Smart Communities

What to Do on Monday: Give a Gift that Keeps on Giving

The pinnacle of our generosity is around the holiday season. Money, gifts, toys abound for our friends and family and those we don't know. But what happens the rest of the year? Communities are establishing funds that will help children in the area throughout the year if they need glasses, shoes, clothes, even school supplies. Area teachers and social service workers are alerted to the availability of the funds and recommend children when there is a need. The solicitation for funds is done through the newspaper and usually administered by a local charity like the United Way. People can make donations in memory of friends and family or under their own name. This is a great thing for many reasons. First, it provides a place to give during the holidays. Second, it alerts the community to year-round needs. Third, it does a tremendous service to children who have no where else to turn.

So on Monday make sure that your community has such a fund. If not, this would be the time to meet with your United Way, local social service agencies, and others to create one. It is not too late even for this year.

Federal Reserve Does Community Development

This morning I want to call your attention to the community development work being done by the Federal Reserve Banks. This link will take you to a site map for the 12 Federal Reserve banks and their community development work. Banks are involved in affordable housing, small business development, access to credit, etc. They have wonderful--free--publications that offer an array of best practices and cutting-edge research. Of all the things that come across my desk, I usually pay attention to the publications from the Federal Reserve banks. For those of you who are interested in rural development I would call your attention to a federal site that offers links to bank sites as well as many others. Over the coming weeks we will be featuring stories and examples from the banks. In addition to the work of the regional banks, the Fed in Washington, DC, does it own community development work and hosts an annual conference each spring on a community development topic.

Quality Child Care

More and more states are developing systems to evaluate the quality of child care providers. We know from mounds of research that the environment not necessarily the place makes the difference. Home providers as well as institutional providers can do a wonderful job with the right knowledge and resources. Such things as program dynamics (connection to the caregiver and age-appropriate curriculum), classroom structure (child-staff ratios and group size), and staff qualifications (training and experience) are among the characteristics that affect quality. It is critical for parents to have a range of affordable and accessible options for their children and that the community be aware of what is needed. For example, what do single parents who work nights do with their children? What do parents who rely on public transportation drop-off and pick-up? How can we insure that every child has the quality care needed to grow and learn? These questions must be answered. The rating system is only one step in the process. The community must be a part of the picture.

A Smart Country--Denmark

While my beat is Smart Communities, once in a while I run across a region or in this case a country that does lots of things right. An article in Time magazine describes why Denmark is the third most competitive country in the world--they think and act differently. This article focuses on Denmark and the global economy and in particular about one of its industries, Lego, moving operations to Eastern Europe and Mexico. The union's response--we kept as many jobs as we could and we think more people with a higher standard of living will buy more Legos. Now that's a switch. Denmark has made some tough decisions over the years and that kind of tough-mindedness is at work again. For example, it was the first European country to outlaw slave trade. It stood firm against the Nazis during World War II and in the process Gentiles saved thousands of Jews from the concentration camps.

What has always fascinated me about Denmark and this latest example is no exception is that they are realists. They don't try to delude themselves about what might be or could be, they deal with the present. Our communities have got to step up likewise. Getting where we need to be will likely take more taxes, more prudent spending, and a common good approach to how we live and what we do. How can I be so sure? Take a look at Denmark.

Second Chance at Ninth Grade

The Chesterfield County Schools in Virginia are instituting a new program in January called "Spring Forward" for students who did not do well in their first semester of high school. Forty freshman will be allowed to re-take four classes--English, social studies, physical education, and an elective involving the building industry. Last year 4 percent of all freshman in Chesterfield failed five or more classes during the first semester. If a fifth class is needed to proceed to 10th grade that can be taken in summer school. The school system estimates that the pilot will cost about $100,000 in its first year. This is a drop in the bucket if these kids can stay in school and graduate. This is a very promising program and we wish Chesterfield the best. We will be during updates during the spring to follow the program's progress.

What to do on Monday: Detroit Has Things to Celebrate

W wrote a few days ago about Detroit's dubious distinction as the crime leader of the United States. Well we should also write about some very exciting news coming out of Detroit: a world-class art museum. Today the Detroit Institute of Arts is reopening bigger and better after a multi-year closure. With new exhibits and new resources, the museum will take its place among the best in the country's city museums. This is the story that should grab the spotlight--there is a lot positive going on in Detroit.

As to what to do on Monday in your own community, make a list of the five positive things that all outsiders should know about where you live. Think about how those can grow, expand, or get more exposure. Many people do not know that what is literally under their nose that could be a vehicle for economic and community development.

The assets of a community could change its future. Can an art museum in Detroit buffer its many negatives? It can't erase them but it can be a catalyst for other investments and for helping re-build the image of a city that has been so prominent in our history and our culture.

Happy Thanksgiving

My very best wishes to you and yours this Thanksgiving. Today I would like for us to remember President John Kennedy who died 44 years ago today.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

John F. Kennedy

Hunger-A Problem We Can Solve

More than one politician from both sides of the political aisle have said lately that hunger is a problem that we can solve. Well it is time to start. Food banks are reporting more requests for food although our hunger numbers--35 million Americans in 2006--stayed about the same from the previous years. This may be the downturn in the economy kicking in early or it may be that more people are seeking help. Whatever the cause of the uptick in requests, it it time to think about a solution and not a short-term remedy. Back in 2003 we did a national survey and asked Americans if hunger was a problem in their community. A majority said hunger was not a serious problem in their community (which defied what the statistics tell us). But they said, it hunger was a problem, they were willing to do what they could to solve it. So what could we do? In the short-term, we could insure that those organizations that serve the hungry and the poor in general have what they need: food, vouchers for food, programs about nutrition, information for pregnant women and parents of young children, etc. I would call these the basics of a civilized society. Then we need to work hard and long on the prevention of hunger which is found in living-wage jobs, aid to the elderly in the form of lower cost drugs and tax breaks on food and medicine, and meeting the needs of our youngest community members so that they have what they need to be strong physically, mentally, and socially.

As we enter this Thanksgiving season, put a can in the food barrel at the grocery store or mall and then make a call to your local food bank or United Way to find out how many in your community are going to bed every night hungry. Then set a goal in your community that next year the hunger picture in your community will be brighter and on its way to a permanent solution. With that goal in mind, I think Thanksgiving will take on a new resolve.

Yankton Has Plenty of Leadership

Check out this great story from Yankton, SD, about their LeadershipPlenty program. Yankton was a Horizons community and is doing terrific things. Congratulations Yankton.

Crime List--Not the List You Want to Lead

In yet another "list" feeding frenzy, the FBI crime numbers were released this week and published by the CQ Press. Detroit gets the dubious distinction of being the "most dangerous cities" in the United States. Just as we saw with the dropout numbers a few weeks ago, the cities that are ranked the worst are calling foul. Even the American Society of Criminology said that the data were misused. So who is right? Probably the statistics paint a general picture not a pinpoint portrait. Crime is far too high in Detroit, Oakland, Memphis, and Cleveland to name only four of the finalists. What is also true is that these cities suffer from extreme poverty, joblessness, and high school dropouts. There is of course a direct correlation between social well-being statistics and the crime statistics. This is not news. Our focus must be on the systemic causes of crime not on these lists. Why for example did St. Louis (last year's winner) fall to number 2. Do they have more police and social initiatives or did Detroit just do worse? The lead for this story should not be that Detroit is the most dangerous but rather than Mission Viejo, CA is the safest and why. I am tired of finger pointing, labeling, and excuses. We need to know what to do. Safe communities are more prosperous communities for everybody.