Abilene, Texas (just like many other cities) faces deep societal problems that no single agency, nonprofit organization, government entity, or community group can solve on its own. Issues such as distrust, criminal activity, lack of business development, and substandard housing conditions often conjure fear and negative perceptions about certain areas of town. We tend to wrongly label neighborhoods who suffer from these and similar issues as “bad” without much thought for the good residents who live there. CCC’s mission of community renewal speaks to our desire to help change these negative perceptions and to empower residents in Abilene’s under-resourced neighborhoods.
In 2008, CCC joined the Abilene Neighborhood Initiative (ANI), founded by city leaders seeking to revitalize neglected areas of Abilene. An active partnership formed among the City of Abilene, the Abilene Police Department, Connecting Caring Communities, and neighborhood churches that continues today. These partners are working with residents living in five selected communities to discuss their neighborhood’s strengths, challenges and goals. Through relationships built on trust, ANI partners are pooling their collective resources for positive change in these communities. Neighbors are working alongside one another to address their common concerns (as opposed to outsider opinions and plans). ANI builds community connectedness, identifies indigenous leaders, and lays the foundation for more permanent impact and improvement in local neighborhoods. Together, we can accomplish what none could alone.
Currently, the Abilene Neighborhood Initiative is partnering with residents and groups located within these five communities: Alameda Addition, Butternut/Chestnut, Carver, Holiday Hills, and Stevenson/Sancudo.
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Howdy! My name is Drew Bowen and I am the Community Coordinator for the Abilene Neighborhood Initiative. My wife and I live in the College Heights neighborhood, and I currently work in five different Abilene communities; Alameda Addition, Butternut/Chestnut, Carver, Holiday Hills, and Stevenson. I love meeting and getting to know the amazing people in these neighborhoods, especially through hearing and telling stories.
