Hillside

Building a Community

Community building and organizing is an integral component to successful community revitalization. DASH continuously works to foster community involvement and residential leadership within its neighborhoods. DASH recognizes that it can build houses and make physical enhancements to a neighborhood but that only families can build homes -- and only neighbors can build communities. True neighborhood revitalization depends on active community involvement and leadership.

To empower neighborhood residents, DASH provides them ample opportunity to voice their concerns and desires for the revitalization projects in their community. We are proud of our successes at Hillside which have fostered a sense of community among residents and unveiled talented volunteers and potential community leaders. Major accomplishments include:

• Hillside Neighborhood Watch. Initiated by DASH in August 2004, monthly Neighborhood Watch meetings are held at DASH offices followed by a covered dish dinner. A LaGrange police officer attends each meeting and other speakers lead discussions on specific areas of concern, such as home security, code enforcement and neighborhood organizing. Attendance averages 15 families.

• Resident Leadership. A primary DASH objective is to develop active community leaders. In addition to recruiting neighborhood volunteers to lend their talents to specific activities, it is critical that community leaders are identified and trained to unite residents and maintain a cohesive neighborhood voice. Since 2005, several Hillside residents have traveled to Miami, Fla., for NeighborWorks Leadership Training. Hillside neighbors plan to travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in October 2009 for additional training.

• Tax Preparation Program. Free tax preparation is offered to residents with incomes under $35,000. The service saves many residents from having to pay for income tax preparation and ensures that those assisted get the maximum deductions available, including Earned Income Tax Credit. Accounting students from LaGrange College volunteer to assist with this program.

• Saturday Curb Market. A morning market is held at Doc Spier's Gathering Place on most first Saturdays. Hillside residents join outside vendors in offering baked goods or wares to sell while neighbors from throughout Troup County come to shop for treasures and join in lively camaraderie. The Market gives Hillside residents an opportunity to chat with their neighbors and DASH staff who regularly attend.

• Hillside Christmas. Neighborhood volunteers assist residents in hanging Christmas lights (and taking them down after the holidays) to help make the streets look bright and festive. In addition, neighbors join to go caroling through the community, followed by a get-together at Doc Spier's Gathering Place with homemade hot apple cider and a cookie swap.

• Hillside Clean-up. Neighborhood volunteers, young and old, join twice a year for a morning of picking up litter that has accumulated on public areas and vacant lots. In addition to beautifying the neighborhood, the clean-up effort is hoped to instill in residents a sense of pride in their community. The work is followed by fun, with a potluck barbecue dinner at Doc Speir's Gathering Place.

 As the Hillside neighborhood becomes more and more self-sustaining, DASH is enabled to focus more attention on other LaGrange neighborhoods in need.

To volunteer your time and talents to any of these projects -- or if you have ideas for other neighborhood activities you'd like to lead -- contact DASH Assistant Director Cathy Smith at (706) 298-0221, ext. 125, or .