White Sulphur Springs, MT

bridges-out-of-poverty-ppt.pdfbridges-out-of-poverty-ppt.pdf

In looking at the work Horizons has done in WSS, the question may be asked, “What concrete steps has the community taken to address poverty?”  Through the visioning process, WSS identified that the primary means of addressing poverty in the community is to develop a sense of community pride.  The steering committee read some of the work of Ruby Payne in trying to better understand generational poverty and what we could do with Horizons that might impact the community long term. 

In the presentation that is attached, we learned that three of the four factors that Payne’s research identified for moving people out of poverty include: having a goal or vision, mentors or leaders that can be looked to for guidance, finding a specific talent or ability that an individual can use.  We have tried to develop actions that address these issues.

Community beautification was identified as an essential element of addressing the idea of having a future.  Through the visioning process, our community identified that the look and feel of our town communicates that we have little hope for the future.  The Horizons group felt that if we could raise the standard of how we look, we might help individuals to have hope and vision for the future as well.

In all of the work of Horizons, we have tried to recruit diverse groups of people to help us make things happen.  Because of this diversity, we have been able to draw together individuals who have never interacted in the past.  This idea of diverse groups has taken root in other aspects of the community, as the Horizons project demonstrated that there are many people who want to be involved, but need to be asked to participate.  Not only does this help everyone to network, but through this process individuals are able to identify skills and talents that they can use to help the community.

 Leadership Plenty further helped us to train new leaders that can help to guide people through change in the community.

We have also taken on the task of implementing a mutual-self help housing project in the community.  One project is reaching completion and others are slated to start rolling soon.  However, in this project, we have learned that some of the homes in our community are in such poor condition, the government programs cannot assist them.  (The costs for repair and renovation are too high to warrant given the condition of the structure.)  Therefore, we are applying for a planning grant to determine how we might remove the existing structures and develop new housing inventory that provides people with safe, energy-efficient places to live.

What resources are necessary to sustain the community’s efforts to reduce poverty?  The bottom line that emerged from Horizons is that we need to stimulate our economy.  Without jobs that pay a living wage and businesses that can afford to pay those wages, we cannot influence the fundamental lack of fiscal resources in our community.  However, the question of what economic stimulus in WSS looks like is not an easy topic to address.  The visioning process illustrated that our community does not want to recruit businesses that are inconsistent with our current culture.  Further, the community does not want to sacrifice its legitimate small town culture to attract tourists.  For now, our task is to make WSS the best place possible for the people who live here.  As Dan Shilling, director for Civic Tourism, pointed out to us during his presentation (following Study Circles), if we can make WSS a place we enjoy living in, economy will follow.  People will visit because they like being in a place that we are proud to call home.  Businesses will want to move to a community that shows a strong sense of itself. 

So the resources that we need are those that help us to become better at being who we are.  Community beautification is a huge component of that work.  Assistance with funding engineering work and other components of community planning would also help us toward that end.  Finally, understanding from funding sources that improving the look and feel of the community does change the nature of poverty in our community helps us to move both this community, and its economy, forward.

meagher-county-community-foundation-minutes-051908.doc

Attached are minutes from the May 19th MCCF Board meeting.

Through the Study Circles process, the discussion of “what poverty looks like here” centered around a lack of hope - which is reflected in a lack of pride in both personal property and in the community.  Obviously, stimulating the economy and actually changing the financial structure of the community is necessary to provide fiscal resources to families in poverty, but the community felt that much could be done to address the attitude of poverty if we were able to create pride in White Sulphur.  Community beautification and clean up became a strong focus of the Horizons process, as the physical demonstration of pride is reflected in our streets and buildings.

Mammoth efforts have been made to recruit diverse groups of people to develop action plans and to move efforts forward.  Recognizing that one in two people in the community are living in poverty has helped leadership groups in the community to realize that strategies for implementation need to be very grassroots in nature and need to be sustainable without burdening already stressed financial resources in the community.

As we draw toward the end of our Capacity Building and Community Action phase, it is perhaps, a good time to reflect on what has occurred throughout the Horizons process in White Sulphur Springs.  The next 12 blogs will address White Sulphur’s experiences with the key elements of Horizons.

 So…In what ways has the community attitude about poverty changed?  This is, perhaps, the most significant question that we have addressed through Horizons.  When we started Horizons in WSS, many questioned whether anyone would participate in discussions about poverty.  To recruit for study circles, the topic of poverty was minimized so that people were not intimidated and afraid to engage in the conversations about our community.  Now, we talk openly about poverty, and we recognize that at least half of the people in any meeting that is help are living at or below the poverty level.  The perception has shifted from poverty conversations being restricted to only some residents or certain ‘pockets’ of town, to a more general understanding that poverty is a reality for most in our community.

Evidence in this shift in thinking can be seen throughout the community.  Three recent examples include - at a state-wide meeting on climate change, a representative from Meagher voiced concern that the concepts of regulating changes to homes and vehicles to make them more “green” might have implications for impoverished communities, like White Sulphur.  At a May 19 meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, discussion of the local circus coming to town involved a conversation about the large number of kids in the community that could use free or reduced price passes because they could not afford to attend without assistance.  Outreach to local businesses to sponsor tickets for kids is planned.  The city council is considering changing the structure for trash collection in the community.  The variable that they are trying to manage are 1) getting trash out of the community so that health and human safety concerns are mitigated 2) implementing changes, while trying not to negatively impact impoverished families.

While these examples are small stories of small changes, they reflect a distinct shift in our conversations about poverty.

As the MCCF has worked toward implementation of the community vision, a variety of organizations and resource providers have been called upon for their insights, programs, and assistance.  Here are just a few of the folks that have helped MCCF make decisions about community action:

• CTA Architects- following the community visioning session, where CTA donated “quick draw” skills to illustrate our vision  of the community, Sarah Hamlen and Commissioner Jamie Doggett, traveled to Bozeman.  There, CTA outlined the steps involved with street scaping and planning for community beautification.  They also identified budgets and expenses that might be required in planning phases of street scaping.
• Gateway Economic Development- The team at Gateway Economic Development has been called on to help with many different aspects of planning for beautification.  Gateway has helped to research designs for flower planters and has helped to identify the requirements for submitting a CTEP application.  They may also have grant funding available to help with leveraging the $8,500 grant available through Horizons for street scaping.
• Northern Rocky Mountain RC&D- The RC&D has worked on two significant projects identified in the action plan - self-help housing rehabilitation and community wind.  Both of these projects are moving forward and helping our community to be more sustainable.
• MidWest Assistance Program- While working on street scaping concepts, it became clear to MCCF that a capital improvements plan for community infrastructure (primarily water and waste-water management) is a critical component for moving forward.  MAP is meeting with city council members and the mayor, as well as with representatives of Gateway Economic Development and the RC&D, to discuss the development of a capital improvements plan for the city.  This would provide a great foundation for any community beautification effort.
• Montana Community Foundation- In rebuilding the Meagher County Community Foundation, the board has relied heavily on guidance from the Montana Community Foundation.  They have provided ideas, support, and recommendations on both organizational structure and long term goal setting.
• Horizons Across Montana - Throughout the process, MCCF has called on the folks at Horizons Across Montana to bounce ideas, gain outside perspective, and to find new resources.  They have helped to keep MCCF on task with reminders about the principles of Horizons and have helped to challenge the community to obtain higher standards of performance.
• Disposal Services - The big issue for Meagher County has been community clean up.  Many in town hoard their household garbage and wait for the one “free” day of dumping per year to dispose of their trash.  Disposal services has worked with Horizons, and is now working directly with the city, to determine new ways of handling the transfer station billing so that we can get this health and human safety issue removed from town.

The first self-help rehabilitation housing project is ready for a fresh coat of paint!  The home is receiving two new energy efficient windows, a new roof, a new faucet, lead-based paint mitigation, and new GFI outlets.  The next step is to paint the exterior of the home.  Local youth, under the leadership of Gene Richeson, and several members of the MCCF board have agreed to meet at the home on May 29th to tackle the painting. 

The youth program is a genesis of study circles.  During study circles, the need for help around the community became clear.  A city council member suggested that youth who have been assigned community service should be able to help do work in the community.  The local coordinator of the youth community service program, Bj Hawkins, teamed up with Gene Richeson to provide supervision of youth who do work in town.  They do a number of projects in the community and are a great benefit for those in need.

meagher-county-community-foundation-minutes-041908.doc

Hit the following link to review the minutes from the April 29th MCCF Meeting.

The Meagher County Community Foundation awarded two $500 grants on May 19th, as part of the Community Clean Up Challenge.  The grants go to support two civic organizations that, in return for their help in cleaning up the community, will receive monies to support their organizations.

The Meagher County 4-H program/Stevens Youth Center joint application was the first award.  These youth have offered to clean up the local rodeo grounds - a summer draw for visitors to our community, who take part in the 4th of July Ranch Rodeo, the Labor Day Rodeo, and the 4-H fair.  These youth will also help a citizen in town to clean up the area around their house.  The youth plan to use their $500 to pay for expenses related to the 4-H fair, and also to bring some visiting artists to the Youth Center this summer.

The second grant was awarded to Smith River Health Ministries.  This group will clean three yards of citizens who would struggle to get their lawns, gardens, and flower beds cleaned up this summer.  In addition, this group plans to clean sidewalks, alleys, and other areas of town.  They will use their funds to pay for gas to take senior and disabled citizens to medical appointments out of town, for services that are not available locally.  The ministry notes in their application, “Many of our clients do not have cars, or are unable to drive.  We will use this grant money to assist with the cost of gas to drive out of town.  Many of our elderly clients are not able to afford to pay for gas, especially as prices are so high.  When a person is unable to pay for the gas, the Health Ministry assists them with the cost.”

The MCCF is thrilled to help these two organizations in their work to support our community, and looks forward to seeing the great clean up work that they complete.  These groups will be completing their projects in conjunction with the Clean-Up Days of May 31 and June 7, 2008.

How are the Meagher County Community Foundation plans to beautify the area related to poverty reduction?  Let us count the ways!  Check out the following website for links to university research that demonstrates that green space and community beautification contributes to many important aspects of our community - ranging from better student achievement, higher levels of personal self esteem for community members, and increased sense of community!

http://www.projectevergreen.com/whygreenmatters/lifestyle.html

The Meagher County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the 2008 Meagher County Clean Up Grant Program.  This program is designed to help clean up and beautify our community AND to help your service organization to be more successful by providing cash for the work that you do to help clean up! 

The Meagher County Community Foundation has allocated $1,000 in grant dollars for cleanup efforts in the community.  There is no minimum or maximum award.  This means that you could do a small project and get a little money to help your organization, or you could do a lot of work, and get a bigger piece of the pie! Projects should be done in conjunction with the tentative City/County clean up days of May 31^st and June 7^th.  You do not need to do the clean up on these days, but do need to have any trash that is generated from your clean up at the transfer station on these days. Applications are due by May 15, 2008.  

The Meagher County Community Foundation board will meet to review applications and will allocate the funds according to the matrix that is provided at the end of this application.  You will be notified of your application’s award by May 23^rd, 2008. 

The Meagher County Community Foundation reserves the right not to fund any application.  Any Meagher County organization can apply.  Funds will be released on completion of the work that you identify in your application.  Funds will not be released if you fail to complete the work that you describe. 

We hope that you will use this opportunity to help clean up the community and do great things for your organization!  We look forward to reviewing your application!