Thank you for improving the Corcoran neighborhood this year by fixing up your home, watching out for neighbors, coaching at the Park, planting flowers on the boulevard, and more. We write today to ask for your contribution, in volunteer hours and dollars, to the work of the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization. Here are some highlights of our work in 2009:

Building a Safe Community

• Resolved 20 problem properties in partnership with block leaders, police, and city staff, and fostered some of the 22 National Night Out events that engaged 70% of Corcoran’s blocks.
• Helped volunteer leaders build a Latina women’s empowerment group at Corcoran Park.

• Introduced over 100 potential occupant-owners to foreclosed and vacant Corcoran homes by organizing Bargain Homes Tours and promoting a $10,000 homebuyer grant.
• Sparked home renovation at 20 properties with Curb Appeal Grants.
• Helped homeowners prevent graffiti with mini-grants, free paint, and free artist services.

• Brought residents face-to-face with developers of projects up and down Lake Street and Cedar Avenue, while insuring resident voices impacted decisions by local government.
• Fostering high quality transit-oriented development at the former Anishinabe Acad. site by engaging residents, reputable developers, and state, county, city, school, and YWCA officials.

• Connected 40,000 people to local food and art producers at our Midtown Farmers’ Market while fighting for a permanent market site in the Corcoran neighborhood.
• Helped 35 neighbors explore community garden sites while sharing skills and all-local meals.
• Organized the city’s largest community garage sale and a greener Corcoran Clean Sweep.

• Engaged residents with e-mail alerts, and delivered the citizen-published Corcoran News paper to every household, for the 24th year, to tell you about these happenings and more...

The Neighborhood Revitalization Program ends in 2010, and future neighborhood funding remains uncertain. Your contribution to our work is more important than ever.

Please make a tax-deductible donation to the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, in any amount, to help sustain our work. And thank you for improving the Corcoran neighborhood!