 |
In 2008, the Grinnell Corps expanded its opportunities for alumni into a new domestic program in New Orleans. One member of the class of 2009 will be selected as the second Grinnell Corps: New Orleans fellow, and will work with the Jericho Road Housing Initiative, a program of Episcopal Relief and Development. Jericho Road creates community partnerships and long-term housing collaborations in order to rehabilitate neighborhoods, empower families and individuals and transform communities in one of America's most economically and culturally important cities.
Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative is a faith-based nonprofit organization providing families and individuals with affordable home ownership opportunities in New Orleans neighborhoods. With the guidance and support of residents and community organizations, Jericho Road works with other non-profits, private businesses, governmental agencies and faith-based groups to create wealth accumulation through home ownership as well as the development of high quality well managed affordable rental housing. This includes both new construction and rehabilitation of existing homes. Jericho Road will transform under used land, rebuild neighborhoods and empower communities in one of America's most culturally important cities.
Jericho Road has proven to be a powerful and nimble new organization having led the "adjudicated land" effort and quickly building homes. Jericho Road has built more houses in its first 18 months then many non-profit builders have in their long history in New Orleans. They are currently averaging just short of one, high quality, truly affordable house a month. (sale prices of $115,000 - $124,000). Further, they are leading edge in their design. Not only have they adopted the traditional pre-existing neighborhood architecture, they have also adopted the central tenants of Universal Design - allowing the broadest range of folks to live and thrive in their homes. Recently, Jericho Road has been named the Agency of the Year by Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network for their universal design work.
In addition to infill projects, Jericho Road is cleaning up a brownfield (a contaminated site), the size of a full city block, in Central City. The Saratoga site has a total pre-clean up, clean up and development budget in excess of $3.2 million. The targeted completion date for this project is June 2009.
The speed of visible progress of the redevelopment of New Orleans, by almost any measure, is slow. However, the world in which Jericho Road operates is ever changing and their success so far has been based on their ability to quickly react. Although their goals stay the same, the strategies to achieve these goals can be in a constant state of revision. Thus, it is difficult to know with certainty what Jericho Road's specific needs for a Fellow will be in the future. Regardless of the work assigned, a Fellow will be an active member of the organization and will not simply be an observer.
Click here for more information about Jericho Road.
Duties and Responsibilities: Responsibilities will be great. Jericho Road is a lean and very productive organization where much is expected. New Orleans currently offers unparalleled opportunities to be part of real world solutions. Assigned tasks will have immediate and concrete deliverables which will be implemented within the community they are striving to serve.
Projects: Green Building, Universal Design, Brownfield Redevelopment, Vacant Land Program, Mapping, Narrative Writing, Multi Media Presentation Production, Grant Writing, Client Support, and Community Liaison.
Probable Tasks Include:
- Development and maintenance of multimedia presentation summarizing Jericho Road's work.
- Development of mapping information to chart trends and progress on targeted neighborhood development.
- Coordinating with Neighborhood Organizers.
- Advocating for resources to be leveraged in our targeted neighborhood. (Example: Keeping dialogue going with two business incubators to focus efforts in our targeted area.)
- Improve upon and implement post purchase program support to help our clients.
Skills Needed: A passion for social justice coupled with a solid generalist liberal arts background will be the best fit. Reading, writing, communicating and problem solving will be the central focus of the Fellow's work. The community which Jericho Road serves is comprised of low income people of color - 85% of the residents are renters, often in substandard housing. New Orleans, and especially Central City, has a strong social fabric of people of religious faith. Many of their partners are faith based - primarily Christian. There is certainly no expectation or requirement that the Fellow would be a person of faith - but the Fellow would need to understand that religion plays a larger role in New Orleans than in most American communities, and the Fellow would need to feel comfortable in this milieu.
Logistical Support: Fellow will be provided with use of a cell phone, a lap top, a desk and all office supplies etc. Supervision will be provided by both Executive Director and Director of Operations and Communications. Working environment is classic small non-profit with all tasks performed by all folks. Supervision will be supportive and equal to the needs of both the Fellow and the task at hand. Jericho Road is excited to treat the Fellow both as a productive worker and as a student of the unique world of New Orleans as they rebuild. The Executive Director has worked for non-profits for most of his professional career and understands deeply the learning opportunities that are present when social justice work is chosen.
|
|
