Lifeline Community Development Corporation Of Merced County

WE EXIST TO EMPOWER IMPOVERISHED NEIGHBORHOODS TO THRIVE BY USING A STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH (ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT-ABCD). WE HELP SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES BY HAVING COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT GIVE PEOPLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND TO COME TOGETHER TO CULTIVATE THEIR ASSETS.

THE WINTON COMMUNITY CENTER PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME TOGETHER, SHARE THEIR RESOURCES, AND HELP EACH OTHER THRIVE. WINTON IS A SMALL UNINCORPORATED TOWN IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA THAT IS OFTEN NEGLECTED, BUT COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE TO "PUT WINTON ON THE MAP FOR SOMETHING GOOD". OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT GROUPS, NON-PROFITS, AND THE FAITH COMMUNITIES PROVIDE PLATFORMS FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN, GROW, AND ACCESS RESOURCES. OUR COMMUNITY CENTER IS A HUB OF ACTIVITIES PROVIDING RESOURCES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MOVE FORWARD, LIKE: ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, A COMMUNITY GARDEN, HEALTHY EATING EDUCATION, COMMUNITY GARDENS, EMERGENCY FOOD, MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITY-DRIVEN INITIATIVES. OUR CENTER HAS COMPUTERS TO HELP WITH RESUMES, JOB SEARCHES, DISTANCE LEARNING ETC. WE ENCOURAGE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, HAVE KID'S TIME, HELP WITH COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION, AND WORK TOGETHER TO HELP CREATE A TOWN THAT HAS GOOD THINGS TO OFFER. OUR RECENT OPENING OF THE PEOPLE'S FRIDGE PROVIDES FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRUIT 24 HOURS A DAY TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO IMPROVE THE RESILIENCE IN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID.

THE LOUGHBOROUGH AREA IS A HIGH-DENSITY COMMUNITY OF LOWER-INCOME HOUSING. YET, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE DEEPLY ENOUGH ABOUT EACH OTHER TO WANT TO HELP THE COMMUNITY GROW. OUR COMMUNITY CENTER IS A HUB FOR MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDES A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR 15-20 FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO DO HOMEWORK, PLAY, LEARN SOCIAL SKILLS, AND GO BEYOND THEIR WALLS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC POVERTY. COMPUTER HELP, CONVERSATIONS, BIBLE STUDIES, COMMUNITY GARDEN, HEALTH EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH CLASSES, FREE TAX ASSISTANCE, COMMUNITY CLEAN-UPS, AND MANY OTHER THINGS BRING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TOGETHER TO ENVISION A BETTER FUTURE AND MOVE OUT OF POVERTY. OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS BRING KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY. WE PARTNERED WITH A LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO PROVIDE TUTORING TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS CAN RECOVER FROM THE LOCK-DOWNS DURING COVID. COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW THAT THEY CAN COME TO THE CENTER TO GET RESOURCES, FIND A LISTENING PERSON AND HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO USE THEIR OWN GIFTS AND ABILITIES TO HELP OTHERS. OUR CENTER IS OPEN TO 3,000 HOUSEHOLDS, AND TOGETHER, WE 'POP THE BUBBLE' OF POVERTY BY HELPING PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES OFTEN OUTSIDE THEIR REACH.

COACHING/TRAINING AND EQUIPPING - USING ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (ABCD) PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES REQUIRES A MAJOR SHIFT IN UNDERSTANDING TO MOVE FROM 'NEEDS-BASED' PROGRAMS TO 'STRENGTH-BASED' EMPOWERING RELATIONSHIPS. WE TRAIN INDIVIDUALS, NONPROFITS, AND OTHER GROUPS IN FIRST CONSIDERING THE ASSETS ALREADY PRESENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: THE PEOPLE, SKILLS, RESOURCES, AND DREAMS THAT ARE ALREADY PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO NEEDS-BASED APPROACHES COMMONLY USED TO RENDER SERVICES TO THE NEEDY. THE DIRECTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY DETERMINES THE DESTINY AT THE END. WE FOCUS ON THE LOCAL RESOURCES AND BUILD COMMUNITY AND CAPACITY, WHEREAS A NEEDS-BASED APPROACH CAN FOSTER DEPENDENCY AND DISINCENTIVIZE INITIATIVE. THE ABCD APPROACH IS WELL RESPECTED IN COMMUNITY WORK, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING IT OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, OFTEN WORKERS FALL BACK INTO THE FAMILIAR 'WHAT CAN WE PROVIDE FOR YOU?' WE ARE CHANGING THE LANGUAGE AND THE OUTCOMES BY ENGAGING NEIGHBORHOODS FROM THE BEGINNING IN SELF-DETERMINING THEIR PREFERRED FUTURE. OUR COACHING INCLUDED THE STEPS OF ABCD, LISTENING CONVERSATIONS, UNDERSTANDING POVERTY CULTURE, HOW TO ADDRESS JUSTICE ISSUES IN COLLABORATIVE WAYS, AND MANY OTHER TOPICS. WE WALK ALONGSIDE TEAMS WHO LIVE OUR GOOD ABCD PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES.

OTHER PROGRAMS: PACT (PROBATION/PAROLE AND COMMUNITY TEAM) - RECOGNIZE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE AMAZING RESILIENCE AND YET ARE VERY FRAGILE AT THE SAME TIME. WHEN PEOPLE ARE RELEASED FROM JAIL OR PRISON, THEY OFTEN DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS TO REENTER THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS IN PEACEFUL WAYS. WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH PAROLE AND PROBATION TO CREATE A MONTHLY ONE-STOP EVENT IN LOS BANOS AND MERCED TO HELP RETURNING CITIZENS AND THEIR FAMILIES GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO REENTER SUCCESSFULLY. WE ALSO PROVIDE COACHING AND MENTORING TO HELP WITH THE REENTRY AND SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES. EMERGENCY FOOD AND ACCESS TO HEALTHY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES - DURING THESE ARE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD IS ESSENTIAL FOR PEOPLE TO THRIVE. OUR GARDENS, OUR PEOPLE'S FRIDGES, AND OUR HEALTH EDUCATION ON A BUDGET ALL HELP TO EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE. AS PEOPLE RECOVER FROM THE EFFECTS OF COVID LOCK-DOWNS AND ECONOMIC CHANGES WE PIVOT TO ENSURE THAT OUR YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO EXTRA EDUCATION HELP, AND OUR ADULTS ARE ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK.