The social fabric of many of our neighborhoods has unraveled and neighbors often become disconnected and discouraged. Neighborhood associations bring together neighbors of diverse backgrounds with common concerns for safety, properties, homes, and community building. Neighbors in South Bend who participate in neighborhood associations work with city officials, including police and fire departments, to address issues with a goal of improving the quality of life throughout our city.

Neighborhood Resources Corporation (NRC) has learned that local, coordinated strategies based on real relationships between individuals and institutions are paramount for affecting sustained community improvement. NRC strengthens neighborhoods through planning, organizing, and human and organizational capacity building. This comprehensive approach not only builds on existing community strengths but also broadens opportunities for local residents through better education, safer streets, and new economic opportunities. The strengthened, connected, and organized community is better equipped to attract new investment, and enhance the overall quality of life of the region. Examples of organizations that began as a small group of concerned and committed neighbors include South Bend Heritage, Near Northwest Neighborhood, Inc. (NNN) and the Near Northeast Neighborhood Council.

In 2009, NRC officially separated from the City and began life as an independent nonprofit, hiring an executive director, relocating our offices, continuing existing programs and developing new initiatives such as the weekly NRC E-News and Neighborhood Roundtables. The NRC News contains news relevant to neighborhoods along with community activities and events (mostly low cost or free) plus links to pertinent articles and new books, most available through the St. Joseph County Library. The Roundtables provide an opportunity for neighbors from all parts of the City to come together to develop connections, express concerns, share solutions, give feedback to the NRC, and learn about local initiatives that may impact them.

In 2010, NRC developed the INSPIRE (Innovative Neighbors Solving Problems and Inspiring Resident Engagement) competitive matching grant program. This grant seeks to build upon the strengths and assets within South Bend neighborhoods by providing financial resources for projects, events, and activities designed to increase resident engagement, promote neighborhood action focused on collaboration and sustainability, and establish new and stronger relationships among grassroots organizations and businesses. Our INSPIRE Grant Awards Panel includes representatives from the City of South Bend, Memorial Community Health Enhancement, Notre Dame Downtown, South Bend Heritage, Bridges Out of Poverty, Broadway Christian Parish, and Near Northwest Neighborhood, Inc. To date, NRC has awarded over $35,000 to projects which have included a neighborhood health initiative, transforming a Unity Garden into a community gathering spot, a neighborhood food co-op, a west side community garden, and youth leadership development.

We sponsor an average of 15 neighbors annually so they can attend the Regional Neighborhood Network and Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) conferences where they can network with neighbors and learn best practices from around the five state region (Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee) and the nation (NUSA). Neighbors return energized and equipped with new ideas and skills. As a result of attending past conference participants have reinvigorated languishing neighborhood associations, initiated new projects, organized as 501c3s, and made a positive impact in their neighborhoods.

Working with a committee of neighborhood representatives, NRC is currently developing a Neighborhood Leadership Academy, in cooperation with South Bend Heritage, so that we can provide increased opportunity to acquire skills and to network with neighbors and officials locally. This 8-week program scheduled to launch in February 2012 will focus on developing basic leadership skills which will empower participants to create stronger and more sustainable neighborhood associations.

Another exciting project that NRC is launching this fall is Engaging Youth, Engaging Neighborhoods in which youth will tell the story of their neighborhoods through photos. But not only will they tell their story, they will identify and prioritize their concerns, brainstorm possible solutions, and then learn who they need to bring to the table to turn their vision into reality. Teams of youth will be nominated by their neighborhood associations and the winning team will be awarded scholarships to attend post-secondary training or education. By engaging youth in this project, NRC plans to start developing a new generation of engaged neighborhood and community leaders.

It is through this type of programming that NRC works with neighborhood organizations to weave the fabric of community in South Bend.