AVillage's 2012 Executive Director Report

I will work with/for my community for the rest of my life, this is my life and my time and I can do with it as I choose, and I choose to serve my community, Dr. King said that we are all great because we all can serve, I chose to get involved in many different projects because staying busy has helped me forget about the pain that I live with every day of my life, after three back surgeries, the last one being a fusion, which mean steel rods was placed on my spine to stabilize it, so when you think that you can beat up on me, just remember! "I have a spine of Steel" all jokes aside, I love my community and I love the work that me and my community do together. Let's take a look at some of the work that AVillage is doing and Involved in, also with whom we work.

You can be a partner, we want you as a partner, just a few to mention: Albany City/County/Charter Schools, Albany Police Dept., Habitat for Humanity of the Capital Distrist, Albany Housing Authority, African American Cultural Center of the Capital Region, Albany City Library's, Center for Law and Justice, Capital Distrist Transportation Authority, Albany Family Education Alliance, The Lincoln Fund, Self Development of People, Council of Neighborhood Associations, John Miller Incarceration Prevention Program,Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region, Grand Street Community Arts and many many more... You know who you are, now let's talk about some projects that AVillage that AVillage is working on:

In collaboration with the ReigningLife FamilyChurch AVillage is doing a fundraiser for The Bobb-Semple Family, Please see attached Flyer,

In collaboration with the New School Superintendent Dr. "V" and Albany Family Education Alliance, AVillage will work in our community on Parental Engagement, AVillage hosted Dr. "V" at our weekly Meeting on Feb. 14th, very exciting Fireside Chat...Photo's coming soon,

In collaboration with Grand Street Community Arts, AVillage and the South End Partners are Planning our Third Annual South End Earth Day (April 20th) more info to come,

In collaboration with The Albany Police Dept. AVillage is organizing 15 Youth in the South End to participate in a "Youth and Police Initiative" training, upon completion of said training, all participaints will receive a certificate and a check for $80.00,

In collaboration with the City dept. of Recreation, AVillage and other community Partners are working to insure that our children have meaningfulemployment for the summer Months, we are also working hard with the City to make this a year round program,

In collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, AVillage was asked to sit on Habitat's Board and help do community out-reach to bring about home ownership, Habitat has put over 20 families in homes, homes that they the "families" own!Right here in the South-End.

In collaboration with Grand Street Community Arts and the City of Albany, AVillage has adopted some vacant lots for beautification purpose, we have beautified a lot and named it "Our Children's Garden" it's located at 43 Catherine Street, you have to see it, we have worked this lot for three years now and it get's better every year, we also have a lot located at 155 Elizabeth Street which will be our "Black Liberation Cultural Lot, we will indentify our local black pioneers for our children to study...

We have some great local black pioneers, I will post more of AVillage's work as time permits, please get involved and please help us help our Children/Youth...It Takes AVillage.