Community Development

Through its continued involvement in Norwood, MPC has become a national model for community preservation and development. The success of the organization is due to its collaborative efforts with other community service institutions and groups. Mosholu Preservation Corporation has partnerships with every  Norwood based activity including civic groups, youth programs, merchant groups, park conservancies, and housing agencies.

BLOOMS INITIATIVE

In an effort to more effectively respond to the needs of Norwood and neighboring Bedford Park communities, MPC partnered with three other community organizations: Mosholu Montefiore Communcity Center (MMCC), Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC), and the West Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center. This combined effort was established as the BLOOMS Initiative. It is an effort to help local institutions and residents work together in the sharing of information and enhance neighborhood interactions. Twice a year the associations convene to create a community-based list of needs. The first meetings determined that was a need to communicate resources available, strengthen the sense of community, and promote professional development.

Community Directory

To promote and increase the awareness of all available resources, the four organizations recently compiled all neighborhood associations and operations into a single Community Directory. Residents voiced their concern not for the lack of resource opportunities available but for the inadequate publication of those resources. This bi-lingual directory helps residents locate needed resources within the community. The pamphlet includes lists of cultural and religious organizations, health services, merchant associations, community organizations, youth and senior services, and even job skills training. Even more important than the pamphlet’s accesiability, was its incorporation of Spanish translation. With 44 percent of the community being recent Hispanic immigrants, inclusion of a Spanish version was essential to providing awareness of crucial resources.

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Skills Development & Communal Interaction

The last two objectives involved an in depth solution with intensive involvement between all four organizations.  The success of skills development would also require the communal interaction. Skill development would cover all areas from entry-level job training to professional development which included technological expertise and financial strategies. These services would be provided in majority by the Mosholu Preservation Corportation and Mosholu Montefiore Community Center. Communal integration would be supported primarily by MPC and the NWBCCC through reoccurring community events. These events included those of listening campaigns in institutions (NWBCCC), ‘summer celebration the park’ (MPC), and horticultural work in parks (MPC).

Quality of Life

Mosholu Preservation Corporation also recognized the importance of a community to create pride among its residents. The beautification of Norwood was vital to the quality of life in the community that sense of pride. On the top of MPC’s list was to create substantial greenery through the community. With continued grant money from Montefiore Hospital and Partnerships for Parks, MPC consistently maintains side walk trees and the Williamsbridge Oval flower beds. MPC also created a Horticulture program encouraging the preservation of plant life in the community through park cleanup days. Preservation of older trees is important as saplings can take decades to attain similar fullness and richness.

In 2004, MPC instated the ‘Cut the Crap’ campaign designed to combat animal waste on walkways. MPC installed plastic bag dispensers along heavily, dog-trafficked areas and nearby open fields and lawns. In a similar effort to maintain the sanitary image of Norwood, MPC hires ‘Partners in Grime’, a group of workers that removal bird and other animal droppings from sidewalks by power washing. They currently focus on the sidewalks immediately surround Norwood’s subway entrances.

Resources:

http://www.mpcbronx.org/WhatsNew_norwoodblooms.html

http://www.mpcbronx.org/quality.html

http://www.mpcbronx.org/quality_cutthecrap.html

http://www.mpcbronx.org/comdev_history.html