CNO Pursues Funds to Reduce Neighborhood Prostitution
(24 July 07) by Amy Arcand, CNO Staff

Corcoran Neighborhood Organization (CNO) submitted a grant request for $10,000 to the Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections to build a street outreach program that will work with women in prostitution. If funded, the project area will include the Lake Street and 31st Street corridor from Bloomington Avenue to Hiawatha Avenue and on Cedar Avenue from 28th Street to 38th Street. The need for an outreach program was identified by the grassroots "Caring Corcoran Neighbors" group through their collaborative efforts with enforcement and elected officials. If funding is secured, CNO will create a more formal outreach program to help women in prostitution. The goal is to expand on the relationships that we have established with women on our streets, connect women to existing resources available to them, lead focus groups to help identify gaps in the system, share trends with law enforcement, probation, the judicial system, and service providers, and make an overall impact on the number of women working in prostitution in our community. 
    
Residents will be able to participate in the project in many ways. Residents who are interested in joining an outreach team will be selected in an open process and trained. In addition, grassroots efforts to inform, connect, and empower residents on the issue of prostitution will continue. Cheryl Barber, with assistance from State Senator Patricia Torres Ray, is leading the current effort to organize residents around the issue of prostitution. This summer and fall, residents will be working with State Senator Torres Ray on possible changes to legislation and organizing to testify before the Senate. Watch the Corcoran News and The Neighborhood Advocate for more information.