solution
and Response Fiscal year 1 Nov. 2014 to 31 October 2015= $1,337,154.20 annual
budget.
Total Projected Costs:
Annual Total Max: $123,701.75
Annual Total Min: $623,116.28
Rational Estimation:
$93,0065.515
Its is our goal to expand our operations into other outside facilities, due
to the limited space in our two story headquarters location. It is our
hopes that eventually our headquarters location will be used exclusively as the
administrative and intelligence center of our operations to accommodate our
organization's staff, while we perform our services at other locations by
allocating the needed personnel to serve in areas within Avon
Park and Highlands County.
1: Unemployment Services:
A: Requires 16 man hours weekly
B: Requires 8 hrs of building
occupancy
Demographic Changes and the lack of skills needed in today's industry is the
cause of a disproportionate rate of unemployment within the poor communities
nationwide. Many of the citizens of the poor communities are falling
behind or have fell behind and cannot seem to catch up. Job creation is a
necessity, however many of our citizens are not skilled and are not even
registered in our Highlands County Workforce System, for correctable reasons
such as the lack of transportation or lack of incentives, being they feel they
do not qualify for anything anyway.
In Highlands County we must be pro job development
and creation and job growth. The key is to create new jobs and train our
citizens to fill in these positions. We advocate inviting light industry into Avon Park
and Highlands County, to manufacture products by which
we will be able to develop a workforce to produce these products, through
training programs that matches our populations current qualifications and
abilities to learn within certain timeframes. The great advantage of Highlands County as far as attracting light
industry is that the real estate market is very under priced and is
actually going down and the economy is weak, making it a good investment as far
as the required labor costs. The living wage here is in Avon Park is much lower
than in New York City or most major urban areas, due to the cost of
living. We need to compliment and develop our current workforce abilities
for the long term but first we need to address short term doable goals.
Our part of the solution:
1) Set aside at least 5 hrs. per week for seminars relevant to addressing
unemployment
2) Offer Volunteer Positions
3) Workshops = 4 hours week
4 )Referrals to training programs
5) Making four computers available for business use - Lab hours will be
adjusted accordingly.
Personnel required: Maintenance team to setup and breakdown seating
arrangements and clean up first floor common area before and after seminars.
And person to make all arrangements with outside contacts. This will come
from the upstairs.
4 hours of operations x 2 maintenance personnel = 8 man hours per week.
8 hours for 1 on call personnel in charge of building and establishment. = 8
man hours per week.
2: Education and Illiteracy Services:
A) Requires 11 man hours weekly
B) Requires approx 10 hrs of building
occupancy: These 10 hrs of scheduling is contingent to us getting a parking lot
which is capital investment needed on our properties.
Many of our citizens in the Southside Redevelopment Area are still without a
GED. Often the challenge of adult education is that adults have
responsibilities and have to provide food for themselves to eat as well as feed
others and unless there are economic incentives for the adult to spend time
studying & going to school during their spare time, it is going to be hard
to recruit adults in poor communities like ours into the adult education system
at numbers that will create real differences to our economy. There has to
be economic support and structure and we must allow people who are grown to be
able to spend time studying and going to school and not have to worry about how
every bill will be paid in the process.
Illiteracy among our children is also often overlooked. Yet many of
our youth's in poor communities are performing below grade level and therefore
are traveling in the direction of academic failure. Yes, a lot of our
youth who are in school today are illiterate to the degree that they are poorly
performing in school and are not receiving any type of early intervention
assistance and as a result they will become illiterate as adults. It is
our position that the best way to curb illiteracy is to nip it at the bud, with
early intervention programs for our youth. We must beat illiteracy before it
stops us.
We do not just focus on the academically challenged, though we are
attempting to fix the problem of illiteracy, we also realize many of our
children who are making it in school are sometimes barely making it or still
needs encouragement. And some are often without any sense of responsibility to
family, neighborhood or country and do not understand we are depending on them
for our future survival and children they will not be forever. They must grow
up to be responsible adults. It is our job to direct them to the right
path. And develop an interdependent relationship.
Many of our youth today who are making it in school still needs to know they
are appreciated. Life is merely a gift bestowed to us all. It is
our duty to harvest the gift of life, given to us by God. So we have to
assist the challenged children but also must also recognize and reward the
one's who are being productive as well. And our ultimate goal and success
will be if we create relationships among our children that they hold to the
cliché "Nobody Gets Left Behind." Our community must develop an
all for one mentality if we are to grow into the 21st Century as a community
united to travel the direction of economic and social growth.
Our part of the solution:
Once we acquire the parking lot on 952
South Delaney Avenue with handicap parking and
another wheelchair ramp place at the front of our building to serve people
coming from the parking lot; we will be able to have instructional programs
like computer workshops, job training programs and other educational programs.
We will start out as a referral agency and middle-person for school supply
services, but will expand into becoming an instructional institution in the
future.
We cannot serve children below the ages of 18 years of age at our
educational institutions, because our headquarters is too close to two
nightclubs located on South
Delaney Avenue. But we can attract and serve
adults and provide adult educational services focusing on business development
for example. And therefore our goal of producing entrepreneurs in our
community and supporting their work is in line with our purposes, mission and
vision.
1: Issue School and Office Supplies - One time
event in August
2: Act as a referral agency for people looking for a GED, Job Training
and/or Higher Education - by appointments
3: The Entrepreneurs Business Plan Course: - 3 hrs per week once we
get parking lot.
We want to sponsor programs that could be ran out of our building on the 1st
floor. The objective of this program is to make student entrepreneurs aware of
and teach them how to use and apply the tools necessary and available to them
such as the internet, office paid and open source software, computers, cell
phones, tablets and so forth and to assist them in planning their future
business and the writing of a business plan. Then we will act as an
incubator if possible or help them find an incubator to help them get started,
which is listed under our solution to unemployment. The goal is to move this
program to another facility in the future.
4: DAW - Digital Audio Workstation Instructions - 3 hours per week: We moved
the studio back to my house and will run it between 12 am and 5 am with
pre-approved scheduling, to carryout our recording studio project, which will
fall under events. Once we complete the project we will look into
expanding the project to its original intent.
We will have to attract, engineers, producers, and artists, who use DAW
technology in their own studios and projects to give our clients pep talks and
seminars and to help us teach those who have an interest in these
technologies. We need people who know computer hardware and software such
as computer technicians and IT personnel to assist us with DAW instruction, by
teaching our clients about basic and advanced computer operations and
preventative maintenance skills and we need personnel to maintain and upkeep
our equipment for program use. We will need books and other forms of
tutorials such as audio and video tutorials, so that our clients can be
instructed, as well as use them as self help tools and materials, for them to
learn how to operate the DAW software program we can make available to them at
the "Blue Building." Our goal is to teach DAW
technology, so that our student can transform their home computer into a
recording studio.
5: Other Study Groups, Assistance and computer lab - 4 hrs per week
1) 2 maintenance personnel for about 5 days or 5 events = 5 x 2 personnel =
10 man - hrs per wk.
2) School Supplies Distribution Day should be an event that several members
in our organization participates in and be available to the community.
This would an annual event for about 4 hours x 8 or more personnel = 16 man
hours year = 4 man hours quarter, therefore we will just make it 1 man hour
week for our weekly calculations.
5: Hunger:
A) Requires 25 man hours weekly
B) Require approx 7 hrs of building
occupancy:
Many families and
individuals are still struggle even with food stamps to eat everyday here in Avon Park
and Highlands County and throughout our nation. Often
hungry effects children and their performance in school and slows up their
general and even brain development; causing them to fall behind academically
and therefore as an adult economically. Hunger even effects the
biological growth of our children and good nutrition is essential for the
proper development of our children. But not only children are effected
but adults alike and especially our senior citizens.
For some senior citizens, the delivery of a hot meal is their only
daily human contact. We must be the caretakers of our children and elderly and
no American should be left alone and no American should to go hungry.
Our part of the solution:
1: A Local Food Kitchen: To be at another location.
2: Holiday & Eating Events at the Blue
Building - rare and special scheduling = 3 hrs weekly
3: BBQ & Events - may be at other locations
4: Food Gift Cards from Local Supermarkets - rare and by appointments = 1
man hour hr weekly
5: Pantries - 3 hrs per week
16 events = 1 1/3 per month
Eating Events = 2 cooks 2 servers x 4 events x 8 hours = 128 man hours
= 4 events = 42 hours monthly or 10 man hours weekly
BBQ = 2 cooks and 2 servers x 4 events x 8 hours =
Gift Card = 2 Personnel for about 4 times per year x 2 hours =
Panties calls for a full time of 8 x 8 hours x 4 per year = 21 1/3 man hours
per month or 5 man hours per week.
4: Criminal Recidivism:
A) Requires 35 man hours weekly
B) Require approx 12 hrs of building
occupancy:
The lack of economic opportunities, mental illness, bad moral fiber, greed,
the lack of education drastically reducing options to succeed or participate in
society, institutionalization due to incarceration, prejudices often sanctioned
by the government due to criminal convictions, often closing doors normally
open to most people in America, lack of direction from being forced into the
criminal system at a young age, often many of our youth got into the criminal
system and have never devised a plan for themselves to address their life's
situation and future that is realistic and obtainable, based on determination,
skills and their willingness to learn new things after losing time.
Our part of the solution:
1: Group and Individual Counseling - 4 hrs per week
2: Topic & Group Discussions - 3 hrs per week
3: Benefits Assistance - Helping people find help for other resources - by
appointments
4: Priority in getting into the Entrepreneurs Business Plan Course -
5: Priority in getting into the Entrepreneurs Business Incubator
6: Volunteerism to bring forth community engagement
7: Twelve Step Fellowships - 3 hrs per week
8: Referrals to other agencies - by appointments
We will need about 2 maintenance personnel for about 6 events weekly or 2 x
3 hrs x 6 events = 36 man hours weekly.
5: Our Poor Performing Economy:
A) Requires 5 man hours weekly
B) Require approx 7 hrs of building
occupancy:
When the rest of the country is in a state of a recession the black
communities across our nation often are in a state of local economic
depression. Here in the Southside Redevelopment Area of Avon Park for
example, black owned businesses are struggling, they are being condemned one
after another and/or closed down for long periods of time until they are
eventually condemned and they are often located on historical properties, that
should qualify them for grants to be renovated for the good of our community.
The Southside Redevelopment Area of Avon Park and neighborhoods
like this one across our nation often experience redlining practices and
therefore cannot attract financial support from private industry, while
government grants come with conditions they cannot afford and therefore cannot
participate in these grant programs. Many businesses here in the
Southside District are behind on their taxes and are in serious need for
building repairs.
Meanwhile here on South Delaney Avenue, we anticipate gaining a CDBG grant
for over $700,000, to rebuild the streets, roads and sewage, but doing very
little if anything for the local businesses. I fear with our current CRA
legislation, the businesses that are now on South Delaney Avenue needing help
with renovations, will become an even worst eye saw to the city and be put in
more immanent danger of being condemned, due an improvement and this would be
bad for community.
And with the Highlands County Industrial Development Authority Economic
Development Commission or IDA-EDC in the process of bringing economic growth
into Highlands County, it is imperative that the people
in our community register with The Highlands County Workforce or forever remain
on the sidelines of life and progression. Many will need GED training
programs and higher education programs and they will need to be steered in the
right direction with some form of real-time support and be in a hands on
relationship with someone to help them get on track and stay on track.
Our part of the solution:
1: Find funding to support the redevelopment of the SRA - done in upstairs
office
2: Assist in the development of business plans for all existing businesses
in the Southside Redevelopment Agency. - done in upstairs office
3: Design a general business model for the whole SRA and a 5-10 year
projection on developments in this area. A business district has to be defined
and its services should be complementary if possible. - done in upstairs office
4: Advertise and promote the SRA - done in upstairs office
5: Entrepreneurs Business Plan Course - 4 hrs per week
6: Entrepreneurs Business Incubator - 8 hrs per week - We would like to
expand this program in another location, to add more hours of operation and
more computer workstations to accommodate these entrepreneurs. And
therefore expand the course at the Blue
Building.
Maintenance on this is a straight 5 hours per week for one maintenance
personnel = 1 x 5 = 5 man hours
6: Community Activities:
A) Requires 42 man hours
B) Require approx 14 hrs of building
occupancy:
At the National Community Network, INC. we realize all work and no play is a
cocktail for disaster. Even poor people deserve some recreational
activities that are safe and community and/or family oriented. We will not only
sponsor community activities, but will attempt to make our fund raising events
as fun and as exciting as possible.
Our part of the solution:
1: Fund raising events. - planned upstairs and carried out at other places
and at HQ
a) Year end fund raising events - S/A
b) Special and specific need events - S/A
c) Emergency fund raising events - S/A
2: The Weekly 50+ Senior Citizen Recreational Spot: Food, Cable
Television and DVD, Games, Prizes, Discussions, Computers, all to entertain our
community's senior citizens at least once per week to bring them together for a
social interactions.
3: Organized Youth Sport events - These events would be co-sponsored by both
government for their venues and Sponsorship and Grants would be needed to
carryout these functions.
3 tournaments per year lasting about 8 weeks each: = 2 personnel 2 hrs per
week in preparation. = 4 man hours
a) Basketball
b) Baseball
4: Concerts & Stage Show Events Sponsored by the government, South
Florida State College, Foundation Grants and Private Philanthropist, for
the presentation of events to a general public audience. S/A
Plan one major show or presentation per year, around the holiday season. = 2
personnel 2 hrs per week in preparation of event and promotions = 4 man hours
per week
4: Well organized sports tournaments for the youth, co-sponsored by, the
City of Avon Park, Big Corporations, Local Businesses and other non
profits. S/A.
5: Parties, dances and/or get together meetings for our youth and for people
of all ages, to bring our community together and in unity in preparation to
succeed at what is ahead of us. S/A
2 parties per year = 2 personnel 2 hrs per week in preparation = 4 man
hours weekly.
7: Homelessness and Housing
Issues:
A) Requires 40 man hours
B) Require approx 40 hrs of building
occupancy:
8: Key Administration Members and
other Supportive Staff:
5 full timer or 10 part time Key
Personnel - 8 hours per day times 5 days = 200
Total Value of In-Kind Labor for
basic daily operations: = $7,094.16 per week x 52 weeks = 368,896.32
Our part of the solution:
We realize that where there is a need to designate a community as slum or
plight, to assign tax revenues to this area to attack these problems, there is
going to be an effect that will be obvious to recognize and not totally solved
by government on the people in the community at hand. People will fall short on
their utilities, rent payments and other upkeep expenses and will need a quick
and decisive response from the charitable community. And help
should be within the center of our community, which is where we are located.
a) Help pay bills & Issue out household Supplies - 4 hrs per day or less
b) Refer people to other services to include Avon Park Housing Authority -
by appointment
c) Assist in housing searches or make a computer and other communications
accessible to our clients. - by appointment
d) Help people find grants to repair their homes and help them apply for
these grants. - by appointment
e) Other services if deemed to have a good chance for success at being
helpful.
3 maintenance personnel can do all services for 3 hours per day 2 times per
week = 3x3x2= 18 man hours.
The Program Design:
The National Community Network,
INC.
Operation Solution and Response is a long term initiative whose main focus
will be on designated areas in Avon
Park, FL, primarily
on the Southside Redevelopment Area.
The Eagle Fellowship, is not a separate entity from the NCN, but is a board
assigned by the Board of Directors of the NCN, to address these community
issues. The NCN will facilitate their meetings at the Blue Building.
The Oversight Committee, is not a separate entity from the NCN, but is a
board assigned by the Board of Directors of the NCN, to address these community
issues. The NCN will facilitate their meetings at the Blue Building.
The Board of Local Clergy, is not a separate entity from the NCN, but is a
board assigned by the Board of Directors of the NCN, to address these community
issues. The NCN will facilitate their meetings at the Blue Building.
The PTS Movement "Prison to
the Streets
Who is Prison to the Streets Movement?
The PTS Movement meaning "prison to the streets movement," is a
movement of men and women who were once a part of the prison system as inmates,
who are committed to doing what is right for self and community. Using
our artistic skills as writers, producers, performers, actors and the many
arts, we channel these energies towards our youth and young adults in an
attempt to teach them not to do wrong based on our past
experiences. We do this through music and films and other means
multimedia. We believe that "a wise man will learn from the mistakes
of others." We feel through our past misfortunes which sent us to prison
and present agenda of "building a better community," we can be a
springboard for positive change in our communities nationwide. Because who
better than us to reach out to them?
The PTS Movement: The purpose of the PTS Movement is to organize the
people we serve and to create a united voice through our guidance and to create
a network that collectively and cooperatively works together on social and
economic issues, to find solutions and carry them out thereby fulfilling the mission
of the NCN "building a better community." And to build better
character from among and within our fellowship, because we realize we are
stronger when united and together our body is the temple of God.
We are a spiritual body but not a religious order. Though we are directed by
God, we are not guided by any specific religious doctrine and therefore is
bound by the purposes, mission and vision of the NCN during our fellowship
meetings, addressing community issues.
The PTS Movement, who are committed to building a better community.
What goes on in those meetings is closed to the public and stays within this
group, thereby creating an environment of trust and integrity. Also note
that many of the members of the PTS Movement hold religious titles such as
Minister, Reverend, Rabbi and Apostle allowing us to congregate with other
felons in doing what we understand is the work of God. And many members of the
PTS Movement are the creators of our music library, developed through donations
by artist and writers. We hope through proper exploitation we will be
able to raise substantial funding thru records sales, copyrights and royalties
income, from these donated artistic works.
The Oversight Committee:
The oversight committee can consist of 4 to 12 board members which will
include the chairman of the board. They will meet twice per month or more
if special meetings are scheduled.
1) The purpose of this committee is to act as a watchdog over government
spending that effects local community.
2) To advocate for more spending in communities it serves and design,
advocate and implement plans to redevelop these communities.
3) Attracting philanthropists to support "Operation Solution &
Response." Organize the community to address the agenda for the redevelopment
and economic growth of their community. And other duties as determined
necessary.
The Board of Local Clergy:
The board of local clergy is a religious group who addresses and focuses on
economic and social issues and solutions. As we put God first in our decision
making processes, we are all bound to leave our religious doctrine out of the
process, making the fellowship spiritual and not religious, therefore making it
a coalition of religious persons for improving social and economic issues in
poor communities.
The BOC will meet on the first floor of our headquarters once per month or
more often if a special meeting is scheduled. Our decisions and ideas are often
exploited by the National Community Network, INC. The idea is to create a
coalition of religious persons, who purpose of congregation is to deal with the
community situations needing to be addressed. We believe in most matters
of legitimate concerns, we can find the funding to carryout corrective actions,
if we get our local clergy to join in a cooperative effort.
If the BOC endorses a program, activity or event, we believe our 501 3 c
will be to of great advance for all parties involved. Thereby creating
revenue circulation, jobs and social benefit to our community. The Board
of Clergy is a key component to our recruitment of people who just want to give
back to the community. We need as many tore givers as possible. We think
it is imperative that we reach out and offer inclusion to the religious
community, though we are not a religious organization.
The HIV/AIDS & Human Rights
Consortium:
Because this section of our organization is mainly about communicating
information to people for the purpose of social change and accountability, this
will always be of a nationwide scope. Currently we are focusing on the East
Coast and West Coast, mainly California, New York City , Florida and North
Carolina, we plan to expand our services to other areas as well.
It is our goal to inform to develop leaders via multimedia who will recruit
people and form active blocks that will understand the concept of unity based
on needs. Thereby bringing together people who are different but for
common causes. It doesn't matter if you are black or white, straight or gay,
educated or uneducated, rich or poor, clean or dirty, drug free or active, God
fearing or agnostic, it really doesn't matter. What matters is that until their
is equal justice for all, there will never be peace of earth. And we are
peace makers!
The Volunteer Redevelopment
Workforce:
This is a group of volunteers at different capacities, from assistance in
advocating pro community issues, by just being in attendance to support us at
places we speak, when we want to voice our position concerning community
issues, to actual hands on volunteerism and labor in doing community work and
service.
The Food Kitchen and Food
Services:
We will serve meals out of our headquarters location, hold BBQ's and other
eating events in the Southside Redevelopment Area, give out food pantries for
special events and certain holidays and give out gift cards for food during
special events and holidays. We will attempt to open a full time food kitchen
to expand our services elsewhere in the future. Update, I spoke to a restaurant
owner, whose restaurant on Main
Street in Avon Park.
In fact he has two vacant properties that seem to never keep their renters. He
wants $850 per month for the restaurant and it has parking
The Network Newsletter:
The purpose of our newsletter is to promote our community, attract
investment into our community, inform the community about relevant and
contemporary issues, inform the community about what is going on in Highlands County
and Avon Park and how it effects the communities
within their boundaries. We will try to be informative and try not to be biased,
however, we will not hide our positions and will sometimes be
opinionated. As for the other property, I think it would make a find
Newspaper/store w/internet order customers.
The National Community Network
Website:
We will maintain our corporate website and will keep it up to date.
One form of technology that we will implement that is different from many
websites, is that we will on occasion have our documents posted as mp-3 files,
so that people can listen to us instead of reading what we have to say. We
think this will attract some of the people we are trying to reach out to, by
making it easier for people who do not like to read and in some cases cannot
read well due to a disability and/or illiteracy which in our opinion is one
form of a disability that has crippled our community for generations and some
people simply cannot see and are blind and should be included in our forum and
be informed as well about the community.
The National Community
Network Computer
Workstation Center:
Four Computers connected to one wireless printer and receive WiFi signals
from our router upstairs. The computers are available to clients, however due
to tight scheduling unless it is program associated there is limit availability
because staff also relies on these computers to assist in the performance of
project oriented tasks.
General Needs and Capital
Improvements:
We need a one time grant for: a) one air conditioning 3 ton condenser for
our central AC unit already installed downstairs and b) two12,000 BTU window
unit upstairs, a one time grant to put c) a fence around our property to reduce
loitering and prevent crime on our property a safety issue and d) a one
time grant to paint our building blue and e) funding to carryout our operations
to include utilities and salaries where necessary though we heavily depend on
volunteers. Though we operate with a team of volunteers, we realize we
need to find funding to pay them in the future if we are to grow as well.
Public Benefit from this Project:
Operation Solution and Response is designed to serve the entire population
of our community, through structural, economic and social redevelopment,
however our targeted audiences are the disadvantaged young adults between the
ages of 18 to 35+, our younger children, our senior citizens and the
underserved population or in other words people simply needing help.
When we say disadvantaged young adults, we are describing the young adult
population who are often chronically unemployed often due to several factors
such as the lack of education and job skills, criminal records, the lack of
networks and connections, their residing in redlining districts, lack of
direction, hopelessness as well as other personal issues, to include their
psyche (mindset) in some cases as the result of being in a slum area too long,
economic related stress and trauma. Because many poor people experience
traumas too, but simply have no medical coverage, especially in places like Florida, whereby so many
lack health coverage.
We believe that the young disadvantage adults are the centerpieces of the
redevelopment of any poor community and its future growth. And they are
the centerpiece to the redevelopment of the Southside Redevelopment Area of
Avon Park, FL. If we do not address their problems and their issues, how
can we help those we call our children who are strongly influenced by them, if
not under the care and supervision of our young adults? Because in
reality our children we are talking about our their children, who are often
disadvantaged young adults.
The disadvantage young adults are often the parents of today's troubled
children and is next in line to lead our community. We are hopeless
without them because we cannot help our children without the support of the
children's parents unless we resort to mass institutionalizing, which we do
when they grow up anyway, when we send them to prison, because we failed them
as children.
And we feel many of the answers we are searching for are within the senior
citizens in our community. Only good things can happen by giving them a day
which we call at the Blue
Building every Sunday the
"Weekly
50+ Senior Citizen Recreational Spot." Whereby we pay close
attention to our senior citizens, give them some recreational activities,
services, food, other activities and simply ask them for their advice.
What Operation Solution and Response offers to the community is hope through
networking. OSR offers the community a constant flow of information,
social services support when in need, community unity thru community activities
and community leadership by getting involved and by molding our leaders of
tomorrow. The idea behind Operation Solution & Response is that with the understanding that most poor communities in America are assigned to some sort
of assistance from the government, such as CRA designated areas and housing
complexes, but the problem is that poverty seems to be generational.
People who are born into poverty have a much better chance of living most of
their lives in poverty and also dying poor on top of that. And places
like public housing and CRA designated areas tend to become permanent dwellings
for many of us. We want to end this viscous cycle or change the dimensions of
our community altogether, by making it a nicer place to live and therefore
bring back community pride, through community ownership.
It is our goal to make disadvantaged young adults who we feel are a
misunderstood population, understood and accepted by those whose doors are shut
or closed to them. We want to be a pathway and a conduit to close
the chasms that prevents these disadvantage young adults from gaining
opportunities in furthering their education, employment and even intercommunity
social engagements with the rest of the Avon
Park, the State of Florida,
America and world, which is
realistic with today's cyber technology for even the poor in America.
We want to help them become a part of mainstream America and put an end to the
repressive behaviorisms that does not allow them to move beyond these
neighborhood invisible gates. We believe a lot of the problems they face
are self induced and a lot of the problems they face are due to not knowing any
other way, but also a lot of their problems they face is also due to
discrimination be it racial, cultural and otherwise and is often due to a
misunderstanding of some type in many cases.
We believe our program can reduce
crime and prevent recidivism, because we plan to attract the leaders of
tomorrow into our movement for social and economic redevelopment. We understand
the posse (gang) mentality of our youth today. We know that there a very
few leaders and a host of followers. And one of the main problems in poor
communities like ours in Avon Park and in Highlands County,
is where you find a high rate of disenfranchised individuals who are young, is
that often the hand full of leaders that attract posses (gangs) do not know any
other way, but to join into a life of crime to survive. Operation
Solution and Response we bill as a program to show them another way that is
better, by creating a mentality of building up instead of destroying our
community.
Once Operation Solution and Response is fully functional, we will act as a
center of resources and information within the Southside Redevelopment Area
. By focusing on our young disadvantage adults, while serving our
children as their caretakers, senior citizens and the underserved in our
community, we will offer a comprehensive program that can truly make a
difference.
And the goal is for these plans to develop into autonomous operations that
will continue to operate until they are no longer needed. We must design a
platform to create achievers in our community. Because achievements are
so important in building up someone's self esteem, which will allow personal
growth, which will transcend into community improvements. And self worth
is the beginning of self sustaining independence. We want to restore hope
in our community, which is something many of our potential clients never knew,
many never knew hope in these tough economic times,
The closing:
In closing, we want to so our gratitude, by describing the backbone of our
operation. Our workforce of volunteers:
The Volunteer Workforce Strategy:
It is our goal to operate at 100% volunteer capacity for the first year,
after which we will readdress our economic position. It is our goal to operate
at no more than 50% volunteer capacity in the future and for most paid
positions to be part time positions, until we can afford full time personnel.
The strength of the National Community Network, INC., is our volunteers. The
spirit of our network is in the heart of mankind. We are able to carryout
our services, because of professionals whose services fall under our purposes
and the caring individual volunteers.
Our strategy to convert some of these voluntary positions into paying
positions is to tabulate all the hours worked by each volunteer weekly at a pay
rate of about an average of about $15 per hour. This is probably more than we
will actually be able to pay our volunteers next year who become paid
employees. However our goal is to create living wage position for our
employees.
By doing this it increases our revenue for the fiscal year. By increasing
our revenue, when we go after larger grants that might help us create salary
positions and therefore be able to get more money by having a larger budget the
previous year. Because many Foundation Grants give you a grant based on a
percentage of your previous budget. So in reality our employees will create
their own jobs, by demonstrating a demand for their labor. Our job is simply to
manage and manipulate their activities in a way as to create productivity.
Productivity is the key to economic growth, which merely organized movements
producing a positive outcome.
Short Term Success:
1: The setup of our system of communications to include our website, email
newsletter, blogs and so forth.
2: Finding and recruiting the needed personnel to carryout
"Operation Solution and Response."
3: Setting up the program design which consist of a) The role of the
National Community Network, The Board of Clergy, The Eagle Fellowship, the
Volunteer Redevelopment Workforce, do some Food Services - free meals and so
forth, setup the newsletter, website, setup computer stations and get the
needed capital investment necessary to make our headquarters fully functional.
4: By fiscal year 2016-17 have about 50% paid employee capacity, by creating
a demand for their labor as a result of their volunteerism.
Long Term Success:
Once we succeeded in our short term goals, our long term goal will be create
an autonomous system of operations, thereby creating a community that will no
longer require these services. The long term goal is to eliminate, blight
and slum communities and thereby removing the effects of poverty which is a
plight community.
Success Monitored by:
1: We will keep a record of all donations from outside sources, to include
grants and cash gifts. And we will keep a record of all charitable services we
render to the community and our clients. This is not a direct measure of our
successes, but a measure of our community activities, which so far has been
limited. Records of revenue verse expenses and the size of our budget is
sign of our activity levels.
2: Secondly, we will measure how much is cost us out of pocket, to continue
to keep our door open and run our programs. A sign of success will be our
ability to operate without the need of key staff member contributions. I
think it is enough that we are an all volunteer organization at this time and
should not have to fund all our work.
3: Early on, we will measure our successes by the amount of people we serve
and the size of our budget in combination. Because we believe m any of
our potential clients, are being underserved by local charities, due to the lack
of knowledge as to what is available to them. So getting services to
underserved populations is a measure of success.
4: As time passes however, we will start to measure our successes based on
the property value of our communities of services, the crime rates, the
illiteracy rates, the average income and rate of unemployment. Basally we will
measure our successes based on local statistics on economics and social
development in the areas we operate within.
Examples of Success:
1: A disadvantage young adult at age 31 years old, with 2 children ages 13
and 11, finds herself short on money to meet her bills. The 2 children are
performing poorly in school and the home seems to be dysfunctional. The
father's of these children are both convicted felons, without any marketable
skills and therefore often miss payments of child support and do not take part
in these children lives. They all reside in the Southside Redevelopment
Area of Avon Park, FL., which has been determined blight, plight and slum.
A: As a result of Operation Solution and Response, immediately she is
assisted with money to make her bills.
B: Her children receive assistance with books and supplies and even clothing
for school.
C: They all receive access to information relevant to building better live
for themselves and therefore building a better community.
The Key: When a person is hungry and not acting properly, first you must
feed their hunger, so that they can pay attention to you. The key is what do
you tell them once you gain their attention. The bottom line is most poor
people simply want a better life and often do not know how to go about crating
the environment to produce the fruits they want to harvest.
2: A business is behind on their taxes, struggling to make end meets, let
alone making profits: The business needs renovations, because it is
beginning to look blight. The business needs investment capital to expand
it business as well.
A: Though advocacy and simply making things going on become knowledge that
can be used the local businesses. We will make funding both government and
private made know to our local businesses.
B: Though our program, we will promote that our local Avon Park Community
Redevelopment Agency fulfill their obligation to expand business in the
Southside Redevelopment Area and help our business owners with funding to
create business plans for each business and a business model for the future
development of the Southside Redevelopment Area of Avon Park, FL.
C: We plan to sponsor a petition to request that the Avon Park CRA and City
Council agree to sell a municipal bond for the amount of $150,000 over 10
years, to use the money to renovate as opposed to demolish properties needing
renovations. This will be use to match the current historical facade grant now
available. The bond will be based on the legalization of medical
marijuana in the State of Florida
and its sales in the City of Avon Park.
D: The business receives renovations through government and private grants,
making it property more valuable and able to function at a higher profit
margin. Even as we are in a redlining district, investment capital is found at
competitive interest rates. The business turns a profit for several years,
paying all its back taxes, further renovates its property, creates living wages
for its workers and owners and crime is reduced in the area due to land owner
contributions to community, because they cause to protect their investment
worth protecting.
Thank you for you time:
By: Rev. Frank Paul Jones - President and CEO - Chairman
The National Community Network, INC.
Potential Funders:
Local and Community Funders in Highlands County:
Highlands County built up State Highway 27 with
lots of retail establishments. The key to philanthropic giving by businesses is
that they usually support the communities they do business in. Often they
give out grants for things like feeding the hungry, community programs,
educational programs and so forth, which is consistent with our purposes and
they give much more to comprehensive plans and proposals.
The first year due our previous lack of revenue, we will go after as many
local charities as possible thru the retail establishment located on State
Highway 27 and then venture out to bigger charities and foundation grants, once
we establish a fiscal year with substantial revenue through the services of our
volunteer redevelopment workforce.
How cars are donated to charities. We wouldn't benefit from this specific
program, but this is an incentive to do a search on car donations.
Community Improvement Projects
Home Improvements
Food and School Supplies for children and Families in need
Building communities and disaster relief
Education
Youth, homelessness and hunger
Hunger Relief
Education and community initiatives
Local Charities
Youth Charities , Healthcare and Hunger Relief
Financial support for Charities
Youth, Education and Technology
Education, environment and energy and community development
Health and Welfare, Education, Arts and Culture
16: The
Avon Park CRA: The CRA is supposed to be committed to the
redevelopment of the Southside Redevelopment Area of Avon Park. The program we
want to assist in is the Business Expansion program. Read the Avon Park
Redevelopment Plan for further information
We have until June 30th 2014 to apply for a foundation Grant. We must apply
6 months in advance for major sponsorships and can ask for Grassroots Gift Card
Donations at anytime.
Sponsorships - Plan 6 months in advance
Foundation Grant - Deadline June 30th 2014
Grassroots Gift Card Donations - Directed at Store Director
Hunger
Relief & Healthy Eating: We will give away Free Meals thru
donations from Wal-Mart. We will select a predetermined amount of food events
for the year and use Wal-Mart to stock the food. We can go after local
grants which are $250 to $2,500 and we should go after the high end of $2,500,
thinking in terms of each event costing an average of $500 or about a total of
about 5 eating events per calendar year sponsored by Wal-Mart. Other Wal-Mart
initiatives are below.
The Community Services Block Grant Program (CSBG)
provides federal funds to designated local governments and non-profit
agencies called Community Action Agencies to assist eligible low-income
households in attaining the skills, knowledge and motivation necessary to
achieve self sufficiency. The agencies may provide a variety of
antipoverty services such as emergency health, food, housing, day care,
transportation assistance; housing counseling; financial management assistance;
nutrition programs including federal surplus food distribution, community
gardening projects, food banks, job counseling, placement and training
services, and homeless prevention programs.
Ninety percent of the Community Services Block Grant program funds are
allocated to the state's existing network of Community Action Agencies. This is
a formula based grant and is not competitive.
1: Omidyar
Network: When we come up with big ideas I think we should write them
a proposal. They fund major projects all over the world.
They are a philanthropic investment firm. The Omidyar Network has 5
initiatives, which are hyperlinked below to check for further information. I
think we want to do business with the Omidyar Network and they have no
entrepreneurship programs in the United States. If we deal with them
we have to think big.
They capital intermediaries and technology companies that provide
entrepreneurs with Financial Services, Business Development Assistance and
Technical Support. I think this is our fit in with them, if can provide
services for entrepreneurs with a program to, if our program creates
opportunities for people to improve their lives and make powerful lasting
contributions to our community.
The Gates Foundation might support our AIDS anthem idea, as a means of AIDS
prevention and awareness. Maybe we will have to come up with politically
correct lyrics. Like the Magic Johnson Foundation the Gates Foundation
serves where his factories or stores are at. The AIDS program is a global
initiative.
The potential Funders list and Operation Solution and Response will continually
be updated to address our needs and the needs of the community as they present
themselves.
