What is the name of your neighborhood?

Rochelle Manor                                               

How long have you lived in your neighborhood?

11 years

Tell us about your neighborhood.

I love my neighborhood. There is so much potential.  There are so many kids living here and I love watching them grow, and be molded into good citizens.  I want to offer them every opportunity to grow up without being afraid of gangs and all this other stuff in the community.

What successes have your neighborhood and community had?

We have successfully overcome gang members and people being afraid to come out of the house. We used to be unable to sit outside.  We cleaned up the neighborhood by coming together and calling the police when we saw problems.  We beefed up security in the neighborhood and cleaned up the area so people didn’t think it was a dump they could trash.  I have also helped some of the former gang members with resumes, job applications and computer skills.  Many of them have gotten jobs and become successful.

What are some concerns that you still have in your neighborhood?

We need more mentoring in the community so people don’t follow in the footsteps of those that took the wrong road.

We need more parents to interact with the children in the neighborhood.

We need a play area because there is not enough for kids to do. We also need an afterschool program for kids and further education opportunities for parents. 

What advice would you give to other community members?

Pull together and work together. Communicate and help your neighbor.

Do you have any upcoming opportunities for other people to get involved?

We would love help with a lot of neighborhood projects including:

More events, such as cookouts

A community garden

A food pantry

Applying for a neighborhood matching grant from the city to support the neighborhood