Fairground Neighborhood Association

Making Connections

May 16, 2008

Making Connections in Des Moines is all about strengthening one of America's best resources--the family! We do that by helping to connect them to opportunities, resources and supports they need to raise happy, healthy, confident, and successful children.
Sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Making Connections is partnering with individuals and organizations to work together to improve results for families. Our primary aim is to stimulate a grassroots movement, neighborhood by neighborhood.
To accomplish that, we collaborate with residents, civic groups, government leaders, public and private groups, interested citizens, and faith-based organizations. All this in an effort to transform neighborhoods into family supportive environments.
The everyday work of Making Connections in Des Moines includes helping neighborhood residents identify specific results they want to accomplish that will improve things for children where they live. This effort is centered around three areas:
* Family Economic Success
Connecting youth and adults to good jobs, housing, small business development, and income management skills.
*Neighbor-To-Neighbor Networks
Connecting families to friends, relatives, neighborhoods, and affinity groups to help them support each other.
*Services and Supports
Connecting people to education, healthcare, and social services that are affordable, accessible, family centered, and culturally sensitive.
We invite you help transform neighborhoods and strengthen families by Making Connections in Des Moines!

Elbows Wanted
Pull up a chair and rest your elbows. In fact, leave them on the table and no one will mind. The Making Connections Neighborhood Collaborative needs more elbows at the table. We invite all Fairgrounds neighborhood residents to our upcoming June 17th meeting. We will meet from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Miriam Room at Corinthian Baptist Church, located at 814 School Street. Childcare and dinner are provided. RSVP by June 16th to 282-3561. We will plan the July 17th Neighborhood Pride Celebration. This celebration will take place at Evelyn Davis Park from 11 am to 7 pm. Please join us as we recognize all 13 Making Connections neighborhoods for all their hard work. For more information contact, Carlos Macias-Castillo at 280-1946 or e-mail carlos@makingconnectionsdm.org.