NTAC APRIL UPDATE

Submitted By:

Damon Y. Smith, Project Coordinator

Introduction

The month of April was spent providing volunteers for local projects with the NTAC coordinating the University of Illinois’ Spring Work Weekends, and assisting two Alternative Spring Break groups who volunteered to work for East St. Louis organizations. The work weekends occured on April _______, and _______ with an alternative spring break group from __________ to __________________________.

Carver Community Center

Students from Preofessor Mike Andrejasich’s Architecture 372 clas worked with Rev. Andrew Jackson and members of the North End Baptist Church on the Carver Community Center. The purpose of this project is to rehabilitate an old school into a community center for area residents. A great deal of painting, scraping , and plastering was accomplished on the project.

Olivette Park Neighborhood Association

Students from Professors Brian Orland and Stephen Wierzbowski’s studio cleared two badly overgrown lots strewn with trash in Olivette Park. In addition, 15 students from Southern Methodist University workedon cleaning lots in Olivette Park.

Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities

Students from Southern Methodist University’s Alternative Spring Break assisted the Katherine Dunham Centers by clearing out a building for future use as a bed and breakfast. This bed and breakfast can be a future source of funds for the beleaguered arts center.

Alta Sita Neighborhood Association

Members of the University of Illinois’ Federation of Christian Athletes worked on a variety of projects in the Alta Sita Neighborhood, including creating flower beds in the local mini-park and cleaning up an abandoned lot.

Alta Sita Development Corporation

Students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign assisted Ms. Sandra Reeves and neighborhood children by painting playground equipment in Virginia Park in preparation for Summer. Assistance was also obtained from the East St. Louis Park District.

Mt. Sinai Family Life Center

University of Illinois staff installed new computer hardware and software at the Mt. Sinai Youth Service Computer Center as part of a Youthlink initiative to allow greater access to computers and the Internet for neighborhood children.

Winstanley Industry/Park Neighborhood Organization

Staff supervised the alternative Spring Break group from Wartburg College, Iowa as they painted, scraped, cleaned, and rehabilitated the Winstanley/Industry Park Neighborhood Organization. The University of Illinois also provided students to assist in the opening of the East St. Louis Farmer’s Market.

Emerson Park Development Corporation

University of Illinois students assisted residents in lot cleanu-ups all across the Emerson Park neighborhood.

Lansdowne Improvement Association (LIA)

The Lansdowne Improvement Association received training manuals on Landscape Architecture and volunteers to assist in the development of a mini-park. This project is related to LIA’s Urban Resource Partnership Grant.