As we build in size and complexity, our Community Coalition needs to pay special attention to how well members are working together and the level of commitment among members to the official mission.  This is especially important since a coalition’s strength ultimately depends upon its ability to function as a unified whole.

 

Our Community Coalition will need to publicize its existence and increase public awareness of its efforts. Some of the many ways our coalition can increase its visibility include: developing and implementing a formal media strategy (e.g., arranging newspaper, television and radio interviews of partners spotlighting the coalition and its work, public service announcements, posting flyers about the coalition in the community, and organizing community forums to educate residents about the coalition and its purpose. If the coalition is well-organized and engaged in notable activities, its publicity efforts should help to increase both its legitimacy and its ability to attract new members.

 

We would like to offer you the opportunity to become a community partner with this Community Coalition and send a liaison who will represent your organization and support the coalition’s efforts. Our partners are also encouraged to host one of our engagement events and/or parent meetings at your facility.  Contribute to a unique effort dedicated to making your community stronger and better connected to its resources through leaders like yourself.

 

The Community Resources team will be working with each of you to implement this media strategy. Community Resources Director Tenisha Wilkins will be leading the social media charge. Investigative Reporter Rachel Mathurin would like to arrange a series of interviews with representatives of each organization highlighting the history and strengths of each member organization. Isabel Tamayo Community Health Coordinator will be responsible for preparing our Health & Wellness team and programs. We view violence as a public health issue and as such our Health & Wellness team will be a major contributor to this initiative. Director of VPC Programs Sam Arkin is scheduling VPC community meetings and establishing new initiatives for the coalition to address.

 

In order to increase its size and strength, the coalition will need to increase the public’s familiarity with the coalition, attract and retain new members, and build stable supportive networks.   By integrating new members into the coalition, the group will stay vital and dynamic, rather than stagnate. In addition to responding to inquiries from interested individuals and organizations, our coalition also recruits by directly approaching and discussing a partnership with potential new members.

 

We would like you to keep us informed and up to date with your activities, events and programs. We are in constant communication with our funding research team to obtain support for coalition initiatives. This financial support includes initiatives involving your organization, so it is vital that you remain in contact with our Community Resources team and respond to their inquiries and requests for information.

 

The Coalition provides support for multiple community initiatives and will engage communities with service projects while articulating the vision for the Families Safety Net (FSN) which pursues the goal of keeping families together during these difficult times by harnessing the resources of private and public sector organizations operating in the Chicago area; recruiting youth ages 5-25 for the YSA Days of Service initiative in addition to the usual service projects and celebration events, we’re encouraging youth to become activists and advocates to address root causes of problems through policy change and challenging everyone to help renew the spirit of democracy and citizenship that’s under threat around the world; Community Youth Councils (CYC) provides an opportunity for youth to engage in a structured partnership with community leaders, business owners and community organizations in the operation of their community. Partially funded by the fund for Safe & Peaceful Communities the Violence Prevention Consortium engages business owners, organizations, clergy and residents in the community who come together regularly to discuss violence, its root causes in the community and action steps to end it.  The consortium is rooted in restorative justice practices and encourages all its fellow community members to participate in its actions by joining in and lending their powerful voice.

 

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact Outreach Coordinator Ryan Qiu directly.  If you haven’t scheduled and conducted an organizational briefing with Tenisha Wilkins this quarter, please schedule a briefing immediately.   Be sure you rsvp for the next online coalition meeting. Your cooperation and participation is vital to the coalition’s success.