OUR STORIES

Network members & partners gather at "Chill" in March 2009.

Almost 100 Network members and partners packed the community room at the Metro United Way building for the first annual "Network Chill" on March 7, 2009.

The day began with an energizing lesson in African drumming and dancing, provided by Gregory Acker, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana. If you've never seen Career Advisor Ron Swope or PCC Program Director Lawrence Wilbon let loose on the dance floor, you missed something special!

Acker also led the group in a traditional African Call and Response song. One side of the room sang "She-len-o-way", while the other side responded "Ba-fe" -- which means "No matter how far it is, we will carry our water." It is a fitting lyric for the Network spirit.

Once everyone was warmed up and ready to roll, Tonia Nolden and Dreema Jackson set the tone for the day's small group discussions.

"We're going to let our minds get on topics we want to know more about" said Dreema. "The whole day is based on what you want."

Network members came to the microphone to share their interests, which included: young people and jobs, relationships, making lifestyle changes, furthering your education through JCTC, downtown development and eliminating crime. Everyone then joined the groups which interested them and were encouraged to move around freely.

After all the groups reported back with their three big "ooh-wee's", everyone was treated to a performance by Presbyterian Community Center's incredible Dance Team, Str8 Legit.

Partner Mari Mujica from JCTC summed it up best when she said, "It was wonderful, wonderful! I don't want to be anywhere else!"

Later that evening, members returned to the Metro United Way building, "dressed to impress" for a dinner of lasagna and smoked chicken provided by Smoketown BBQ.

Network Power Members Dwayne DeBerry, Jaberta Roper, Angela Perry, Yolanda Walker and Kim Scott were honored for their hard work and commitment to the Network!

The Network also honored key partners Habitat for Humanity, Presbyterian Community Center, and Norton Healthcare.

Then it was time for more dancing!

bottom row from left : Judy Perry, Shontanique Brown and William Ivory. Back row from left: Jaureal Dillingham, Anthony Stockton, Evelyn Travis, Ashley Neely. Not pictured: Craig Trotter.

by Sarah Fritschner

Sept. '08

Some kids think they can eat certain foods to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases, and that certain soft drinks reduce sperm count in boys. Some girls believe using the bathroom after sex prevents pregnancy.

Those myths are just two of the misconceptions about sex and sexually-transmitted disease revealed in group discussions by Louisville youth during a project last summer.

The discussions were part of Good IDEAS (Individuals Deciding Every Day Against STD's), designed as a teen-to-teen sex education project as an offshoot of the Making Connections/KET Youth Video Project.

Sexually transmitted disease was a subject tackled by a group of Smoketown youth, who worked last year to make a video that featured neighborhood residents, disc jockey Mark Gunn and others discussing the realities of unprotected sex. The prize-winning film provoked many questions when it was shown to several groups last year.

As a result, a summer peer-outreach effort was formed. Seven young people were hired as teen educators and named themselves Good IDEAS. The spent several hours with an educator from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness, did research on their own and made presentations to each other before they were sent into the field.

First they contacted administrators of summer youth programs and offered to show the video. Afterwards, team members engaged the audience to "spark them, liven them up and get them to relax and ask questions," according to Jaureal Dillingham, the adult who guided the team.

The team aimed to reach 320 kids over 12 weeks. In fact, they presented the video 21 times to more than 400 people. "It only takes one time to get something you can't get rid of," Dillingham told them. If the kids learn the truth now, they can make smarter decisions for their futures.

The group has had many requests to take their presentation into the schools, and now seeks more funding to expand the program

by Sarah Fritschner
Sept. '08

From China's Sichuan province to Veracruz, Mexico, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 250,000 houses around the world, including more than 50 in Louisville 's Smoketown and California neighborhoods.

The organization began in 1976 in Americus, GA, where founders believed "those in need of adequate shelter would work side by side with volunteers to build simple, decent houses," according to the Habitat website. These low-cost homes would be paid for by the home-owners'low, interest-free mortgages, and donations. Former President Jimmy Carter become involved in Habitat 1984, and the Louisville chapter was established in 1985.

Nothing could be more natural than the partnership that Making Connections Louisville and Habitat formed in 2007. Both groups work to provide stability and reduce poverty among children. Both believe that increasing family capital through home ownership is one way to achieve that stability. Both are committed to building, not just houses, but community.

The partnership has taken on a new twist, recently. "Habitat is very proud of a pilot program we are developing," says Rob Locke, executive director of Louisville's Habitat. "We recently completed an owner-occupied repair project in which we did exterior repairs for four separate homeowners in the California area." Now Habitat and Making Connections are planning a similar project with four homeowners in Smoketown-Shelby Park.

That project sent Making Connections Network organizer Anthony Smith, Habitat's Janel Temple and several other Network members into the streets in July. They were going door to door, talking to folks about Habitat's project, and trying to connect home-owners who want help sprucing and fixing the outside of their homes to the resources available.

Owner-occupied rehab allows Habitat to "help homeowners who want to stay in the neighborhood with repairs," according to Locke. Good housing with long-time residents builds a socially stable neighborhood which makes people feel more secure, while at the same time attracting investment and development.

At Making Connections, we're happy to have the opportunity to link Network members to opportunities for homeownership, and to be on the leading edge of Habitat's owner-occupied rehab pilot.

Making Connections Louisville applauds Habitat for Humanity's work building and restoring homes in the California and Smoketown neighborhoods and the work it does "building community one block at a time."

For more information about Habitat for Humanity, home ownership qualifications and volunteer opportunities, go to www.hfhlouisville.org or call (502) 637-6265.

By Sarah Fritschner

Mar. '08

People used to tell Shavelle Gordon that she had attitude.

Her favorite teacher at Meyzeek Middle School, Ron Ramsey, called her "Mr. Holyfield because I was always fighting," says Shavelle, laughing.

But these days, her attitude has turned around, along with her life.

Last year, she was a single mom with a baby and a $7-an-hour job at a day care.

Then she met Ron Swope, a Making Connections career counselor, who finds good jobs for people who live, work or worship in Phoenix Hill, California, Smoketown or Shelby Park.

He worked out a strategy to get her a job at Norton Healthcare.

First, he placed her with a janitorial service that contracts with Norton. While Shavelle worked for them, she was tempted by jobs from other employers.

Ron said," ‘no, no, no'," says Shavelle. "He said, ‘stick with me, I'm going to help you'."

Soon after, she was hired on the housecleaning staff at Norton, and Ron introducted her to Michelle Williams, Making Connections' career coach. Michelle explained that Shavelle had to wait six months to be promoted out of housekeeping and into a medical job - a "patient care assistant."

When that happened, Michelle helped her get free scrubs for her uniform. "She's been like a friend to me," says Shavelle.

A typical PCA makes $25,000 a year, according to job-search websites. And Shavelle gets medical benefits, retirement, paid sick leave and vacation.

In addition, she can qualify for tuition assistance to get her nursing degree.

"You work hard when you get here, but I think that's every job, she says. "If you're not coming to work, why come?"

by Sarah Fritschner

Jun. '08

In a way, it was the $500 prize money that prompted Jaberta Roper and Courtney Coleman to make their video, "My Hood."

But being dismayed about conditions in their California neighborhood isn't new to the girls. Jaberta, a Making Connections member since 2005, has spent many weekends picking up trash with Brightside volunteers. And Courtney can watch people come and go from an abandoned house near hers.

So when the girls heard about the Karen Gallagher Kennedy film contest sponsored by Metro United Way, they "looked at the main thing that was wrong in our neighborhood," says Jaberta, including vacant houses to which everyone has easy access. "You could see a lot of young men going inside (the) house," she says of the one they filmed. "They are probably doing all kinds of things: drugs, sex.."

During the 6-minute film, a loud noise is heard, which the girls identify as a gunshot. The girls also interview an elderly neighbor, who tells the girls to "keep on dreaming" but also expresses helplessness at the situation.

Jaberta has expressed interest in taking the film to 4th District Councilman David Tandy. Louisville law dictates that "All vacant buildings must be maintained and secured at all times." All openings at the first floor or 10 feet and below "must be secured against entry." Rules also state that property must be "free from garbage and rubbish."

This film, and the other award winner "Don't Fall for the Okey Doke," were created as part of the Making Connections Youth Video Project, a collaboration with KET. If you'd like to make a film about your community call Anthony Smith at 618-5979.