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What makes Holistic Neighborhood Development unique?
Place-Based
One of the greatest indicators of one’s life-long economic mobility is the neighborhood in which one lives. HND asserts that place is the most important factor to consider when seeking long-term outcomes, and it is one of the most neglected lenses within traditional poverty alleviation tactics. Place allows us to go deep, work broadly, and invest in the long-haul for real results.
Proximity
We cannot solve anything from a distance. We have to draw near, enter into relationship, and open ourselves up to the possibility of mutual transformation. Transactional giving between strangers will never end poverty. You cannot serve someone out of poverty. HND leads with neighboring and relationship.
Integrative
Poverty is neither caused, sustained, or solved by any one thing; it is the dynamic intersection of multiple factors, systems, and circumstances. The “holistic” dimension of HND is about committing to comprehensive engagement that seeks innovative, integrative strategies for long-term outcomes.
Agile
Cities, people, opinions, policies, and economies can all change in the blink of an eye. Strategies that worked last year might night work in the next. Work done for months may come up empty and expectations may get upended at a moment’s notice. HND can create real change because it is flexible and adaptive, constantly committed to the best, healthiest approach, even if that means a radical course correction mid-stream. We do not seek the perpetuation of our program; it is always about the thriving of a community and whatever it takes to make that happen.
Impact-Oriented
Results matter. Not activity, not busyness, not arbitrary program numbers, but impact. They may be hard to come by, hard to define, or hard to measure, but they are core to what it means to commit to HND. We want to see lives and communities thriving, not dependent on external support year after year. We do not settle for less than true and lasting change.
Data-Driven
Flourishing communities is not just a big vision for us. It is a process we have developed with tools to track and measure the health of a place. This process will define and create the strategies that will lead to long-term, lasting change in your neighborhood.
Civic Infrastructure & Credible Leadership
In this week’s episode, we’ll continue our discussion around the importance of social cohesion when it comes to holistic neighborhood development. If you haven’t already listened to last week’s episode, “Sense of Place and Neighborhood Connectivity,” we recommend starting there. We are excited to get into the conversation surrounding the last two of the four indicators that define social cohesion: civic infrastructure and credible leadership. This episode features lead consultant Stephen Causby, and Tanisha Corporal — a South Atlanta neighbor, Civic League co-chair, and member of the FCS Senior Board.
Sense of Place & Neighborhood Connectivity
In this next episode focused on Neighborhood Engagement, we’ll focus on the importance of social cohesion when it comes to holistic neighborhood development. The strength of connectedness people share with one another is a vital factor that contributes to neighborhood health. We are excited to get into the conversation surrounding two of the four indicators that define social cohesion: sense of place, and neighborhood connectivity. This episode features none other than Director of Neighborhood Engagement at FCS, Pamela Stringfield, and former Executive Director of FCS, Katie Delp.
Proximity Matters
We’re excited to release the first episode for season 2 of Place Matters! This season, you’ll hear all about one of the pillars of FCS: Neighborhood Engagement. In this first episode, we’ll introduce the “big idea” of Neighborhood Engagement. Join Shawn and Pamela in a conversation about why we do Neighborhood Engagement, and why we think proximity is a non-negotiable in holistic neighborhood development.