------------------------------------------------
Last night (Monday, January 23rd 2012) the three committees of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board held their regularly scheduled monthly meeting. Ho-hum, you may say. Well, not this time.
The Neighborhoods Committee continued its conversation regarding the youth in our communities and schools. They brought together a sizeable number of youth, service providers, and school representatives to affirm the assets we have in our youth serving sphere – and of course identify the gaps that may exists.
The Pedestrian Safety & Transportation and Commercial & Economic Development focused their meeting on the impact of the Purple Line on small businesses, particularly in the Long Branch / Langley Park area. They had a spirited discussion on what has worked elsewhere, how collaborative efforts can help mitigate some of the impacts, and where to go from here (i.e.: how to remain engaged in the process.)
There were over 100 community members present in these two meeting; truly a remarkable turnout and a testament to the leadership of the Citizens Advisory Board. In the last year that leadership has embarked on various initiatives to become better informed so they can better do their primary task of advising the County Executive and County Council on all matters related to Silver Spring.
The apparent success of this new approach is based in part in recognizing the human capital assets in our community and inviting community members not customarily ‘at the table’ to be part of the traditional civic infrastructure.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN IN ON THE DISCUSSIONS AND DIALOGUES, PLEASE COME TO FUTURE MEETINGS. THE FULL BOARD MEETS THE SECOND MONDAY OF EACH MONTH; COMMITTEES MEET THE FOURTH MONDAYS OF EACH MONTH. ALL MEETINGS ARE IN THE EVENING [7 OR 7:30] IN THE SILVER SPRING CIVIC BUILDING.
The success of these committee meetings is also a testament to the potential of the “servant-leadership” model of community building that they embrace and practice. While Board members attend the committee meetings - of course - the vast majority of the participants are non-board members. They join in on the discussion and help shape the board's deliberation.
This "servant-leadership" model has been around for a long time... For those of us that appreciate this type of knowledge base - and like simple 'lists' - the following is adapted from Wikipedia’s entry on the subject:
Most writers see servant leadership as an underlying philosophy of leadership, demonstrated through specific characteristics and practices. The foundational concepts are found in Robert K. Greenleaf’s first three major essays, "The Servant as Leader", "The Institution as Servant", and "Trustees as Servants."
Larry Spears, who served for 17 years as the head of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, identified ten characteristic of servant leaders in the writings of Greenleaf. The ten characteristics are:
[1] listening,
[2] empathy,
[3] healing,
[4] awareness,
[5] persuasion,
[6] conceptualization,
[7] foresight,
[8] stewardship,
[9] commitment to the growth of others, and
[10]building community.
Leadership experts such as Bolman, Deal, Covey, Fullan, Sergiovanni, and Heifitz also reference these characteristics as essential components of effective leadership.
The Center for Servant Leadership at the Pastoral Institute in Georgia defines servant leadership as a lifelong journey that includes:
[1] discovery of one’s self,
[2] a desire to serve others,
[3] and a commitment to lead.
Servant-leaders continually strive to be:
[1] trustworthy,
[2] self-aware,
[3] humble,
[4] caring,
[5] visionary,
[6] empowering,
[7] relational,
[8] competent,
[9] good stewards, and
[10] community builders.
Kent Keith, author of The Case for Servant Leadership and the current CEO of the Greenleaf Center, states that servant leadership is:
[1] ethical,
[2] practical, and
[3] meaningful.
He identifies seven key practices of servant leaders:
[1] self-awareness,
[2] listening,
[3] changing the paradigm,
[4] developing your colleagues,
[5] coaching not controlling,
[6] unleashing the energy and
[7] intelligence of others, and foresight.
James Sipe and Don Frick, in their book The Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership, state that servant-leaders are:
[1] individuals of character,
[2] put people first,
[3] skilled communicators,
[4] compassionate collaborators,
[5] use foresight,
[6] are systems thinkers, and
[7] exercise moral authority.
Unlike leadership approaches with a top-down hierarchical style, servant leadership instead emphasizes:
[1] collaboration,
[2] trust,
[3] empathy, and
[4] the ethical use of power.
At heart, the individual is a servant first, making the conscious decision to lead in order to better serve others, not to increase their own power. The objective is to enhance the growth of individuals in the organization and increase teamwork and personal involvement.
The link to Wikipedia’s article can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_leadership
A .pdf of the original book that started it all is at:
http://files.html.md/books/The%20Servant%20as%20Leader%20Greenleaf.pdf
…for more info in the Greenleaf Center, visit:
http://www.greenleaf.org/
{I hope you enjoy these occasional ‘outside the box’ blog postings… If you’d like to get them automatically, click on the “Join This Site” button on the upper left side of this page.}
Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
List of Youth Serving Resources (in and around Silver Spring)
The Neighborhood’s Committee of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board is meeting on Monday, January 23rd at the Civic Building to continue the dialogue regarding how our schools and communities intersect. The focus will be on youth-centered activities. Volunteers on the Committee developed this amazing list as a starting point to highlight some of what is available already.
PLEASE JOIN US AT THE MEETING TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION! 7:30 Civic Building
==============================
REFERENCE LIST FOR
SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD’s NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
Work on Youth Issues
A WORK-IN-PROGRESS
Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list; it is the start of a list. Additional descriptive information and/or contact information is needed for some listings (noted with an *). Also: Web-links and/or FaceBook pages will eventually be added to each listing, if available.
PLEASE HELP US GROW THE LIST BY LEAVING A POST ON THIS BLOG WITH CORRECTIONS &/OR ADDITIONS!
...............................
SAMPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH YOUTH (with contact information)
Community Bridges is based in Silver Spring and partners with area schools to provide programs to empower immigrant and low income girls. Programs include LUNA for Hispanic girls and Jump Start Girls. They currently provide services in 4 elementary schools, 5 middle schools (including Eastern) and 2 high schools throughout the county. Contacts: Lauren Wetherell, Marialuz Johnson, Jacilyn Smith, Melissa Gudiel, Crystal Adegbola
Passion for Learning is committed to developing innovative partnerships between businesses, members of the community, and schools to enhance student learning in reading, writing, math, science, and technology. Their goal is to nurture a lifelong passion for learning in all children to help them achieve their full potential. Their strategic focus is to work exclusively with those schools where student achievement is impacted by the challenges of dealing with family poverty and learning English as a second language. The organization is located in Silver Spring. Contact: Cynthia Rubenstein - Executive Director
Global Kids originated in New York City with the goal of improving school attendance by providing programs in digital media and the arts that can connect teens’ own lives to their worlds. They also have social workers on staff. They have now begun a program in a D.C. public school and would be interested in extending further into D.C. and Maryland. Contact: Eddie Mandhry – Director, DC Program
Gandhi Brigade is based in Silver Spring and provides training to youth in multi-media productions that address social justice issues. They develop youth into peer instructors as well as provide well-being counseling to Gandhi Brigade members. A recent project is the “Rights of Butterflies” documentary which was conceived and directed by Laura Moya, a Montgomery College student, and focuses on the difficulties that an undocumented student has in continuing her college education. Contact: Richard Jaeggi - Director
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County conferences with all parties involved in a conflict to find an agreed upon resolution. Conflicts are often referred to them from the school staff. In 2010-11 school year, they handled 70 conflicts of which 99% reached an agreement among the parties involved. The center is located in Bethesda. Contacts: Gertrud Mergner, Wolfgang Mergner
Crossroads Youth Opportunity Centers provide services to youth who are risk or have become involved in gangs. Case workers and specialists from five partner organizations collaborate and staff the center: Identity Inc., Pride Youth Services, YMCA Youth and Family Services, the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. The down county center is located in Takoma Park. Contact: Luis Cardona – MC Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator
Linkages to Learning is a school-based collaboration among the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, the Montgomery County Public Schools and non-profit, community based service providers (including Silver Spring YMCA). Non-profit partners include Catholic University School of Nursing, Children’s National Medical Center, GUIDE Youth Services, Holy Cross Hospital, Mental Health Association, Silver Spring YMCA Youth Services and MC Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families. The program provides accessible services to at-risk children and their families to improve adjustment to and performance in school, home, and community. Prevention and early intervention services include health, mental health, social services and educational support. The program can be reached at 301-431-7703 and is based in Rockville.
M.A.N.U.P., an acronym for Making A New United People unites communities by bridging the gaps between individuals with different socioeconomic statuses, racial and ethnic backgrounds, without regards to gender or age. The term “Man Up” is used to motivate individuals towards achieving their goals and overcoming whatever obstacles or challenges they may face. Contact: Brandon Johns, Executive Director
The Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families is comprised of public and private agencies, faith-based organizations, families, elected officials, businesses and community advocates. Their main purpose is to assess community needs, identify priorities, target resources and oversee service delivery on initiatives that require collaboration between two or more child, youth- and family-serving entities. Contact: Carol Walsh, Executive Director
Latin American Youth Center:*
Identity:*
Impact Silver Spring:*
GapBusters:*
...............................
SCHOOLS
Blair High School: Renay Johnson, Principal; Jacob Lee, faculty; Leah Mushkin-Pierret, student
Northwood High School: Dr. Henry Johnson, Principal; Deangelo Graham, Student Government Association
Eastern Middle School: Casey Crouse, Principal
Silver Spring International Middle School: John Haas, Principal
Rolling Terrace Elementary School: Jennifer Connors, Principal
Takoma Park Middle School:*
Takoma Park Elementary School:*
Division of Food Services with Montgomery County Public Schools: Marla Caplon, R.D., L.D., Director
Street Outreach Network (SON). Its mission is to prevent, neutralize, and control hostile behavior in high risk youth and youth gangs through the development of positive relationships between youth/community stakeholders and the outreach workers. The outreach worker will utilize positive youth development programs and leisure time activities as the intervening vehicle for redirecting antisocial and aggressive behaviors. Contact: Luis Cardona, Program Director
...............................
RECREATION CENTERS
Long Branch Recreation Center: Morris Buster, Director
Coffield Recreation Center:*
...............................
LIBRARIES
Takoma Park Library:*
Silver Spring Library:*
Long Branch Library:*
...............................
OTHER RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS, INITIATIVES, ETC.
African Immigrant Refugee Foundation: The mission of the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation (AIRF) is to facilitate the effective transition of African Immigrant to American society and to support their productive, sustainable integration into their new homeland. Contact: Najima Bawa
Safe Silver Spring: The mission of Safe Silver Spring is to develop strategies, partnerships and goals to keep Silver Spring a community where people can live, work, travel, shop and play safely. Contact: Woody Brosnan & Tony Hausner
CHEER: The mission is to provide people with the knowledge and ability to create healthy, thriving communities. CHEER is a community-driven process for identifying community vision and goals, and for gathering the information and resources needed to measure and fulfill them. Contact: Bruce Baker, Kathy Porter
County Executive’s Youth Advisory Council:*
Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list; it is the start of a list. Additional descriptive information and/or contact information is needed for some listings (noted with an *). Also: Web-links and/or FaceBook pages will eventually be added to each listing, if available.
PLEASE HELP US GROW THE LIST BY LEAVING A POST ON THIS BLOG WITH CORRECTIONS &/OR ADDITIONS!
PLEASE JOIN US AT THE MEETING TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION! 7:30 Civic Building
==============================
REFERENCE LIST FOR
SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD’s NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
Work on Youth Issues
A WORK-IN-PROGRESS
Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list; it is the start of a list. Additional descriptive information and/or contact information is needed for some listings (noted with an *). Also: Web-links and/or FaceBook pages will eventually be added to each listing, if available.
PLEASE HELP US GROW THE LIST BY LEAVING A POST ON THIS BLOG WITH CORRECTIONS &/OR ADDITIONS!
...............................
SAMPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH YOUTH (with contact information)
Community Bridges is based in Silver Spring and partners with area schools to provide programs to empower immigrant and low income girls. Programs include LUNA for Hispanic girls and Jump Start Girls. They currently provide services in 4 elementary schools, 5 middle schools (including Eastern) and 2 high schools throughout the county. Contacts: Lauren Wetherell, Marialuz Johnson, Jacilyn Smith, Melissa Gudiel, Crystal Adegbola
Passion for Learning is committed to developing innovative partnerships between businesses, members of the community, and schools to enhance student learning in reading, writing, math, science, and technology. Their goal is to nurture a lifelong passion for learning in all children to help them achieve their full potential. Their strategic focus is to work exclusively with those schools where student achievement is impacted by the challenges of dealing with family poverty and learning English as a second language. The organization is located in Silver Spring. Contact: Cynthia Rubenstein - Executive Director
Global Kids originated in New York City with the goal of improving school attendance by providing programs in digital media and the arts that can connect teens’ own lives to their worlds. They also have social workers on staff. They have now begun a program in a D.C. public school and would be interested in extending further into D.C. and Maryland. Contact: Eddie Mandhry – Director, DC Program
Gandhi Brigade is based in Silver Spring and provides training to youth in multi-media productions that address social justice issues. They develop youth into peer instructors as well as provide well-being counseling to Gandhi Brigade members. A recent project is the “Rights of Butterflies” documentary which was conceived and directed by Laura Moya, a Montgomery College student, and focuses on the difficulties that an undocumented student has in continuing her college education. Contact: Richard Jaeggi - Director
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County conferences with all parties involved in a conflict to find an agreed upon resolution. Conflicts are often referred to them from the school staff. In 2010-11 school year, they handled 70 conflicts of which 99% reached an agreement among the parties involved. The center is located in Bethesda. Contacts: Gertrud Mergner, Wolfgang Mergner
Crossroads Youth Opportunity Centers provide services to youth who are risk or have become involved in gangs. Case workers and specialists from five partner organizations collaborate and staff the center: Identity Inc., Pride Youth Services, YMCA Youth and Family Services, the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. The down county center is located in Takoma Park. Contact: Luis Cardona – MC Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator
Linkages to Learning is a school-based collaboration among the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, the Montgomery County Public Schools and non-profit, community based service providers (including Silver Spring YMCA). Non-profit partners include Catholic University School of Nursing, Children’s National Medical Center, GUIDE Youth Services, Holy Cross Hospital, Mental Health Association, Silver Spring YMCA Youth Services and MC Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families. The program provides accessible services to at-risk children and their families to improve adjustment to and performance in school, home, and community. Prevention and early intervention services include health, mental health, social services and educational support. The program can be reached at 301-431-7703 and is based in Rockville.
M.A.N.U.P., an acronym for Making A New United People unites communities by bridging the gaps between individuals with different socioeconomic statuses, racial and ethnic backgrounds, without regards to gender or age. The term “Man Up” is used to motivate individuals towards achieving their goals and overcoming whatever obstacles or challenges they may face. Contact: Brandon Johns, Executive Director
The Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families is comprised of public and private agencies, faith-based organizations, families, elected officials, businesses and community advocates. Their main purpose is to assess community needs, identify priorities, target resources and oversee service delivery on initiatives that require collaboration between two or more child, youth- and family-serving entities. Contact: Carol Walsh, Executive Director
Latin American Youth Center:*
Identity:*
Impact Silver Spring:*
GapBusters:*
...............................
SCHOOLS
Blair High School: Renay Johnson, Principal; Jacob Lee, faculty; Leah Mushkin-Pierret, student
Northwood High School: Dr. Henry Johnson, Principal; Deangelo Graham, Student Government Association
Eastern Middle School: Casey Crouse, Principal
Silver Spring International Middle School: John Haas, Principal
Rolling Terrace Elementary School: Jennifer Connors, Principal
Takoma Park Middle School:*
Takoma Park Elementary School:*
Division of Food Services with Montgomery County Public Schools: Marla Caplon, R.D., L.D., Director
Street Outreach Network (SON). Its mission is to prevent, neutralize, and control hostile behavior in high risk youth and youth gangs through the development of positive relationships between youth/community stakeholders and the outreach workers. The outreach worker will utilize positive youth development programs and leisure time activities as the intervening vehicle for redirecting antisocial and aggressive behaviors. Contact: Luis Cardona, Program Director
...............................
RECREATION CENTERS
Long Branch Recreation Center: Morris Buster, Director
Coffield Recreation Center:*
...............................
LIBRARIES
Takoma Park Library:*
Silver Spring Library:*
Long Branch Library:*
...............................
OTHER RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS, INITIATIVES, ETC.
African Immigrant Refugee Foundation: The mission of the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation (AIRF) is to facilitate the effective transition of African Immigrant to American society and to support their productive, sustainable integration into their new homeland. Contact: Najima Bawa
Safe Silver Spring: The mission of Safe Silver Spring is to develop strategies, partnerships and goals to keep Silver Spring a community where people can live, work, travel, shop and play safely. Contact: Woody Brosnan & Tony Hausner
CHEER: The mission is to provide people with the knowledge and ability to create healthy, thriving communities. CHEER is a community-driven process for identifying community vision and goals, and for gathering the information and resources needed to measure and fulfill them. Contact: Bruce Baker, Kathy Porter
County Executive’s Youth Advisory Council:*
Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list; it is the start of a list. Additional descriptive information and/or contact information is needed for some listings (noted with an *). Also: Web-links and/or FaceBook pages will eventually be added to each listing, if available.
PLEASE HELP US GROW THE LIST BY LEAVING A POST ON THIS BLOG WITH CORRECTIONS &/OR ADDITIONS!
The Neighborhood’s Committee of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board is meeting on Monday, January 23rd at the Civic Building to continue the dialogue regarding how our schools and communities intersect. The focus will be on youth-centered activities. Volunteers on the Committee developed this amazing list as a starting point to highlight some of what is available already. PLEASE JOIN US AT THE MEETING TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION!
============================
REFERENCE LIST FOR
SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD’s NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
Work on Youth Issues
A WORK-IN-PROGRESS
Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list; it is the start of a list. Additional descriptive information and/or contact information is needed for some listings (noted with an *). Also: Web-links and/or FaceBook pages will eventually be added to each listing, if available.
IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONS &/OR CORRECTIONS, PLEASE LEAVE THEM AS A POST TO THIS BLOG AND WE WILL UPDATE THE INFO ASAP.
-----------------------------
SAMPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH YOUTH (with contact information)
Community Bridges is based in Silver Spring and partners with area schools to provide programs to empower immigrant and low income girls. Programs include LUNA for Hispanic girls and Jump Start Girls. They currently provide services in 4 elementary schools, 5 middle schools (including Eastern) and 2 high schools throughout the county. Contacts: Lauren Wetherell, Marialuz Johnson, Jacilyn Smith, Melissa Gudiel, Crystal Adegbola
Passion for Learning is committed to developing innovative partnerships between businesses, members of the community, and schools to enhance student learning in reading, writing, math, science, and technology. Their goal is to nurture a lifelong passion for learning in all children to help them achieve their full potential. Their strategic focus is to work exclusively with those schools where student achievement is impacted by the challenges of dealing with family poverty and learning English as a second language. The organization is located in Silver Spring. Contact: Cynthia Rubenstein - Executive Director
Global Kids originated in New York City with the goal of improving school attendance by providing programs in digital media and the arts that can connect teens’ own lives to their worlds. They also have social workers on staff. They have now begun a program in a D.C. public school and would be interested in extending further into D.C. and Maryland. Contact: Eddie Mandhry – Director, DC Program
Gandhi Brigade is based in Silver Spring and provides training to youth in multi-media productions that address social justice issues. They develop youth into peer instructors as well as provide well-being counseling to Gandhi Brigade members. A recent project is the “Rights of Butterflies” documentary which was conceived and directed by Laura Moya, a Montgomery College student, and focuses on the difficulties that an undocumented student has in continuing her college education. Contact: Richard Jaeggi - Director
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County conferences with all parties involved in a conflict to find an agreed upon resolution. Conflicts are often referred to them from the school staff. In 2010-11 school year, they handled 70 conflicts of which 99% reached an agreement among the parties involved. The center is located in Bethesda. Contacts: Gertrud Mergner, Wolfgang Mergner
Crossroads Youth Opportunity Centers provide services to youth who are risk or have become involved in gangs. Case workers and specialists from five partner organizations collaborate and staff the center: Identity Inc., Pride Youth Services, YMCA Youth and Family Services, the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. The down county center is located in Takoma Park. Contact: Luis Cardona – MC Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator
Linkages to Learning is a school-based collaboration among the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, the Montgomery County Public Schools and non-profit, community based service providers (including Silver Spring YMCA). Non-profit partners include Catholic University School of Nursing, Children’s National Medical Center, GUIDE Youth Services, Holy Cross Hospital, Mental Health Association, Silver Spring YMCA Youth Services and MC Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families. The program provides accessible services to at-risk children and their families to improve adjustment to and performance in school, home, and community. Prevention and early intervention services include health, mental health, social services and educational support. The program can be reached at 301-431-7703 and is based in Rockville.
M.A.N.U.P., an acronym for Making A New United People unites communities by bridging the gaps between individuals with different socioeconomic statuses, racial and ethnic backgrounds, without regards to gender or age. The term “Man Up” is used to motivate individuals towards achieving their goals and overcoming whatever obstacles or challenges they may face. Contact: Brandon Johns, Executive Director
The Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families is comprised of public and private agencies, faith-based organizations, families, elected officials, businesses and community advocates. Their main purpose is to assess community needs, identify priorities, target resources and oversee service delivery on initiatives that require collaboration between two or more child, youth- and family-serving entities. Contact: Carol Walsh, Executive Director
Latin American Youth Center:*
Identity:*
Impact Silver Spring:*
GapBusters:*
SCHOOLS
Blair High School: Renay Johnson, Principal; Jacob Lee, faculty; Leah Mushkin-Pierret, student
Northwood High School: Dr. Henry Johnson, Principal; Deangelo Graham, Student Government Association
Eastern Middle School: Casey Crouse, Principal
Silver Spring International Middle School: John Haas, Principal
Rolling Terrace Elementary School: Jennifer Connors, Principal
Division of Food Services with Montgomery County Public Schools: Marla Caplon, R.D., L.D., Director
Takoma Park Middle School:*
Takoma Park Elementary School:*
Street Outreach Network (SON). Its mission is to prevent, neutralize, and control hostile behavior in high
risk youth and youth gangs through the development of positive relationships between youth/community
stakeholders and the outreach workers. The outreach worker will utilize positive youth development
programs and leisure time activities as the intervening vehicle for redirecting antisocial and aggressive
behaviors. Contact: Luis Cardona, Program Director
RECREATION CENTERS
Long Branch Recreation Center: Morris Buster, Director
Coffield Recreation Center:*
LIBRARIES
Takoma Park Library:*
Silver Spring Library:*
Long Branch Library:*
OTHER RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS, INITIATIVES, ETC.
African Immigrant Refugee Foundation: The mission of the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation (AIRF) is to facilitate the effective transition of African Immigrant to American society and to support their productive, sustainable integration into their new homeland. Contact: Najima Bawa
Safe Silver Spring: The mission of Safe Silver Spring is to develop strategies, partnerships and goals to keep Silver Spring a community where people can live, work, travel, shop and play safely. Contact: Woody Brosnan & Tony Hausner
CHEER: The mission is to provide people with the knowledge and ability to create healthy, thriving communities. CHEER is a community-driven process for identifying community vision and goals, and for gathering the information and resources needed to measure and fulfill them. Contact: Bruce Baker, Kathy Porter
County Executive’s Youth Advisory Council:*
============================
REFERENCE LIST FOR
SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD’s NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
Work on Youth Issues
A WORK-IN-PROGRESS
Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list; it is the start of a list. Additional descriptive information and/or contact information is needed for some listings (noted with an *). Also: Web-links and/or FaceBook pages will eventually be added to each listing, if available.
IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONS &/OR CORRECTIONS, PLEASE LEAVE THEM AS A POST TO THIS BLOG AND WE WILL UPDATE THE INFO ASAP.
-----------------------------
SAMPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH YOUTH (with contact information)
Community Bridges is based in Silver Spring and partners with area schools to provide programs to empower immigrant and low income girls. Programs include LUNA for Hispanic girls and Jump Start Girls. They currently provide services in 4 elementary schools, 5 middle schools (including Eastern) and 2 high schools throughout the county. Contacts: Lauren Wetherell, Marialuz Johnson, Jacilyn Smith, Melissa Gudiel, Crystal Adegbola
Passion for Learning is committed to developing innovative partnerships between businesses, members of the community, and schools to enhance student learning in reading, writing, math, science, and technology. Their goal is to nurture a lifelong passion for learning in all children to help them achieve their full potential. Their strategic focus is to work exclusively with those schools where student achievement is impacted by the challenges of dealing with family poverty and learning English as a second language. The organization is located in Silver Spring. Contact: Cynthia Rubenstein - Executive Director
Global Kids originated in New York City with the goal of improving school attendance by providing programs in digital media and the arts that can connect teens’ own lives to their worlds. They also have social workers on staff. They have now begun a program in a D.C. public school and would be interested in extending further into D.C. and Maryland. Contact: Eddie Mandhry – Director, DC Program
Gandhi Brigade is based in Silver Spring and provides training to youth in multi-media productions that address social justice issues. They develop youth into peer instructors as well as provide well-being counseling to Gandhi Brigade members. A recent project is the “Rights of Butterflies” documentary which was conceived and directed by Laura Moya, a Montgomery College student, and focuses on the difficulties that an undocumented student has in continuing her college education. Contact: Richard Jaeggi - Director
Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County conferences with all parties involved in a conflict to find an agreed upon resolution. Conflicts are often referred to them from the school staff. In 2010-11 school year, they handled 70 conflicts of which 99% reached an agreement among the parties involved. The center is located in Bethesda. Contacts: Gertrud Mergner, Wolfgang Mergner
Crossroads Youth Opportunity Centers provide services to youth who are risk or have become involved in gangs. Case workers and specialists from five partner organizations collaborate and staff the center: Identity Inc., Pride Youth Services, YMCA Youth and Family Services, the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. The down county center is located in Takoma Park. Contact: Luis Cardona – MC Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator
Linkages to Learning is a school-based collaboration among the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, the Montgomery County Public Schools and non-profit, community based service providers (including Silver Spring YMCA). Non-profit partners include Catholic University School of Nursing, Children’s National Medical Center, GUIDE Youth Services, Holy Cross Hospital, Mental Health Association, Silver Spring YMCA Youth Services and MC Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families. The program provides accessible services to at-risk children and their families to improve adjustment to and performance in school, home, and community. Prevention and early intervention services include health, mental health, social services and educational support. The program can be reached at 301-431-7703 and is based in Rockville.
M.A.N.U.P., an acronym for Making A New United People unites communities by bridging the gaps between individuals with different socioeconomic statuses, racial and ethnic backgrounds, without regards to gender or age. The term “Man Up” is used to motivate individuals towards achieving their goals and overcoming whatever obstacles or challenges they may face. Contact: Brandon Johns, Executive Director
The Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families is comprised of public and private agencies, faith-based organizations, families, elected officials, businesses and community advocates. Their main purpose is to assess community needs, identify priorities, target resources and oversee service delivery on initiatives that require collaboration between two or more child, youth- and family-serving entities. Contact: Carol Walsh, Executive Director
Latin American Youth Center:*
Identity:*
Impact Silver Spring:*
GapBusters:*
SCHOOLS
Blair High School: Renay Johnson, Principal; Jacob Lee, faculty; Leah Mushkin-Pierret, student
Northwood High School: Dr. Henry Johnson, Principal; Deangelo Graham, Student Government Association
Eastern Middle School: Casey Crouse, Principal
Silver Spring International Middle School: John Haas, Principal
Rolling Terrace Elementary School: Jennifer Connors, Principal
Division of Food Services with Montgomery County Public Schools: Marla Caplon, R.D., L.D., Director
Takoma Park Middle School:*
Takoma Park Elementary School:*
Street Outreach Network (SON). Its mission is to prevent, neutralize, and control hostile behavior in high
risk youth and youth gangs through the development of positive relationships between youth/community
stakeholders and the outreach workers. The outreach worker will utilize positive youth development
programs and leisure time activities as the intervening vehicle for redirecting antisocial and aggressive
behaviors. Contact: Luis Cardona, Program Director
RECREATION CENTERS
Long Branch Recreation Center: Morris Buster, Director
Coffield Recreation Center:*
LIBRARIES
Takoma Park Library:*
Silver Spring Library:*
Long Branch Library:*
OTHER RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS, INITIATIVES, ETC.
African Immigrant Refugee Foundation: The mission of the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation (AIRF) is to facilitate the effective transition of African Immigrant to American society and to support their productive, sustainable integration into their new homeland. Contact: Najima Bawa
Safe Silver Spring: The mission of Safe Silver Spring is to develop strategies, partnerships and goals to keep Silver Spring a community where people can live, work, travel, shop and play safely. Contact: Woody Brosnan & Tony Hausner
CHEER: The mission is to provide people with the knowledge and ability to create healthy, thriving communities. CHEER is a community-driven process for identifying community vision and goals, and for gathering the information and resources needed to measure and fulfill them. Contact: Bruce Baker, Kathy Porter
County Executive’s Youth Advisory Council:*
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
REGIONAL CENTER ISSUES: SSCAB Annual Report & Director's Monthly Report
========================================================
SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT
The Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board had a terrific year, during which we reaffirmed our core mission of being a forum for residents and county officials to share concerns, news and views with each other. By working extremely closely with the Silver Spring Regional Center, we also maintained our role as a facilitator among stakeholders in the diverse Silver Spring neighborhoods and extended our outreach into residential and business communities.
The highlight of 2011 was organizing the first Taste of Fenton Village, an event held on May 15 that showcased all the independent restaurants in Silver Spring’s Fenton Village neighborhood. The planning was undertaken by the board’s Commercial & Economic Development (CED) committee, which encouraged nearly two dozen “mom and pop” restaurants to participate in the event. Hundreds of area residents turned out to walk around Fenton Village on a self-guided food tour, sampling the restaurants best cuisine at $3 - $5 sample sizes. The event ended with a live musical band and dispensing raffle prizes to event participants. SSCAB board members received nothing but positive reviews from all residents who attended. Another event is already being planned for May 2012.
Below is a brief recap of meetings, discussions and events held at the meetings of the full SSCAB and our three committees:
Full SSCAB
[] Organized a meeting with PREZCO (Presidents Council of Silver Spring Civic Associations) on the county’s rewrite of the zoning codes
[] Discussed the county’s health care services with Uma Ahluwalia, Director, Department of Health and Human Services
[] Wrote a letter to the County Executive asking for a comprehensive strategy to combat youth violence
[] Discussed the difficulties of governing a municipality with Takoma Park Mayor Bruce Williams and other notable Takoma Park residents
Neighborhoods Committee
[] Walking tours were organized in various Silver Spring neighborhoods, where interested participants and civic leaders discussed problems affecting those immediate areas. Such tours were held in the Lytonnsville and Four Corners communities
[] A bicycle tour of Langley Park to discuss concerns from small businesses and transportation advocates
[] Met with business owners from Takoma Park to discuss their business association
[] Facilitated a conversation with principals from various schools in Silver Spring and Takoma Park to discuss youth related issues
Commercial & Economic Development Committee
[] Members acting as liaisons to Silver Spring Green, a new non-profit formed in Silver Spring create sustainable practices among local governments, businesses and communities
[] Explored ways to keep the Fenton Street Market at Veterans Plaza
[] Organizing the Taste of Fenton Village event
Transportation & Pedestrian Safety Committee
[] Held a joint meeting with the county’s Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee to focus on transportation concerns in Silver Spring
[] Regularly meet with county and state officials from DOT, MHA, MTA, DGS and MCPD to raise awareness of transportation and pedestrian safety issues
[] Urged additional funding for better sidewalk access
[] Discussed the route for the Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade and the impact of the route change on local businesses
[] Push the county to designate more spaces in county garages for shared cars
As we look toward 2012, we are confident that the SSCAB is in an excellent position to build upon our previous year’s successes. Plans are already underway to hold a second Taste of Fenton Village on May 6 and the Neighborhoods Committee continues to examine how the county can better support the needs of area youth. The addition of many new board members in 2011 will also provide additional enthusiasm and a passion for community service.
The SSCAB board meets on the second Monday of the month and committee meetings are held on the fourth Monday of the month. All are open to the public.
========================================================
SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER DIRECTOR's REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2011
1. Community Issues
a. Reuse of Certain Public Facilities: The Silver Spring Regional Center has convened various meetings (including with the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board) to explain how the County will determine the reuse of the Silver Spring Library and the 3rd Police Precinct once these facilities are vacated in the next couple of years. The Department of General Services was instrumental in laying out the process and options. We expect for there to be increasing conversations in the community about this in the months to come. We have already received many inquiries from private and non-profit interests.
b. Progress Place: The Department of General Services held an information session for the Request for Interest for the property currently used by Progress Place, including Community Visions and Shepherd’s Table. These services are expected to remain in the Silver Spring Area, in the vicinity of the current location. The site being analyzed is the rear of the existing Fire Station. The community has expressed wide ranging support for this location as an alternative that minimizes impact on the established existing single family residential area.
c. Lyttonsville Purple Line Rail Yard: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues to work – and meet - with the Lyttonsville community in its deliberation with various County agencies, the State, the Federal government, and elected officials to try to minimize the impact of the Purple Line rail yard proposed to be located near the Purple Line’s Lyttonsville Station.
d. New Middle School: The Silver Spring Regional Center, in collaboration with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Center are helping to get the word out and ensure that the civic leadership will be participating in the process to formulate advice to the Montgomery County Public School Superintendent regarding the evaluation of candidate sites for a new middle school in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Cluster. (This impacts the western part of the Silver Spring Regional Area.) Meetings are scheduled for the next couple of months.
e. Pertinent Plans: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues engaged with Park and Planning as the Long Branch and Takoma/Langley Sector Plans develop. In both plans, the issue of maintaining the area as mixed income communities with opportunities for affordable housing seems to be a hot topic of discussion. Of concern is how to pursue policies for the area’s economic vitality and manage its inevitable growth without negatively impacting the community and cultural character that its existing apartment dwellers bring to the area. (While these plans are key to the future of the Area, we are also working with various elements in the community to promote existing assets and how these can be maximized to build community today as we plan for tomorrow.)
2. Advisory Board Activities/Issues:
a. Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board
[] At the December Meeting, Councilmember Floreen gave an update of the many Silver Spring issues the Council is dealing with. She also used the opportunity to listen to comments and answer questions. This was followed by a general discussion/dialogue of the history of the Silver Spring development.
[] The Board also voted to send a letter to the County Executive advising the County intervene with SHA to reconsider some of the sidewalk improvements being built on Georgia Ave in downtown Silver Spring.
[] While there were no Committee meetings in December, the Commercial and Economic Development Committee did hold a work-session to mobilize volunteers and define the ‘to-do’ task list for the May 6th Taste the World in Fenton Village event.
b. Arts & Entertainment Advisory Committee
[] Michael McBride (WMATA) was the guest at the meeting. He shared with the Committee WMATA’s approach to public space and art in transit stations – and at the Silver Spring redesigned station in particular. It was noted that beyond the infamous ‘penguins’ in the Colesville underpass, the Station will have no art… The Committee also heard a brief update/presentation from the Fillmore (which is represented on the Committee); and, reviewed how the incentives provided by the Arts & Entertainment District designation are being used. (There was some concern expressed that these benefits are not well publicized and thus there might be some opportunities for higher use if promoted more aggressively.)
c. Urban District Advisory Committee
[] The Committee heard from the Falkland developers and the First Baptist Church site developers and subsequently approved letters of support for their next step in the approval process. The Committee also heard a presentation from Rick Siebert (Parking Lot District – PLD.)
[] Additionally, after hearing from Lt. Bob Carter (3rd Police Precinct) the Committee voted to send a letter commending the County for its support of increased police presence in downtown Silver Spring, but also expressing concern regarding the evident difficulty in operationalizing this increase. (It seems the reduction in force caused by the number of transfers, reassignments, promotions and regular attrition is barely keeping up with the capacity to replace – and increase – the number of police ‘on the streets’ as budgeted.)
3. Other:
{Note: Since this is the first report of the year, it includes a list not only of what was done in December, but also many – though not all – of other issues, initiatives, programs, and projects we are working on at this time.}
a. Safety and Security Downtown: Coordination and collaboration efforts of public and private interest to ensure a safe downtown Silver Spring is becoming increasingly efficient. We have established a series of regularly scheduled internal meetings and work-sessions among the various critical agencies. This is proving to be very effective in increasing communication and ensuring we are proactive in matters related to safety and security in downtown.
b. Montgomery Hills: There are various activities going on in this area of Silver Spring, with the Regional Center active and/or coordinating them. We worked with the community on banners that will be going up in the near future. We are also ready to unveil a web-based listing of all the businesses in the area; and are designing a pedestrian level signage for the area. Nearby, we are working with Ft. Detrick as they prepare to reach out to the community regarding their activities in the Forrest Glen Annex. (Among the changes: The Walter Reed Medical Museum is now part of the Anenx.) These – and other activities – are all part of our comprehensive attention to Montgomery Hills.
c. Development Inquires and Status: Inquires regarding development opportunities in downtown Silver Spring and vicinity seems to be picking up. In the recent weeks there’s been many more ‘feelers’ from the development community regarding what is going on in Silver Spring and its potential for continued growth. The Silver Spring Regional Center, working at times with the Department of Economic Development and others, provides information and support to these inquires on an on-going bases. The Center also maintains a list of pertinent links to what is going on in the area of developments in the pipeline, under construction, and in the approved planning stages (including the major public sector projects: i.e.: The Library and the Transit Station.)
d. Silver Spring Stories: Two recent events - the Smithsonian Institute ‘conversation’ at the AFI and the showing of the movie (“Rights of Butterflies”) with the Gilchrist Center - sparked an on-going interest in continuing the community discussion regarding how to ensure that the issue of ‘immigration and migration’ is incorporated in our traditional civic infrastructure. Among other things, this is facilitating our intent to recruit members from this segment of our community to serve on boards, committees, and commissions. We are also working closely with OCP on related issues.
e. Long Branch Community Economic Development: There are various constructive efforts coming together in Long Branch that indicate a positive movement towards affirming the existing community economic development assets of that area worthy of being celebrated today as they plan for the future (i.e. Purple Line and Master Plan.) The Regional Center is working closely with the Long Branch Business League (through the Montgomery Housing Partnership consultant to the Department of Housing and Community Revitalization) and a new entrepreneurship effort (the Flower Avenue Antique and Flea Market) to stimulate community and economic activity in the area. We are also working with DOT on efforts to improve pedestrian safety, particularly on Piney Branch.
f. Takoma Park’s New Ave: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues to work closely with the City of Takoma Park in its many efforts that impact the broader Silver Spring Area. Among these are their initiative to highlight New Hampshire Avenue as a community asset, under the ‘flagship’ effort aptly named “New Ave”. We participated in merchants meetings and are helping to promote this initiative through our communications tools.
g. “Downtown” Silver Spring: The Silver Spring Regional Center has begun to work closely with Downtown Silver Spring (the Corporate entity) as they bring together their new Management Team. This has been - and will continue to be - a critical partnership to ensure the long term, viable and sustainable success of downtown Silver Spring.
h. Thanksgiving Parade Debrief and Area Promotion: Together with the Recreation Department we held a debriefing session with the community to go over ‘what worked’ and ‘what can be improved’ for the Thanksgiving Parade. This year we were very intentional in using the Parade as an opportunity to promote the small, independently owned businesses throughout downtown Silver Spring, particularly in the southern end of downtown (Fenton Village) where the Parade ends. We also used the opportunity to promote the Small Business Saturday national effort (the Saturday after “Black Friday”.) Volunteers and our AmeriCorp were instrumental in passing out flyers to Parade participants.
i. Silver Spring Regional Outdoor Markets: The Silver Spring Regional Center is working with Sen. Jaime Raskin and others to bring together the various (at least seven!) outdoor markets in the Silver Spring Area and vicinity to develop a joint promotional campaign and maximize cross-marketing opportunities. This effort is as much a ‘community building’ effort as it is an ‘economic development effort’… The emerging theme is “Life Happens Where Community & Commerce Meet”.
j. Signage for downtown Silver Spring: The Convention and Visitors Bureau brought to us the opportunity to provide input and advice for State Highway signage that would identify destinations points in Silver Spring. A community meeting was held to help formulate options for the proposed signage system. The Silver Spring Regional Center is coordinating this effort as we continue to also pursue how to most effectively institute a comprehensive way-finding system for downtown Silver Spring.
k. New Community Efforts: We continue providing whatever support we can (mostly technical assistance and information) to three new efforts that have proven to be very successful in Silver Spring. These are Silver Spring Green, Silver Spring Senior Village, and Safe Silver Spring. We routinely meet with the leadership of these efforts as well as participate in their meetings, gatherings, and events as often as possible.
l. Up-Coming: Looking forward to January, there are two key events we are part of that are critical to the Regional Center and help us ‘build community’. These are: County Executive Budget Forum (Thursday, January 12th) and the MLK, Jr. Day of Service (Monday, January 16th.) We are working with other agencies (particularly the OMB and OCP respectively, to promote these events and ensure their success.
{IF YOU ENJOY THIS BLOG, MAKE SURE YOU CLICK ICON ON THE UPPER LEFT TO 'FOLLOW' IT SO YOU'LL GET AUTOMATIC NOTICES OF NEW POSTINGS.}
SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT
The Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board had a terrific year, during which we reaffirmed our core mission of being a forum for residents and county officials to share concerns, news and views with each other. By working extremely closely with the Silver Spring Regional Center, we also maintained our role as a facilitator among stakeholders in the diverse Silver Spring neighborhoods and extended our outreach into residential and business communities.
The highlight of 2011 was organizing the first Taste of Fenton Village, an event held on May 15 that showcased all the independent restaurants in Silver Spring’s Fenton Village neighborhood. The planning was undertaken by the board’s Commercial & Economic Development (CED) committee, which encouraged nearly two dozen “mom and pop” restaurants to participate in the event. Hundreds of area residents turned out to walk around Fenton Village on a self-guided food tour, sampling the restaurants best cuisine at $3 - $5 sample sizes. The event ended with a live musical band and dispensing raffle prizes to event participants. SSCAB board members received nothing but positive reviews from all residents who attended. Another event is already being planned for May 2012.
Below is a brief recap of meetings, discussions and events held at the meetings of the full SSCAB and our three committees:
Full SSCAB
[] Organized a meeting with PREZCO (Presidents Council of Silver Spring Civic Associations) on the county’s rewrite of the zoning codes
[] Discussed the county’s health care services with Uma Ahluwalia, Director, Department of Health and Human Services
[] Wrote a letter to the County Executive asking for a comprehensive strategy to combat youth violence
[] Discussed the difficulties of governing a municipality with Takoma Park Mayor Bruce Williams and other notable Takoma Park residents
Neighborhoods Committee
[] Walking tours were organized in various Silver Spring neighborhoods, where interested participants and civic leaders discussed problems affecting those immediate areas. Such tours were held in the Lytonnsville and Four Corners communities
[] A bicycle tour of Langley Park to discuss concerns from small businesses and transportation advocates
[] Met with business owners from Takoma Park to discuss their business association
[] Facilitated a conversation with principals from various schools in Silver Spring and Takoma Park to discuss youth related issues
Commercial & Economic Development Committee
[] Members acting as liaisons to Silver Spring Green, a new non-profit formed in Silver Spring create sustainable practices among local governments, businesses and communities
[] Explored ways to keep the Fenton Street Market at Veterans Plaza
[] Organizing the Taste of Fenton Village event
Transportation & Pedestrian Safety Committee
[] Held a joint meeting with the county’s Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee to focus on transportation concerns in Silver Spring
[] Regularly meet with county and state officials from DOT, MHA, MTA, DGS and MCPD to raise awareness of transportation and pedestrian safety issues
[] Urged additional funding for better sidewalk access
[] Discussed the route for the Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade and the impact of the route change on local businesses
[] Push the county to designate more spaces in county garages for shared cars
As we look toward 2012, we are confident that the SSCAB is in an excellent position to build upon our previous year’s successes. Plans are already underway to hold a second Taste of Fenton Village on May 6 and the Neighborhoods Committee continues to examine how the county can better support the needs of area youth. The addition of many new board members in 2011 will also provide additional enthusiasm and a passion for community service.
The SSCAB board meets on the second Monday of the month and committee meetings are held on the fourth Monday of the month. All are open to the public.
========================================================
SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER DIRECTOR's REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2011
1. Community Issues
a. Reuse of Certain Public Facilities: The Silver Spring Regional Center has convened various meetings (including with the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board) to explain how the County will determine the reuse of the Silver Spring Library and the 3rd Police Precinct once these facilities are vacated in the next couple of years. The Department of General Services was instrumental in laying out the process and options. We expect for there to be increasing conversations in the community about this in the months to come. We have already received many inquiries from private and non-profit interests.
b. Progress Place: The Department of General Services held an information session for the Request for Interest for the property currently used by Progress Place, including Community Visions and Shepherd’s Table. These services are expected to remain in the Silver Spring Area, in the vicinity of the current location. The site being analyzed is the rear of the existing Fire Station. The community has expressed wide ranging support for this location as an alternative that minimizes impact on the established existing single family residential area.
c. Lyttonsville Purple Line Rail Yard: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues to work – and meet - with the Lyttonsville community in its deliberation with various County agencies, the State, the Federal government, and elected officials to try to minimize the impact of the Purple Line rail yard proposed to be located near the Purple Line’s Lyttonsville Station.
d. New Middle School: The Silver Spring Regional Center, in collaboration with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Center are helping to get the word out and ensure that the civic leadership will be participating in the process to formulate advice to the Montgomery County Public School Superintendent regarding the evaluation of candidate sites for a new middle school in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Cluster. (This impacts the western part of the Silver Spring Regional Area.) Meetings are scheduled for the next couple of months.
e. Pertinent Plans: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues engaged with Park and Planning as the Long Branch and Takoma/Langley Sector Plans develop. In both plans, the issue of maintaining the area as mixed income communities with opportunities for affordable housing seems to be a hot topic of discussion. Of concern is how to pursue policies for the area’s economic vitality and manage its inevitable growth without negatively impacting the community and cultural character that its existing apartment dwellers bring to the area. (While these plans are key to the future of the Area, we are also working with various elements in the community to promote existing assets and how these can be maximized to build community today as we plan for tomorrow.)
2. Advisory Board Activities/Issues:
a. Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board
[] At the December Meeting, Councilmember Floreen gave an update of the many Silver Spring issues the Council is dealing with. She also used the opportunity to listen to comments and answer questions. This was followed by a general discussion/dialogue of the history of the Silver Spring development.
[] The Board also voted to send a letter to the County Executive advising the County intervene with SHA to reconsider some of the sidewalk improvements being built on Georgia Ave in downtown Silver Spring.
[] While there were no Committee meetings in December, the Commercial and Economic Development Committee did hold a work-session to mobilize volunteers and define the ‘to-do’ task list for the May 6th Taste the World in Fenton Village event.
b. Arts & Entertainment Advisory Committee
[] Michael McBride (WMATA) was the guest at the meeting. He shared with the Committee WMATA’s approach to public space and art in transit stations – and at the Silver Spring redesigned station in particular. It was noted that beyond the infamous ‘penguins’ in the Colesville underpass, the Station will have no art… The Committee also heard a brief update/presentation from the Fillmore (which is represented on the Committee); and, reviewed how the incentives provided by the Arts & Entertainment District designation are being used. (There was some concern expressed that these benefits are not well publicized and thus there might be some opportunities for higher use if promoted more aggressively.)
c. Urban District Advisory Committee
[] The Committee heard from the Falkland developers and the First Baptist Church site developers and subsequently approved letters of support for their next step in the approval process. The Committee also heard a presentation from Rick Siebert (Parking Lot District – PLD.)
[] Additionally, after hearing from Lt. Bob Carter (3rd Police Precinct) the Committee voted to send a letter commending the County for its support of increased police presence in downtown Silver Spring, but also expressing concern regarding the evident difficulty in operationalizing this increase. (It seems the reduction in force caused by the number of transfers, reassignments, promotions and regular attrition is barely keeping up with the capacity to replace – and increase – the number of police ‘on the streets’ as budgeted.)
3. Other:
{Note: Since this is the first report of the year, it includes a list not only of what was done in December, but also many – though not all – of other issues, initiatives, programs, and projects we are working on at this time.}
a. Safety and Security Downtown: Coordination and collaboration efforts of public and private interest to ensure a safe downtown Silver Spring is becoming increasingly efficient. We have established a series of regularly scheduled internal meetings and work-sessions among the various critical agencies. This is proving to be very effective in increasing communication and ensuring we are proactive in matters related to safety and security in downtown.
b. Montgomery Hills: There are various activities going on in this area of Silver Spring, with the Regional Center active and/or coordinating them. We worked with the community on banners that will be going up in the near future. We are also ready to unveil a web-based listing of all the businesses in the area; and are designing a pedestrian level signage for the area. Nearby, we are working with Ft. Detrick as they prepare to reach out to the community regarding their activities in the Forrest Glen Annex. (Among the changes: The Walter Reed Medical Museum is now part of the Anenx.) These – and other activities – are all part of our comprehensive attention to Montgomery Hills.
c. Development Inquires and Status: Inquires regarding development opportunities in downtown Silver Spring and vicinity seems to be picking up. In the recent weeks there’s been many more ‘feelers’ from the development community regarding what is going on in Silver Spring and its potential for continued growth. The Silver Spring Regional Center, working at times with the Department of Economic Development and others, provides information and support to these inquires on an on-going bases. The Center also maintains a list of pertinent links to what is going on in the area of developments in the pipeline, under construction, and in the approved planning stages (including the major public sector projects: i.e.: The Library and the Transit Station.)
d. Silver Spring Stories: Two recent events - the Smithsonian Institute ‘conversation’ at the AFI and the showing of the movie (“Rights of Butterflies”) with the Gilchrist Center - sparked an on-going interest in continuing the community discussion regarding how to ensure that the issue of ‘immigration and migration’ is incorporated in our traditional civic infrastructure. Among other things, this is facilitating our intent to recruit members from this segment of our community to serve on boards, committees, and commissions. We are also working closely with OCP on related issues.
e. Long Branch Community Economic Development: There are various constructive efforts coming together in Long Branch that indicate a positive movement towards affirming the existing community economic development assets of that area worthy of being celebrated today as they plan for the future (i.e. Purple Line and Master Plan.) The Regional Center is working closely with the Long Branch Business League (through the Montgomery Housing Partnership consultant to the Department of Housing and Community Revitalization) and a new entrepreneurship effort (the Flower Avenue Antique and Flea Market) to stimulate community and economic activity in the area. We are also working with DOT on efforts to improve pedestrian safety, particularly on Piney Branch.
f. Takoma Park’s New Ave: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues to work closely with the City of Takoma Park in its many efforts that impact the broader Silver Spring Area. Among these are their initiative to highlight New Hampshire Avenue as a community asset, under the ‘flagship’ effort aptly named “New Ave”. We participated in merchants meetings and are helping to promote this initiative through our communications tools.
g. “Downtown” Silver Spring: The Silver Spring Regional Center has begun to work closely with Downtown Silver Spring (the Corporate entity) as they bring together their new Management Team. This has been - and will continue to be - a critical partnership to ensure the long term, viable and sustainable success of downtown Silver Spring.
h. Thanksgiving Parade Debrief and Area Promotion: Together with the Recreation Department we held a debriefing session with the community to go over ‘what worked’ and ‘what can be improved’ for the Thanksgiving Parade. This year we were very intentional in using the Parade as an opportunity to promote the small, independently owned businesses throughout downtown Silver Spring, particularly in the southern end of downtown (Fenton Village) where the Parade ends. We also used the opportunity to promote the Small Business Saturday national effort (the Saturday after “Black Friday”.) Volunteers and our AmeriCorp were instrumental in passing out flyers to Parade participants.
i. Silver Spring Regional Outdoor Markets: The Silver Spring Regional Center is working with Sen. Jaime Raskin and others to bring together the various (at least seven!) outdoor markets in the Silver Spring Area and vicinity to develop a joint promotional campaign and maximize cross-marketing opportunities. This effort is as much a ‘community building’ effort as it is an ‘economic development effort’… The emerging theme is “Life Happens Where Community & Commerce Meet”.
j. Signage for downtown Silver Spring: The Convention and Visitors Bureau brought to us the opportunity to provide input and advice for State Highway signage that would identify destinations points in Silver Spring. A community meeting was held to help formulate options for the proposed signage system. The Silver Spring Regional Center is coordinating this effort as we continue to also pursue how to most effectively institute a comprehensive way-finding system for downtown Silver Spring.
k. New Community Efforts: We continue providing whatever support we can (mostly technical assistance and information) to three new efforts that have proven to be very successful in Silver Spring. These are Silver Spring Green, Silver Spring Senior Village, and Safe Silver Spring. We routinely meet with the leadership of these efforts as well as participate in their meetings, gatherings, and events as often as possible.
l. Up-Coming: Looking forward to January, there are two key events we are part of that are critical to the Regional Center and help us ‘build community’. These are: County Executive Budget Forum (Thursday, January 12th) and the MLK, Jr. Day of Service (Monday, January 16th.) We are working with other agencies (particularly the OMB and OCP respectively, to promote these events and ensure their success.
{IF YOU ENJOY THIS BLOG, MAKE SURE YOU CLICK ICON ON THE UPPER LEFT TO 'FOLLOW' IT SO YOU'LL GET AUTOMATIC NOTICES OF NEW POSTINGS.}
Sunday, December 18, 2011
A SILVER SPRING HOLIDAY
.......................................
Happy Holidays. Seasons Greetings. Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanza. Happy New Year!
(If I left out some Holidays, visit
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/spdays/bldecdayslong.htm
for a pretty comprehensive list of others, including some quite whimsical - like National Egg Nog Day and the National Day of the Ninja!)
While we may celebrate this season for different reasons, a common elements to most holiday celebrations is the idea of connecting with others. Some focus on family; others focus on friends (and even foes!); yet others focus on strangers... And oftentimes many of us try to focus a bit on all the aforementioned. Some travel far; others welcome others to their home; and, then there are those that just want to ‘get away from it all’...
We’ve all heard of the power of ‘buying local’... Well, how about the power of ‘gifting & serving local’? Right here in Silver Spring we have so many organizations, institutions, families, and individuals in need of our support that it really merits the question: What am I giving - and how am I serving - locally? (Please note: This in no way shape or form should be construed as a challenge to those of us that also ‘give and serve’ regionally, nationally, and internationally... It is not a matter of either/or; it is a matter of both/and.)
It is simply amazing how sometimes we walk right by, look right through, and choose to not see the real difficulties faced by many of our very own community members literally right in our mist. While Silver Spring’s poverty is not necessarily ‘in your face’, there are some serious ‘pockets of poverty’ that are very real. And, it is not only the poverty. It is also the alienation, economic dislocation, and hurt that is amongst us right here in Silver Spring...
However, we are extremely fortunate to have in Silver Spring public, private, non-profit, and faith initiatives that do a tremendous job in addressing all these needs and situations. Some of it obvious; other not so much:
- Our public ‘safety net’ programs - while faced with serious funding challenges - is alive and well. But, they do need our help. Many all welcome volunteers. Don’t assume they have all they need! Stop and ask.
- Many of the private entities and corporations in Silver Spring provide opportunities for their employees to ‘get involved locally’. While some of these opportunities may not be always evident, they are there. Don’t assume they don’t exist! Stop and ask.
- Our locally serving non-profit networks are always inventing new ways to do with less traditional resources to help our community. If you are on the board, know the staff, or simply have participated in one of their programs and/or activities, please consider financially supporting them. Don’t assume they’ll come to you - they may simply be too busy doing their work! Stop and ask.
- The faith community in Silver Spring is so incredibly active individually and in coalitions helping those in need, the isolated, and the deprived. We have a faith congregation in almost every block. Regardless of whether you worship locally or not, please consider joining one of our faith community’s social justice efforts. Don’t assume they’ll want to convert you - they just want to join you in the struggle! Stop and ask.
Whatever you do for the Holidays and wherever they may take you, we hope you will take a minute to consider how you are contributing your talents in your own community. The possibilities are truly endless! Stop and ask.
And, if all of this talk turns you off and makes you want to rebuttal, you may want to celebrate Bah Humbug Day... more info at:
http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/December/humbugday.htm
:-)
See you around Silver Spring in 2012!
Happy Holidays. Seasons Greetings. Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanza. Happy New Year!
(If I left out some Holidays, visit
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/spdays/bldecdayslong.htm
for a pretty comprehensive list of others, including some quite whimsical - like National Egg Nog Day and the National Day of the Ninja!)
While we may celebrate this season for different reasons, a common elements to most holiday celebrations is the idea of connecting with others. Some focus on family; others focus on friends (and even foes!); yet others focus on strangers... And oftentimes many of us try to focus a bit on all the aforementioned. Some travel far; others welcome others to their home; and, then there are those that just want to ‘get away from it all’...
We’ve all heard of the power of ‘buying local’... Well, how about the power of ‘gifting & serving local’? Right here in Silver Spring we have so many organizations, institutions, families, and individuals in need of our support that it really merits the question: What am I giving - and how am I serving - locally? (Please note: This in no way shape or form should be construed as a challenge to those of us that also ‘give and serve’ regionally, nationally, and internationally... It is not a matter of either/or; it is a matter of both/and.)
It is simply amazing how sometimes we walk right by, look right through, and choose to not see the real difficulties faced by many of our very own community members literally right in our mist. While Silver Spring’s poverty is not necessarily ‘in your face’, there are some serious ‘pockets of poverty’ that are very real. And, it is not only the poverty. It is also the alienation, economic dislocation, and hurt that is amongst us right here in Silver Spring...
However, we are extremely fortunate to have in Silver Spring public, private, non-profit, and faith initiatives that do a tremendous job in addressing all these needs and situations. Some of it obvious; other not so much:
- Our public ‘safety net’ programs - while faced with serious funding challenges - is alive and well. But, they do need our help. Many all welcome volunteers. Don’t assume they have all they need! Stop and ask.
- Many of the private entities and corporations in Silver Spring provide opportunities for their employees to ‘get involved locally’. While some of these opportunities may not be always evident, they are there. Don’t assume they don’t exist! Stop and ask.
- Our locally serving non-profit networks are always inventing new ways to do with less traditional resources to help our community. If you are on the board, know the staff, or simply have participated in one of their programs and/or activities, please consider financially supporting them. Don’t assume they’ll come to you - they may simply be too busy doing their work! Stop and ask.
- The faith community in Silver Spring is so incredibly active individually and in coalitions helping those in need, the isolated, and the deprived. We have a faith congregation in almost every block. Regardless of whether you worship locally or not, please consider joining one of our faith community’s social justice efforts. Don’t assume they’ll want to convert you - they just want to join you in the struggle! Stop and ask.
Whatever you do for the Holidays and wherever they may take you, we hope you will take a minute to consider how you are contributing your talents in your own community. The possibilities are truly endless! Stop and ask.
And, if all of this talk turns you off and makes you want to rebuttal, you may want to celebrate Bah Humbug Day... more info at:
http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/December/humbugday.htm
:-)
See you around Silver Spring in 2012!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
FLOWER AVENUE HOLIDAY MARKET SPRINGS TO LIFE ON SATURDAYS
Here's a "guest blog" from Chris Lancette, the entrepreneur that is doing the Flower Avenue Holiday Market
FLOWER AVENUE HOLIDAY MARKET SPRINGS TO LIFE ON SATURDAYS
I’m excited to report that our up-and-coming home-based business (Orion’s Attic) has launched the Flower Avenue Holiday Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through December 24. Located at the corner of Flower Avenue and Arliss Street, the market is designed to achieve several short-term and longer-term goals that center around the idea of linking community with commerce.
For the holidays, we want to create a new destination in our own neighborhood for people to shop locally and for entrepreneurs to generate income. Along with a number of our vendors, I live within minutes of the Holiday Market. I hope everyone in Montgomery County and beyond comes out to peruse antiques, art, books, collectibles, furniture, hand-made clothing and accessories, holiday baskets, jewelry, and all kinds of other treasures.
This is just the beginning.
There is tremendous entrepreneurial and artistic talent in the Long Branch community. We want to celebrate it, show it off, and nurture it – while giving residents a great shopping experience. We are already exploring options to keep this momentum going at this same site in 2012 thanks to the support of Flower Avenue Shopping Center owner Greg Fernebok, whose enthusiasm and generosity is making this operation possible. He is allowing us to donate the rent we’re paying for the space to IMPACT Silver Spring. We are partnering with IMPACT – a nonprofit organization dedicated to economic empowerment -- to give a few new entrepreneurs a chance to sell their products at a market for the first time. One sells cosmetics by Mary Kay, another makes beautiful curtains.
We are also creating space for local service providers to promote themselves … like the “Tutor Table” of foreign language translators and tutors who will soon make their debut. A great local restaurant, La Escudilla, will fill the air with the tantalizing scent of its cuisine. We are also in the process of creating a coupon booklet to encourage market shoppers to explore nearby businesses.
Orion’s Attic is itself a local business run by Won-ok Kim and me. The mission of our home-based antique and high-end flea enterprise is to enable people to “buy good stuff, do great things.” We partner with and serve great Montgomery County nonprofits in everything we do, from donating a percentage of our profits to conducting fundraisers for them. We are open by appointment, sell online through our Web site and other venues, provide estate sale services, and throw huge “Upscale Yard Sales” like the ones we do at our home and the fundraiser we did for Pyramid Atlantic in downtown Silver Spring last October.
Our effort to create a Saturday market in Long Branch is the next stage of our evolution and it is already making an impact. Vendors are generating sales. We’re putting local teenagers to work and we are spending money at Silver Spring businesses that are printing our signs and providing our supplies. We even bought an old truck that was parked about 100 feet from the market site. The seller himself is an industrious young entrepreneur who is seeking to buy a bigger truck he can use to make deliveries for companies needing his help.
We hope everyone can make plans to visit the Flower Avenue Holiday Market each Saturday. There will be additional vendors (including a rare books dealer on Dec. 10) and other attractions each week. We’re also grateful for anything you can do to help us spread the word through social media and word of mouth. We’ve got a few thousand flyers to distribute, too.
Visit www.orionsattic.com for more information about the market and to learn more about what we’re doing to bring commerce and community together in Silver Spring. You can also contact me directly if you would like to get involved.
Let’s celebrate Long Branch together. Hope to see you Saturday!
Christopher Lancette
Co-proprietor, Orion's Attic
“Buy good stuff, do great things."
chris@orionsattic.com
Like us on Facebook & Follow us on Twitter
FLOWER AVENUE HOLIDAY MARKET SPRINGS TO LIFE ON SATURDAYS
I’m excited to report that our up-and-coming home-based business (Orion’s Attic) has launched the Flower Avenue Holiday Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through December 24. Located at the corner of Flower Avenue and Arliss Street, the market is designed to achieve several short-term and longer-term goals that center around the idea of linking community with commerce.
For the holidays, we want to create a new destination in our own neighborhood for people to shop locally and for entrepreneurs to generate income. Along with a number of our vendors, I live within minutes of the Holiday Market. I hope everyone in Montgomery County and beyond comes out to peruse antiques, art, books, collectibles, furniture, hand-made clothing and accessories, holiday baskets, jewelry, and all kinds of other treasures.
This is just the beginning.
There is tremendous entrepreneurial and artistic talent in the Long Branch community. We want to celebrate it, show it off, and nurture it – while giving residents a great shopping experience. We are already exploring options to keep this momentum going at this same site in 2012 thanks to the support of Flower Avenue Shopping Center owner Greg Fernebok, whose enthusiasm and generosity is making this operation possible. He is allowing us to donate the rent we’re paying for the space to IMPACT Silver Spring. We are partnering with IMPACT – a nonprofit organization dedicated to economic empowerment -- to give a few new entrepreneurs a chance to sell their products at a market for the first time. One sells cosmetics by Mary Kay, another makes beautiful curtains.
We are also creating space for local service providers to promote themselves … like the “Tutor Table” of foreign language translators and tutors who will soon make their debut. A great local restaurant, La Escudilla, will fill the air with the tantalizing scent of its cuisine. We are also in the process of creating a coupon booklet to encourage market shoppers to explore nearby businesses.
Orion’s Attic is itself a local business run by Won-ok Kim and me. The mission of our home-based antique and high-end flea enterprise is to enable people to “buy good stuff, do great things.” We partner with and serve great Montgomery County nonprofits in everything we do, from donating a percentage of our profits to conducting fundraisers for them. We are open by appointment, sell online through our Web site and other venues, provide estate sale services, and throw huge “Upscale Yard Sales” like the ones we do at our home and the fundraiser we did for Pyramid Atlantic in downtown Silver Spring last October.
Our effort to create a Saturday market in Long Branch is the next stage of our evolution and it is already making an impact. Vendors are generating sales. We’re putting local teenagers to work and we are spending money at Silver Spring businesses that are printing our signs and providing our supplies. We even bought an old truck that was parked about 100 feet from the market site. The seller himself is an industrious young entrepreneur who is seeking to buy a bigger truck he can use to make deliveries for companies needing his help.
We hope everyone can make plans to visit the Flower Avenue Holiday Market each Saturday. There will be additional vendors (including a rare books dealer on Dec. 10) and other attractions each week. We’re also grateful for anything you can do to help us spread the word through social media and word of mouth. We’ve got a few thousand flyers to distribute, too.
Visit www.orionsattic.com for more information about the market and to learn more about what we’re doing to bring commerce and community together in Silver Spring. You can also contact me directly if you would like to get involved.
Let’s celebrate Long Branch together. Hope to see you Saturday!
Christopher Lancette
Co-proprietor, Orion's Attic
“Buy good stuff, do great things."
chris@orionsattic.com
Like us on Facebook & Follow us on Twitter
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Everybody Loves a Parade!
Come share the fun that is a Parade!
To wet your appetite you can view two short videos from last year’s parade:
Pageantry of the Parade
What People Say About the Parade
You can also read the Parade as featured in the Washington Posts Apartment Showcase HERE.
The Parade starts at 9:30 a.m. So, come early and have breakfast - and stay around afterwards and have lunch – in one of the many eateries throughout the area. For a comprehensive list of restaurants (and more!) visit our website HERE.
The Parade has been held every year since 1997. Grand Marshalls have included past Washington Nationals Manager Manny Acta, FBI and ATF agents that lead the sniper investigations, and our past County Executive, Doug Duncan. This year’s Grand Marshall is our County Executive, Ike Leggett.
The MC will be Brian van de Graaff ABC 7/WJLA-TV’s meteorologist… And, when you come don’t forget to set your DVR to record it! It will be ‘live’ on NewsChannel 8.
One of the beauties of this Parade is that it is much more than just a parade… This is a great opportunity to bring family and friends to enjoy what our community is becoming: An amazing mix of people from all walks of life, distinct backgrounds, every economic level, and wonderful life experiences… The Parade is indeed “Silver Spring”!
The Parade is also a great opportunity to be “where community meets commerce”. The Parade does have a positive economic impact on many of the area businesses, from the smallest, independently owned shops and restaurants in Fenton Village to the mix of retail opportunities and eateries on Ellsworth Drive… You can find it all right here in downtown Silver Spring!... We encourage you to ‘walk around’ and discover that hidden place you might not be as familiar with – you might be surprised at what you find… And, don’t forget to stick around and take a spin or two on Veterans Plaza’s skating rink.
Lastly, if you have not done so yet, definitively stop and ‘soak in’ the beautiful three panels that now dignify our Veterans Plaza… What a better way to kick off Thanksgiving Week than to thank our veterans by patiently reading these beautiful ‘letters home’!
c/u Saturday!
Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Area
To wet your appetite you can view two short videos from last year’s parade:
Pageantry of the Parade
What People Say About the Parade
You can also read the Parade as featured in the Washington Posts Apartment Showcase HERE.
The Parade starts at 9:30 a.m. So, come early and have breakfast - and stay around afterwards and have lunch – in one of the many eateries throughout the area. For a comprehensive list of restaurants (and more!) visit our website HERE.
The Parade has been held every year since 1997. Grand Marshalls have included past Washington Nationals Manager Manny Acta, FBI and ATF agents that lead the sniper investigations, and our past County Executive, Doug Duncan. This year’s Grand Marshall is our County Executive, Ike Leggett.
The MC will be Brian van de Graaff ABC 7/WJLA-TV’s meteorologist… And, when you come don’t forget to set your DVR to record it! It will be ‘live’ on NewsChannel 8.
One of the beauties of this Parade is that it is much more than just a parade… This is a great opportunity to bring family and friends to enjoy what our community is becoming: An amazing mix of people from all walks of life, distinct backgrounds, every economic level, and wonderful life experiences… The Parade is indeed “Silver Spring”!
The Parade is also a great opportunity to be “where community meets commerce”. The Parade does have a positive economic impact on many of the area businesses, from the smallest, independently owned shops and restaurants in Fenton Village to the mix of retail opportunities and eateries on Ellsworth Drive… You can find it all right here in downtown Silver Spring!... We encourage you to ‘walk around’ and discover that hidden place you might not be as familiar with – you might be surprised at what you find… And, don’t forget to stick around and take a spin or two on Veterans Plaza’s skating rink.
Lastly, if you have not done so yet, definitively stop and ‘soak in’ the beautiful three panels that now dignify our Veterans Plaza… What a better way to kick off Thanksgiving Week than to thank our veterans by patiently reading these beautiful ‘letters home’!
c/u Saturday!
Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Area
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