Task Force 3: City Neighborhoods

Nurture Healthy Blocks for Healthy Neighborhoods
Cultivate partnerships around comprehensive, block-level strategies that utilize a wide range of tools to cover the fundamentals of neighborhood health.

Task Force Chair: Mo Orbin
Task Force Vice Chair: Drew Hall
Committee Members: Cornelius Dollison*, Donna Browne*, Gretchen Cheesman, Drew Hall, Nate Howard*, Missy Modesitt, Lucas Pint*, Susan Volbrecht

*non-MAP board member

Task Force 3’s primary focus is to cultivate partnerships around comprehensive, block-level strategies that utilize a wide range of tools to cover the fundamentals of neighborhood health. we aim to provide training opportunities for neighborhood leaders and develop support for neighborhood level education efforts. we oversee the administration of a matching grant program to help promote neighborhood improvements and engage with our partners like the Muncie Land Bank, non-profit housing providers, and local institutions to raise funding for future neighborhood level beautification, improvement, and planning projects.

Affiliate Programs

 

Muncie Neighborhoods

Building Better Neighborhoods Initiative

Established in 2014 by a three-year grant from the Ball Brothers Foundation, the Building Better Neighborhoods (BBN) Initiative connects Ball State’s resources with neighborhood development efforts across Muncie and Delaware County.

Building Better Neighborhoods partners with Muncie Action Plan, 8Twelve Coalition, and other organizations to coordinate:

  • Collaborative immersive learning experiences with Ball State faculty, students, and neighborhood associations

  • Leadership development workshops and annual conference for neighborhood association members

  • Best practices and support for neighborhood associations

  • Networking and learning opportunities for neighborhood leaders

 IDEA Conference

Each year at the conference, outstanding neighborhoods are recognized for their leadership, projects, and beautification efforts! Check out our past winners to learn more about the amazing work being done by neighborhoods across Muncie.

Action Items

Establish Healthy Block Partnership (HBP); w/variety stakeholders including Muncie Land Bank (MLB) & non-profit housing providers.

  • Hire HBP Staff
  • Conduct Block level planning - tier neighborhoods

    • Continue to oversee ARP.

    Continue to implement neighborhood wayfinding and signage.

    Continue to provide neighborhood leadership training opportunities and hold Neighborhood Leadership Council (NLC) meetings.

  • Continue and expand storytelling/marketing and awards/recognition of neighborhood level work

    • Develop/support neighborhood level education efforts.

  • Coordinate literacy volunteers at the NH level to help build early childhood reading skills
  • Coordinate volunteers at schools to provide financial literacy to secondary students
  • Coordinate volunteer mentors from neighborhoods to support students and families

    • Continue a matching grant program to promote neighborhood beautification; encourage establishment of home improvement grants.

    Advocate for MLB & non-profit housing providers.

  • Encourage creation of capital fund to support strategic acquisition of property in targeted healthy block areas/ encourage capital fund to support strategic acquisition of troubled properties
  • Options for future funding to support beautification/home improvements
    •  

    Leadership

     

    Heather Williams

    Task Force Chair

    [email protected]

    As Associate Director of Ball State University’s Office of Community Engagement and Program Manager for Building Better Neighborhoods, Heather works directly with the city's neighborhood associations to help build capacity and make connections with BSU faculty, staff, students, and programs. She is actively involved in local housing issues as Secretary of the Muncie Land Bank and member of the 8Twelve Coalition’s Steering and Housing Committees. In her professional and non-profit work, Heather advocates for strong neighborhoods, safe - affordable housing, and sustainable living.  

     

    Megan “Mo” Orbin

    Task Force Secretary

    [email protected]

    Mo works at Woof Boom Radio as the Executive Assistant to the President. She has lived in Indiana her whole life, making Muncie her home after attending and graduating from Ball State University. Mo is also a member of Altrusa International of Muncie and enjoys the volunteer opportunities that provides. She is the Chair of the Fundraising Committee and Secretary to the Club. While she has no pets or children, Mo is considered THE most fun aunt to two nieces and three nephews. Her favorite thing about being the Neighborhood Coordinator is learning the needs and wants of the neighbors and finding the resources to make it happen.