Eastside Stands Strong: A Walk of Opportunity

The PRI and Open Door Ministries have been in talks for a while about hosting a Poverty Walk on the Eastside Neighborhood. Well, those talks have finally come to fruition.

Eastside Stands Strong is an annual walk created to highlight the strengths and opportunities of Kalamazoo Neighborhoods. The March will take participants through several blocks of Eastside Neighborhood streets, informing them of the issues that most affect the neighborhood. Each year a different Kalamazoo neighborhood will be highlighted, in hopes of creating change accross multiple communities in Kalamazoo.

After several meetings, we have successfully gathered a coalition of Eastside residents and organization leaders to promote, plan and facilitate the event. The event will begin on Saturday, Sept. 19th 2009 and will run tentatively from 2pm-4pm. Participants will park at St. Mary's Church at 939 Charlotte Ave in the Eastside Neighborhood. Mark your calendars and plan to attend.

The March is being led by the Poverty Reduction Initiative and Open Door Ministries, with significant contributions from local churches, businesses, non-profits, and community leaders. Both Eastside Neighborhood residents and outside residents will be invited to participate in the March.

You can help enhance the walk in multiple ways:

• Register to walk: The easiest way to support the event is to walk with us on September 19th. Register today so we can track our participants.

• Spread the word to others: Tell your family, friends and colleagues to attend the event. Anyone is invited and registration is easy to complete. Email klignell@haltpoverty.org or call 269-387-2678 to begin the process.
  
• Make a Pledge & Fundraise: Become part of the fundraising team to raise funds for poverty simulations and the Youth Development Center. Create a Firstgiving personal fundraising page by clicking: http://www.firstgiving.com/21768and registering. Check out Kevin Lignell's page for an example of a fundraising page: http://www.firstgiving.com/kevinlignell
  
• Donate to us: Help support the construction of the Youth Development Center and the production of more poverty simulations. Go to our Donation Page to contribute now.
  
• Help plan and promote the event: Our planning and promotion team meets Thursdays at 10am. Join the meeting and contribute ideas to the process.