8/19/05
National Neighborhood Day Awards Mini-Grants to 11 Providence Organizations
On August 17, 2005 National Neighborhood awarded mini-grants to 11 Providence community organizations. The mini-grants will support National Neighborhood Day 2005 events in 8 different Providence neighborhoods on the second Sunday in September. Activities will include the cleaning of the Wall of Hope, neighborhood clean-ups, tree plantings, block parties, and food drives. The organizations receiving grants include Crossroads RI, Greater Elmwood Neighborhood Association, Groundwork Providence, Lennon Street Residents, The Met School, Providence Crime Watch, Providence Housing Authority, St Francis Chapel & City Ministry Center, Violet Hill Club Association, West Broadway Neighborhood Association and Rhode Island Community & Justice. The awards ranged from $225 to $500.

The National Neighborhood Day mini-grant program, funded through the generosity of the Rhode Island Foundation, was intended to provide small grants, up to $500, to enable Providence-based organizations to create an neighborhood-based event on National Neighborhood Day (Sept 11, 2005) both supporting the mission of National Neighborhood Day and leveraging the work of nonprofit, community based organizations.

The simple goal of National Neighborhood Day is to bring neighbors together and to help enhance neighborhood connections. NND Founder, Lorne Adrain, comments “We see National Neighborhood Day as a natural extension to the work of community and neighborhood-based organizations that share our mission. We strive to enhance the valuable programs that organizations are already contributing to our neighborhoods as well as, inspire new ones.”

National Neighborhood Day (NND) was established in 2004 as a vehicle for inspiring, building, and sustaining neighborhood relationships that provide the foundation for civic action and the building of stronger, more caring and effective communities. It is celebrated each year on the second Sunday of each September to recognize and reinforce the relationships that are the fabric of our communities by re-kindling friendships; welcoming new neighbors; catching up on each others' families, interests and needs; working collectively to improve the neighborhood and sharing food, fellowship and fun.

5/20/05
Lorne Adrain receives Inspired Partner Award from the Rhode Island Foundation...
download the press release >

8/26/04
Keep America Beautiful collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Keep America Beautiful Inc. is the nation's largest volunteer-based community improvement organization. Its national network of nearly 1,000 local, statewide and international affiliates and participating organizations educate and engage individuals to change behaviors and improve a community's quality of life. Keep America Beautiful fosters the community improvement partnerships and programs that prevent litter, help reduce, reuse and recycle waste, and beautify our lands, waterways, and our built environment. For more information, please visit www.kab.org. For more ideas for your National Neighborhood Day gathering, please visit www.kab.org.

Take Pride in America® is a national partnership established by the U.S. Department of the Interior that aims to invite, support and recognize volunteers who work to improve our public parks, forests, grasslands, reservoirs, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, local playgrounds, and other recreation areas. With 100 Charter Partners, Take Pride involves federal, state and local governments, conservation, youth and recreation groups, and top national corporations and organizations. Together, we protect and enhance the special legacy all Americans share – our public lands that cover one in every three acres across the Nation. For more information visit: www.TakePride.gov.

8/26/04 Street Safe Kids collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Street Safe Kids and its national "Awareness" Campaign promotes teen and community service to help families and neighbors organize and build safety networks for children with safety awareness, recognizing differences in people and finding ways to reduce crime and violence for the good of all. Their community-based and grassroots focus is to bring people together to keep all children safe. Because they believe that stopping violence starts at home and with family, our "Awareness" Campaign also offers the tools, resources and training to create safety networks of support to protect children and empower youth. For more information, please visit www.compeace.org.

8/25/04 Teach For America collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Teach For America is building the movement to eliminate educational inequity in this country. Since 1990, more than 12,000 exceptional individuals have joined Teach For America, committing two years to teach in low-income rural and urban communities. Following this experience, many have become committed leaders in the effort to expand opportunities for all children. For more information, please visit www.teachforamerica.org.

8/25/04 Global Fund for Children collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
The Global Fund for Children (GFC) seeks to advance the education and dignity of young people around the world. Through grant-making, GFC supports innovative community-based educational organizations that serve some of the world's most vulnerable children. At the core of GFC's community education program is its book-publishing venture, Shakti for Children. Evoking the Hindi word for empowerment, Shakti for Children's innovative collection of books presents themes of diversity and tolerance. These books encourage children and adults to value their place in the global community. The latest book, Be My Neighbor, celebrates the many different ways children live in community with others and features words of wisdom from Fred Rogers, a beloved neighbor to children everywhere. Please visit www.globalfundforchildren.org and www.shakti.org.

8/20/04 Youth Venture collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Youth Venture's mission is to enable young people (ages 12-20) nationwide to create, launch, and lead "Youth Ventures" - organizations, clubs, or businesses that benefit the community. Youth Venture helps Venturers (young social entrepreneurs and their team members) develop concrete plans of action to address community issues that concern them. They provide an array of tools and resources designed to help youth realize their goals and dreams while simultaneously transforming their communities. For more information, please visit www.youthventure.org.

8/19/04 Boys & Girls Clubs collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
In every community, boys and girls are left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets. An increasing number of children are at home with no adult care or supervision. Young people need to know that someone cares about them. Boys & Girls Clubs offer that and more. Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. For more information, please visit www.bgca.org.

8/19/04 The National Conference for Community and Justice helps to spread the word about National Neighborhood Day
The National Conference for Community and Justice, founded in 1927 as The National Conference of Christians and Jews, is a human relations organization dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and racism in America. NCCJ promotes understanding and respect among all races, religions and cultures through advocacy, conflict resolution and education. For more information, please visit www.nccj.org.

8/19/04 Neighbor's Day collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
In an era of high tech communication and remote control everything, the days of block parties and neighborly get-togethers are few and far apart. Many of the friendly front porch American suburbs of decades past have become streets of strangers. Thanks to the Neighbor’s Day Initiative Group (NDIG), a publicly supported not-for-profit organization promoting safer neighborhoods through positive communication, many neighbors will finally find the time to walk outside and get to know the people we share every day of our lives with. On the last Saturday in September (September 25, 2005), thousands of Americans will once again take time out to say hi to their neighbors and try to rectify this collapse of community communication. For more information, please visit www.neighborsday.org.

8/16/04 National Trust for Historic Preservation collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
As the leader of Americas dynamic preservation movement, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has worked for more than half a century to save the historic buildings, neighborhoods, and landscapes that form our communities and enrich our lives. People just like you are working all over the country to make sure that our rich heritage stays alive. To find out how you can be a part of this movement by supporting the National Trust, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.

8/16/04 Youth Service America collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Youth Service America (YSA) is a resource center that partners with thousands of organizations committed to increasing the quality and quantity of volunteer opportunities for young people in America, ages 5-25, to serve locally, nationally, and globally. Founded in 1986, YSA's mission is to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability, and scale of the youth service and service-learning fields. A strong youth service movement will create healthy communities and foster citizenship, knowledge, and the personal development of young people. For more information, please visit www.ysa.org

8/13/04 The National Assembly of Health and Human Service Organizations collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
The National Assembly of Health and Human Service Organizations is an association of the nation's leading national non-profits in the field of health and human services. Many of the member organizations are national offices of large networks of local health & human service organizations. Others are national research or resource organizations or national programs. For more information, please visit www.nassembly.org.

8/12/04 United Neighborhood Houses collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
United Neighborhood Houses (UNH) is the umbrella organization for settlement houses throughout New York City. UNH works for progressive change in social and public policies and to strengthen community resources. UNH and its member settlements address critical issues facing New Yorkers, such as unemployment, hunger, racism, domestic and community violence and help provide access to child care, youth development services, care and activities for seniors, English as a Second Language (ESL) and literacy programs, technology and the arts. For more information, please visit www.unhny.org.

8/11/04 - National Family Week collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
During Thanksgiving week, thousands of people across the United States will join together during the 34th annual National Family Week and celebrate the connections they have with their families and communities. National Family Week: Connections Count embraces the premise that children live better lives when their families are strong, and families are strong when they live in communities that connect them to economic opportunities, social networks, and services. For more information, please visit www.nationalfamilyweek.org.

8/11/04 The City of Boston Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) encourages, facilitates and maximizes citizen input and participation in all aspects of government through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses. For more information, please visit www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/ons.asp.

8/11/04 - Changemakers collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Changemakers is an initiative of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public that focuses on the rapidly growing world of social entrepreneurship. Its mission is to provide inspiration, resources, and opportunities for those interested in social change throughout the world. For more information, please vist www.changemakers.net or visit the Changemakers Library at www.changemakers.net/library.

8/10/04 Rebuilding Together collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Neighbors helping neighbors, like the barn-raising of old, is the American spirit in action. Rebuilding Together was born of that spirit as people came together to help their low-income neighbors fix their houses. Rebuilding Together's mission is to preserve and revitalize houses and communities, assuring that low-income homeowners, particularly those who are elderly and disabled and families with children, live in warmth, safety, and independence. For more information, please visit www.rebuildingtogether.org

8/10/04 KaBOOM! collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
KaBOOM! invites National Neighborhood Day organizers and partners to get a jump start on planning a playspace build in your community by attending our University of Play (U Play!), the annual, award-winning playground and skatepark planning conference that has given thousands of community-builders the tools to create safe new playspaces in their communities. Since 1995, KaBOOM! has been motivating communities nationwide to create healthy play opportunities for young people. Using our innovative community-build model in neighborhoods across the country, KaBOOM! has created nearly 700 new playgrounds and skateparks and renovated more than 1,300 playgrounds and two sports field complexes. Join community and civic leaders, child-care providers and parents from around the country October 21-23, 2004 at the Embassy Suites Plaza Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, for three days of learning, inspiration and fun. You'll even get hands-on experience at a community-build playground event! To learn more about U Play!, related challenge grant opportunities, or how to register, visit www.kaboom.org. Online, you'll also find the KaBOOM! PlaySpace Planner, a free tool that lets you manage, organize and publicize your neighborhood playspace project with the click of a mouse!

8/10/04 Jewish Federation of Rhode Island collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
The mission of the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island is to perpetuate and enhance a vibrant Jewish community through its development of human and financial resources, planning and allocations, community relations and leadership development to meet the changing needs of Jews locally, nationally, in Israel and worldwide. The JFRI is committed to enhancing the connection of individuals to their community by enriching the quality of their Jewish experience. For more information, please visit www.jfri.org.

7/30/04 - National Neighborhood Day joins National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership as an Affiliate
The National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) is a collaborative effort by the Urban Institute and local partners to further the development and use of neighborhood information systems in local policymaking and community building. For more information, please visit http://www.urban.org/nnip/index.htm.

7/29/04 - Campus Compact collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 900 college and university presidents committed to the civic purposes of higher education. To support this civic mission, Campus Compact promotes community service that develops students' citizenship skills and values, encourages partnerships between campuses and communities, and assists faculty who seek to integrate public and community engagement into their teaching and research. For more information, go to www.compact.org.

7/26/04 National Crime Prevention Council Collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
NCPC's Mission is to enable people to create safer and more caring communities by addressing the causes of crime and violence and reducing the opportunities for crime to occur. For more information, please visit www.ncpc.org.

7/22/04 - Boy Scouts of America collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. Good Turn for America is a national call to service by the Boy Scouts of America that will help provide adequate food and shelter and to develop good health habits in our nation. Current and former Boy Scouts across the country are encouraged to host National Neighborhood Day gatherings on September 11. For more information, go to www.goodturnforamerica.org.

7/20/04 - National Service Alumni Network collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
The National Service Alumni Network is the nonprofit, 501(c)3, dues-paying association for people who have completed a year or more of service to community. Their vision is that one day all citizens will become fully engaged civic activists, participating in our democracy to improve our communities and the world. Their belief is that the 500,000+ alumni of national service programs are the greatest untapped reservoir of 'civic power" in this country. These alumni are ethnically, religiously, economically and geographically diverse, yet united by their ground-level
experience and their passion to make a difference. For more information, go to www.nsan.org.

7/15/04 - United Way of the Bluegrass collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
United Way of the Bluegrass, located in Lexington, Kentucky, is a community leader proactively addressing identified strategic community health and human service needs through the development of resources, collaborations, and sound stewardship while continually measuring our ability to impact the quality of life in the regional community. United Way of the Bluegrass mobilizes the caring power of our regional community to improve lives. For more information, go to www.uwbg.org.

7/14/04 - Network for Good collaborates with National Neighborhood Day
Network for Good is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the Web to help people get more involved in their communities - from volunteering and donating money, to getting involved with issues they care about. For more information, go to www.networkforgood.org.

7/14/04 - Citizens for NYC partners with National Neighborhood Day
Citizens for NYC's mission is to stimulate and support self-help and civic action to improve the quality of life in New York City neighborhoods. Citizens for NYC mobilizes New Yorkers to improve their neighborhoods in the areas of Urban Environment and Beautification, Safety, Poverty, Neighborhood Diversity, Youth-Led Community Service and Youth Entrepreneurship. They help New Yorkers build strong neighborhood volunteer groups that solve local problems, providing small grants, workshops, self-help information and assistance to more than 12,000 grassroots volunteer groups throughout the city's five boroughs. For more information, go to http://ccnyc.neighborhoodlink.com/ccnyc/index.html.

7/12/04 Nancy Kirsch joins National Neighborhood Day Team
Nancy Kirsch has joined the National Neighborhood Day Team as Director of Corporate Development. Nancy was a lobbyist in Washington D.C. for several years before moving to Providence, R.I. to serve as General Counsel to a Rhode Island based textile company. She has also worked with Brown University Medical School, Southside Community Land Trust, and has done extensive volunteer work.

7/9/04 - Social Venture Partners International Partners with National Neighborhood Day
Social Venture Partners International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the dual mission of engaged philanthropy promotion and nonprofit capacity building shares a strong commitment to the goals behind National Neighborhood Day. Like National Neighborhood Day, SVPI seeks to effect positive social change in local communities. SVPI pursues this goal by supporting the work of 22 local Social Venture Partner Affiliates across Canada and the United States in their shared effort to provide educational opportunities for philanthropists and strategic support to community nonprofits. In the last five years, Social Venture Partner (SVP) Affiliates have contributed more than $13 million and thousands of volunteer hours to build the capacity of nonprofits, as well as providing myriad opportunities for new and emerging philanthropists to increase the quality and quantity of their giving. For more information, please visit www.svpi.org.

7/8/04 - Sydney Hartsock and Naomi Rosenberg join National Neighborhood Day Team
Sydney and Naomi have joined the National Neighborhood Team as Co-Directors of the Film Contest. Naomi is a sophomore history major at Goucher College who loves movies and feels that they are an extremely effective form of art and a great tool to reach community on a very large scale. Sydney is a senior economics and English double major at Middlebury College. She is also an aspiring writer whose main love for movies comes from a love for stories, and the beauty of a well told story. Both will be working to promote the film contest through various venues.

7/1/04 - United Methodist Church partners with National Neighborhood Day
In conjunction with the denomination's "Open House Month" emphasis in September, The United Methodist Church is encouraging its churches to participate actively in National Neighborhood Day. By taking part in these gatherings, churches demonstrate how they are living the promise of "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors" through their community involvement and relationship building. For more information, go to www.ignitingministry.org.

6/18/04 - Big Brothers Rhode Island partners with National Neighborhood Day
Big Brothers Rhode Island partners boys without fathers with positive male role models to turn to during the often-turbulent years of adolescence. National Neighborhood Day gives big brothers an opportunity to work with their little brothers to affect positive change in their neighborhoods. For more information, go to www.bigbrothersri.org.

6/2/04 - Leadership Rhode Island partners with National Neighborhood Day
Leadership Rhode Island (LRI) provides leaders and emerging leaders with knowledge and access to resources which will enable them to positively affect their communities. Because LRI alumni are demonstrated leaders, active community volunteers, and agents for community building and civic engagement in their neighborhoods, they are encouraged to initiate and host gatherings in their neighborhoods. For more information, go to www.leadershipri.org.

5/28/04 - Suzanne Perry joins National Neighborhood Day team
Suzanne is skilled at identifying community hubs and will be creating and managing relationships with Rhode Island based non-profit organizations. Organizations interested in promoting National Neighborhood Day or having Suzanne speak at their next meeting in Rhode Island can contact the office.

5/25/04 - Tom Cerio joins as Advisor
Tom Cerio is the Executive Vice President for Program Distribution for HBO. We welcome him and look forward to his ongoing support and guidance.

5/18/04 - Short Film Contest Launched
National Neighborhood Day is pleased to announce the launch of its short film contest. Cash awards will be granted to first ($5000), second ($2000) and third ($1000) place selections. The contest will be juried by two-time Academy Award winner Terry Sanders and Mike Majoros, film maker and film professor at the Rhode Island School of Design.

5/13/04 - Seema Bharwani joins National Neighborhood Day team
Seema is currently pursuing dual Masters degrees in Social Work and Business Administration. She brings a wealth of non-profit experience to the team. As Director of Alliances, she will manage our various non-profit alliance initiatives.

3/11/04 - New Web site launched
National Neighborhood Day is pleased to announce the launching of its new Web site. This dynamic, interactive home on the Internet features video, pictures, tools and guidance to inspire people to get involved.

3/4/04 - Alan Khazei joins as Advisor
Alan Khazei co-founded and serves as CEO of City Year, an Action Tank for national service. City Year seeks to demonstrate, improve and promote the concept of national service as a means for building a stronger democracy.

2/5/04 - Peter Hocking joins as Advisor
Peter Hocking is Associate Dean of the College and Director of the Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University. Over the past eighteen years, he has participated in a variety of public interest projects in Rhode Island and is adjunct professor of philosophy and of fine arts at Rhode Island School of Design.

12/17/03 - Lewis Feldstein joins as Advisor
Nationally recognized expert on the importance of neighborhood, Lewis Feldstein, has agreed to serve as an Advisor to National Neighborhood Day. In addition to co-authoring, with Robert Putnam, ‘Better Together’, Feldstein is President of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.