DES MOINES, IA — June 13, 2011 — Community Housing Initiatives, Inc., (CHI) hosted its second annual NeighborWorks Week event on June 10 as an opportunity to create clean, safe neighborhoods and to celebrate the local community. Following this year’s theme, “Working for Strong Communities,” more than 40 volunteers helped beautify St. Vincent de Paul, a local nonprofit located along 6th Avenue on Des Moines’ north side. Volunteers from CHI, Mercy Medical Center, The 6th Avenue Corridor and St. Vincent de Paul participated in the all-day event that included landscaping, barb wire fence removal and replacing a retaining wall on the property.
“Thanks to the efforts of the many volunteers, NeighborWorks Week was a great success,” said Doug LaBounty, president of CHI. “St. Vincent de Paul is a vital part of The 6th Avenue Corridor, and we are glad to assist with the completion of several beautification projects.”
CHI’s participation in NeighborWorks Week was just one of more than 200 events that were held across the country from June 4 to 11 during NeighborWorks America’s 28th annual celebration. The week-long event is held the first week of June each year and is an opportunity for thousands of volunteers to help make their communities healthy, sustainable places to live, work and play.
The beautification project was CHI’s second annual NeighborWorks Week event. In 2010, more than 50 volunteers helped clean up Time Check Park, an area in Cedar Rapids that was devastated by floodwaters in 2008.
“NeighborWorks Week is an outstanding opportunity for volunteers to work together to clean up our local communities,” LaBounty said. “Everyone who was involved should feel proud of what was accomplished. It is just a small success of the many positive things happening along 6th Avenue.”
“NeighborWorks Week is an outstanding opportunity for volunteers to work together to clean up our local communities,” LaBounty said. “Everyone who was involved should feel proud of what was accomplished. It is just a small success of the many positive things happening along 6th Avenue.”
Community Housing Initiatives, Inc. (CHI) was created in 1993 by a Northwest Iowa Community Action Agency, Upper Des Moines Opportunity. Over the past decade, CHI has established itself as one of the most successful developers and managers of affordable housing in Iowa. CHI has constructed or rehabilitated more than 1,000 affordable housing units and currently has 70 additional units under construction. Visit www.chihousing.com to learn more about CHI’s efforts to provide high-quality affordable housing options across the state of Iowa.
NeighborWorks America creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated $20 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals. Visit www.nw.org for more information.