ZAK STONE PHOTO
Newhallville neighbors were happy to help some not-for-profits fix houses and teach adults to read. But first they had some hard questions about how much of that work would really take place in their neighborhood.
The questions took place Tuesday night at the monthly meeting of the Newhallville management team.
Representatives from three local not-for-profits came to the meeting seeking the group’s blessing. The not-for-profits are applying for federal block-grant money from the city this year. They hope to have an endorsement from the Newhallville group as part of their pitches.
So first the representatives from Music Haven, Empower New Haven (ENH), and Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven (LVGNH) pitched their organizations’ work to nearly 10 residents at the management meeting. They need letters of support by Jan. 31 for their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications to the city
Each year New Haven decides how to distribute the federal block grant dollars among local organizations after a competitive application process. In 2009 the city received over $6 million g, a figure which includes supplementary funds from the economic stimulus package. One hundred and five organizations applied for funding; 90 made the cut.
Newhallville Alderwoman Alfreda Edwards (at right in top photo) said that the Newhallville management team would be happy to support the work of these groups, since they provide much needed community service. But first neighbors wanted assurances from the not-for-profits that they would work to step up participation in the Newhallville neighborhood.
When Denise Codianne–LVGNH program and development assistant – presented, one Newhallville woman wanted to know, “How can we increase the number” of Newhallville adults in your literacy program? According to Codianne, only five Newhallville adults can currently count themselves among the students in LVGNH’s free reading tutorials at Science Park classrooms. Codianne said that she goes out into the community to market the program, but “sometimes it’s embarassing” for adults to admit that they cannot read well.
The same local activist, who preferred not to be mentioned by name, said that the organization ought to advertise itself at more Newhallville public schools, where parents of local children could hear about the free service.
LVGNH is applying for a $35,000 CDBG grant to pay its staff and purchase new materials, like dictionaries. The organization has recently had to cut its budget and lay off an employee, said Codianne, but it has “more students than ever.” The not-for-profit recently started a literacy program for deaf students and is expanding into math tutoring for adults.
ZAK STONE PHOTO
Music Haven Directors Netta Hadari (pictured with Caren Ruocco) and Tina Hadari sought support for a $30,000 CDBG grant. Music Haven teaches kids music
Netta Hadari said the group currently works to “celebrate music” with 48 students in four neighborhoods: Newhallville, Dixwell, The Hill, and Dwight. Founded in 2006, the organizations offers free music lessons four times a week at John C. Daniels School in the Hill and at the Wexler-Grant Community School in Dixwell.
Managment team members asked if the organization can demonstrate any quantifiable educational “outcomes” among participants in the program. Although the organization does not have enough data to support concrete results like “increased grades,” said Tina Hadari, many parents of participants describe their children as “more confident in math and reading” at mid-year evaluations.
Loan Officer Caren Ruocco represented ENH, which concentrates economic development and job creation in New Haven’s poorest neighborhoods, including Newhallville. Ruocco manages funding earmarked for repairing destitute homes.
She said that last year her agency received a $750,000 grant from the state for emergency repairs. More than $150,000 benefited homeowners in Newhallville, but now the “funds are just about gone.” To the surprise of meeting attendants, only five homes in the neighborhood were repaired with the $150,000.
“Five homes?” one neighborhood activist practically gasped.
}Ruocco explained that last year there was left-over money at the end of the fiscal period. To avoid wasting that money, ENH spent $60,000 on one decrepit Newhallville home, where the overburdened homeowner was supporting more than one infant and a “disabled sister” under decaying ceilings.“Repairs are very expensive,” Ruocco said. “The money doesn’t go very far.”
Ruocco said that ENH will cap funding at a maximum of $8,000for any single home this year. Ruocco’s group will ask for another $150,000, $100,000 of which will be spent to repair an estimated 12 homes.
Ruocco said it’s hard to get the word out about ENH’s program and find applicants who qualify in Newhallville. If homeowners are behind in their mortgage and at risk of foreclosure, they are ineligible, said Ruocco.
Edwards and other members of the team agreed that the neighborhood needs to collaborate with ENH to encourage more local people to apply this year.
Edwards said that the management team would probably support these organizations, but would have to confirm first with chairman Harold Ellis, who was absent from last night’s meeting.
