Your support of $7 will provide an Art Anywhere Kit to one family at Hardy.

Just $7.

Please consider making a donation in any amount and Glass House Collective will match every dollar donated by Sunday, April 12. This is why we’re here.  With your support, we’re better together.

CLICK TO DONATE

What’s in the Art Anywhere Kit?

• colored pencils
• markers
• water color paint
• paint brushes
• paper
• scissors
• art gum eraser
• crayons
• ideas
• imagination
• inspiration

CLICK TO DONATE

Special thanks to Sara Cross, Hardy Art Teacher, and ART120.

2019 began with neighbors learning new ways to watch out for their community and get things done by finding strong partners and allies. This appeared in small and large ways including a pop up traffic calming intervention on Wilder Street led by resident volunteer and leader, Gail McKeel.

We also learned early in the year that the former Harriet Tubman housing site was being rezoned to Manufacturing (M1) in preparation to attract a job-generating neighbor and create new opportunities in East Chattanooga.  Alongside many of our neighbors and friends, Glass House Collective joined a coalition of concerned organizations and residents to learn how to shape and present a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) to the new Tubman site tenant. After a few town halls and hands-on sessions, we’re heading into 2020 proud that the site prep was matched by solid community preparedness and we look forward to meeting the folks from the Nippon Paint USA in what will be the City’s 2nd largest development investment.

2019 was most definitely a year of growing pride in place with brand new house banners and yard signs installed on porches and on lawns all over Glass Farm. Our friendship and partnership with Habitat For Humanity also deepened this year, bringing $1 million in residential improvement projects.

This swell of pride couldn’t be contained in our neighborhood alone. Over the summer, residents also began telling their stories and raising their voices through the world renowned StoryCorps program who made a stopover in our neighborhood to record, preserve and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs.  Now, the real and raw stories of growing up in East Chattanooga can be heard around the world as a part of a national archive. We’re learning solidarity in what unites us across the miles.

This was also a big year for learning to raise our voices when issues impact our neighbors and our neighborhood. We’re learning to act collectivity for what’s important to us and we’re showing up! From the Tubman Townhalls, to residents electing new leadership for the Glass Farm Neighborhood Association, to GHC joining CALEB and completing the Chattanooga Arts Forward Initiative, this year proved that we are all in this together.

Through our partnership with CALEB, GHC launched SWAY: The People’s Guide to Community Organizing, and has already graduated our first cohort. Their Keys To Community Change mural project on Glass Street and performance at Glass Street Live has us feeling fired up about the Sway program in 2020.

Our artist-driven resident-led work continues to garner the attention of funders and collaborators all across the City. Thanks to the City Of Chattanooga’s NeighborRoots grant, a new multidisciplinary performance art piece was created about the history and potential of Glass Farm.

Glass Street Live came alive like never before this year thanks to the new planning committees who know its also important to organize around celebration and fellowship. Neighbors collaborating on our beloved block party, as well as Mayfest and seasonal street decorations, only strengthens relationships and motivates everyone to work collectively on our shared vision and values.

Looking forward we are excited to see new property owners and businesses opening on Glass Street and we can’t wait to meet for coffee at Miss Betty’s All Good cafe and book store. We’re all excited to see the Save-A-Lot site take shape.

Imagining what’s possible for the public spaces we all share is always on our mind and we were proud to be selected by the Project For Public Spaces to host STIR IT UP, a workshop at our offices during the International Placemaking Conference in Chattanooga this Fall.  As we look to identify new projects for Glass House Collective in the coming year, we are warmed by all the good energy and support we received again during Giving Tuesday in December.

Here Because We Love It Here.

What could be better than that?

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE COLLECTIVE!

Now in its 7th year, Glass Street LIVE! is a true community event steered by resident-led committees who are doing everything from curating the music, vendors and family activities, to pushing out publicity and social media, to working with City officials on event logistics and street closures. Glass House Collective is proud to partner with and support our hard working neighbors to co-create our favorite day of the year!

Come meet your neighbors on Glass Street while checking out some of Chattanooga’s busiest non profits and neighborhood organizations like Chattanooga Girls Rock, Southeast Conservation Corps and the Glass Farm Block Leaders. Browse your favorite food and art vendors and pop-up boutiques while sharing your East Chattanooga memories at the Pop Up interactive History Museum.

Bounce over to the action-packed kid zone for live wrestling, a bounce house and more!

NEW THIS YEAR! A very special Glass Street History Performance Art experience featuring spoken word, choreography and original music will be presented thanks to a NeighborRoots Grant from Public Art Chattanooga and the City of Chattanooga! This exclusive and site-specific piece created for and about Glass Street is a collaboration between The Pop Up Project, Velvet Poetry Productions, Brophesor X and Glass House Collective.

We can’t wait to see everyone on Glass Street on November 9th!

Committee Members include:

Deborah Bledsoe, Glenda Welcher, Larry Hines, Gail McKeel, Belinda, Greg Alford, Image Noveick, Alan shropshire, Justine Jones, Tina Stewart, Darrell Martin, Chip Brown, Veronica Woods, Audrey McClure, Carmen Davis, Reggie Campbell, Lynsha Lake, Joe Lautigar, David Raley, C-Grimey, Jonathan Susman, Joyce Watson, Joel Tippins, Tinica Caperton
Janette Richie, Dr. Holmes, Carlos Hampton, and Stephanie Hurt.

The first house banner installation day was hosted in February by Habitat for Humanity. Our friends and partners, Daniel Gamble and Callie Burkhater, lead a small crew of volunteers on a rainy Saturday morning to start installing banners around Glass Farm. They got as much done as they could in the rain and ended up helping home owners on Taylor Street, Frost St, Wilder Street, Glass Street, Chamberlain Avenue, Wheeler Avenue, and Campbell Street.

You are in for a treat if you haven’t driven around Glass Farm much in the past few weeks! There are now more than two dozen homes around the neighborhood with brand new Glass Farm house banners hanging proudly!

With two more volunteer installation days planned before the end of March, it won’t be long before banners and yard signs will be seen throughout the Glass Farm historic neighborhood.

Gamble said it was exciting to help neighbors celebrate finally being able to hang a banner on the home they’ve worked to improve. “Letting others know how you feel about where you live is important. Everyone was really excited about this part,” he said. Habitat’s home repair program has helped many homeowners in Glass Farm over the years and it was a reunion for the crew to visit again on such a fun occasion.

It is no small thing to celebrate this milestone and successful artist-lead and resident-driven collaboration. We want to stop and remember that this neighborhood pride project began nearly two years ago during conversations that were happening between the Glass Farm Block leaders. Local leader, Janette Richie, and others wanted to find a way to celebrate the residential neighborhood. That conversation got bigger, artists worked with residents on design ideas, and later more residents came out to vote for their favorite design during 2018 Glass Street LIVE! Today, house banners are on homes and more are coming! Thanks to the Lilian Colby Foundation for sponsoring this project and making it a reality.

There are still many more banners to hang and two more installation days planned. If you are a renter or would rather have a yard sign, we will have those available too.

Important Dates:
Saturday, March 23: 2nd volunteer installation day hosted by Habitat For Humanity
For those who have already been contacted by Glass House Collective. Mark your calendar for March 23rd as your banner installation day. We will be back out in force with the Habitat For Humanity crew and volunteers to install as many banners as we can, weather permitting.

Saturday, March 30: 3rd volunteer installation day hosted by Glass House Collective.
Please contact us if you would like to receive a banner and would like to schedule your installation on one of our volunteer days. email: info@glasshousecollective.org | Via telephone: 423-402-0565

looking good, Glass Farm!

]]> http://www.glasshousecollective.org/banner-days-glass-farm/feed/ 0 http://www.glasshousecollective.org/neighbor-labor-people-powered-revitalization-glass-farm/ http://www.glasshousecollective.org/neighbor-labor-people-powered-revitalization-glass-farm/#respond Tue, 11 Sep 2018 17:58:08 +0000 http://www.glasshousecollective.org/?p=5376 Residents of Glass Farm are the muscle behind one of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga’s newest initiatives. Neighbor Labor, which launched this spring, is a monthly neighbor-lead volunteer collaborative where residents lend their time to help other Glass Farm residents with small revitalization projects.

Callie Burkhalter, Habitat’s AIP coordinator, told us the idea was born right here in Glass Farm where their home repair work has been focused this year. “We kept hearing from homeowners who were a part of our home repair program that they wanted to volunteer at the next project in the neighborhood,” she said. The Habitat staff decided to do something with all the enthusiasm they kept receiving so a volunteer group was formed and Neighbor Labor was born.

The idea is simple enough. Residents who have received help on their own home repairs can choose to volunteer once a month to help with other home repair projects that Habitat is leading in Glass Farm. That way, homeowners who gained new skills and friendships while working on their own home, can continue to use those skills and foster those friendships while working toward a common goal of improving their neighborhood. “It also gives residents a chance to get to know more people from another part of the neighborhood who they might not meet otherwise,” Burkhalter said, “So it’s a very cool social thing going on while we’re getting our work done. Friendships are forming by working together each month.”

Since launching in February, an average of 6-12 Neighbor Labor volunteers from Glass Farm have helped on 5 different home repair projects through out the neighborhood. These hardworking volunteers are doing anything from scraping and painting to repairing siding and even helping with finishing touches on new construction projects in the neighborhood. So far this year, homes on Davenport Street, North Chamberlain Avenue and Taylor Street have received the helping hands of Neighbor Labor. The next Neighbor Labor project is scheduled for the 2nd week of October, and the rest of the year will be weather permitting.

Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. Callie said she is inspired to see how the work and mission of Habitat for Humanity to connect neighbors to one another and to local resources is taking on a new life through Neighbor Labor. “It is so great to see neighbors who want to continue investing in a program that they have personally experienced having an impact, and turn that into an opportunity to help others.”

And while elbow grease and sweat equity go a long way to improve our streets, Neighbor Labor gives Glass Farm residents a chance to provide something extra and perhaps more valuable: the act of showing up for each other and being a good neighbor.

For more information about Neighbor Labor please contact Callie at cburkhalter@habichatt.org

ICYMI: Check out this Video from Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area’s 4th Neighbor Labor in July where they facilitate needed repairs on homes with neighborhood residents. Neighbors helping neighbors out here in Glass Farm!

Now in its 5th year, Glass Street LIVE couldn’t happen without our partners, sponsors and extraordinary neighbors. If you are interested in becoming an event sponsor just click here and complete this simple form.  We can help your business or organization stand out by becoming an official sponsor of Glass Street LIVE 2018!  For more information on our sponsorship program please contact Tara Poole:  tara@glasshousecollective.org | 423-402-0565

Sign up to be a GSL Volunteer and Vendor:

Planning to attend? Follow the event page on Facebook and let us know!

Block leaders in the Glass Farm neighborhood recently coordinated a yard sale to raise funds to jumpstart the initiative. It was a huge success in pairing neighborhood investment with support from the CFGC and Lillian Colby Foundations. Block Leaders coordinator Janette Richie is excited to discuss ideas with her fellow neighbors. “I take pride in my neighborhood just like for us to become one big family.”

Thanks to foundation investment, it looks like we now have the funds to move forward.

Using national models, our Neighborhood Pride campaign plan is to produce banners, house flags, yard signs, and videos using our well-known resident – artist centered protocol.

We’re excited to continue partnering with Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitalization team to implement the residential component of the pride campaign including the yard signage and house banners. Studio Everything will be another crucial partner in designing and building pride signage to help mark and welcome passers-by to the neighborhood.

If you’re a neighbor with more ideas, please get in touch with Nicole Lewis via email or phone (nicole@glasshousecollective.org 423-618-9865) to be added to the campaign contact list and stay informed about future planning sessions.

As usual our local East Chatt YFD Center will be offering sports-based summer camp with the chance to experience some field trips as well. Interested families should not wait to sign up, as the conveniently located camps fill quickly. This year, Cameron Williams (aka C-Grimey) plans to add some more arts and music based elements to the traditional programming. During the recent Chamber of Commerce sponsored job fair, he said “I’ve been hosting these history of hip-hop classes each Wednesday here at the center, so I know the enthusiasm is building.”

Nearby Sterchi Farm trailhead park has received a huge facelift from a joint effort of Public Art Chattanooga and the Trust for Public Land. Artist Adam Kuby’s climbable sculpture installation was unveiled last month with some of our neighbors and board members in attendance. Outdoor Chattanooga also sponsored demonstrations of kayaking and SUP (stand-up paddle board) techniques. One of our board members, architect Jared Hueter attended the April 28th “Clamber, Scramble, Traverse” event with his children. “This is a unique park creating a water and trail connection to the downtown riverwalk system via the South Chickamauga Creek and Greenway– a very cool local resource.”

One of the best ways to enjoy the Sterchi Farm trailhead is via bicycle, and anyone interested can receive advice and bike repair at the Resource Bike Co-Op. They are located right next door to Rondell Crier’s Studio Everything on Glass Street and throughout the summer they’re planning to be open Tuesday and Wed. from 4-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-9 p.m. Anyone wanting more info can contact Zac or other co-op members at 423-521-0249.

Just across the street from our GHC offices, Mark Making will host Magic Markers 2018 : a one week work readiness program for EAST CHATTANOOGA teens (14-18) that focuses on citizenship, written word, design and entrepreneurship. Participants will have the opportunity to create, market and distribute wallets of their own design reflecting their ideas on citizenship. The young artists will also be able to receive compensation on a sliding scale depending on demonstrated level of professionalism and the strength of their wallet design. Due to limited space, there are only 24 spots available, so interested teens should hurry to apply via the link above.

If you or another local partner knows of more resources not highlighted here, please send and email to our Community Relations Manager, Nicole Lewis (nicole@glasshousecollective.org) or stop by to share brochures during our regular office hours so we can post and share info.

We hope all of our friends and neighbors will stay safe and have fun this summer!

 

This year Joel Tippens of Grow Hope Urban Farm successfully advocated for his East Chattanooga community garden to be a 2018 Clean and Green special project site. He partnered with the Glass Street neighborhood and volunteers from Cigna to plant hearty herbs like sage that won’t require massive maintenance or water to sustain growth. Joel grew the starts over at Grow Hope Urban farm and donated his plants and time because of his commitment to connect neighbors to healthy sustainable food sources.

After taking advantage of the beautiful bright day to generously donate their time with the Glass Street planter box project the volunteers finished the day by weeding and planting with Joel in his garden. We are so grateful to the organizers of Clean and Green 2018 as well as Joel Tippens and volunteers from Cigna who all made this project possible. See you all again next year!