More on Community Outreach

• Community Outreach
• Awards Programs
• ShrevCORPS
• Beautification
• Getting Involved
• Neighborhood & Education Program
• Arbor Day
• Speakers Bureau
• Make a Difference Day
• Dr. Martin Luther King Day of Service
• School Beautification Mini Grant Program
• Tree Seminars

Neighborhood & Education Program

The Neighborhood Program was formed in 1993 by Shreveport Green and the City of Shreveport to preserve and enhance the livability of inner city neighborhoods. Comprehensive strategies are formed to assist residents with improving their homes and surroundings. Special emphasis is placed on low to moderate income neighborhoods.

The Program Goals

• Removing blight conditions
• Assisting low to moderate income areas
• Encouraging better home and neighborhood improvement practices
• Educating residents on home maintenance and environmental care practices

Strategies Developed to Meet Goals

• Focus resources in improving housing stock and public spaces
• Treat residents as partners in improving their homes and neighborhoods
• Develop informative materials that teach citizens to be good homeowners and community activists
• Develop projects that restore beauty, pride, and hope to inner city neighborhoods

Neighborhood Program Projects and Services:

Community Education

• Distribute brochures giving instructions on landscaping, home and neighborhood improvement activities
• Deliver door hangers to households encouraging responsible home care practices
• Assist Neighborhood Associations with neighborhood improvement activities
• Make school presentations to teach youth to be environmentally responsible

Community Outreach

• Encourage volunteerism by making presentations to youth groups, neighborhood groups, schools, businesses, churches
• Perform community services with assistance from City Court and Caddo Juvenile Court System
• Establish partnerships with city departments, civic groups, youth groups, businesses and other non-profits to address environmental issues
• Mail post cards to residents to compliment or encourage better home and lawn care efforts

Litter Removal

• Coordinate litter pickups of vacant lots and streets
• Distribute car litter bags to public to reduce littering
• Provide cleanup supplies to groups holding cleanups
• Adopt-A-Spot groups are encouraged to adopt streets, parks and other public areas and keep them litter-free

Beautification

• Maintain neighborhood gateway signs and flower beds
• Assist Public Housing Facilities with cleanups to foster the importance of landscaping and cleanliness
• Facilitate Self-Home Improvement efforts-distribute paint and plants to eligible homeowners on limited income; homeowners make the improvements
• Assist with landscaping public areas

Volunteerism Residents volunteer with activities that enhance their neighborhoods.

• Remove litter from streets, parks, vacant lots and waterways.
• Distribute informative brochures, newsletters and doorhangers to households.
• Plant trees and performing landscaping on public properties.
• Remove illegal signs from utility poles, trees, abandoned buildings.
• Remove graffiti.
• Provide office support when needed.

Literature developed and distributed to community

• "Neighborhood Program" brochure - lists projects and services coordinated by Neighborhood Program.
• Tree Fact Card - promotes Arbor Day Celebration and list the environmental, health, economic and sociologial benefits of trees and an urban forest.
• "Good Neighbor" doorhanger - encourages good property maintenance practices and provides a mini-directory of city departments.
• "Waste In Wrong Place" litter brochure - contains information about litter, defines litter, lists the sources of litter and the harm that litter causes to the environment.
• "Local Recyclers Resource Guide" - a brochure containing a list of local businesses contact information and what they recycle. They recycle items not accepted in city’s curbside recycling, ie.. electronics, batteries, scrap metal, computers and parts,etc…
• "Good Neighbor" doorhanger - lists city ordinances that are commonly violated. Respect for these ordinances help ensure cleanliness, beauty, respect, and harmony for neigborhood living.
• "Adopt-A-Spot" brochure - encourages adoption of streets, parks and medians for cleanup or beautification.

Services Provided

• Attend neighborhood association meetings.
• Make school presentations.
• Facilitate "Loan-A-Tool" program, tools are loaned to neighborhood groups when they perform neighborhood cleanup and beautification projects; trash bags are provided also.
• Provide leadership training through meetings and newly developed handbook.
• Distribute brochures, doorhangers and newsletters to the public in order to promote pride and to encourage responsible homeownership and renting.
• Educate public on current litter and care of premise ordinances.
• Coordinate neighborhood cleanups.
• Develop and maintain 7 neighborhood gateway signs and flower beds.
• Provide landscape advice.
• Establish community partnerships to assist with revitalization efforts.
• Coordinate Adopt-A-Spot program.

Sponsors

• City of Shreveport, Department of Community Development
• Willis-Knighton Health System
• Pepsi/7Up Company of Shreveport
• City Printing
• Lowe's
• Lex Plant Farm