If you or someone you know is hungry and without food you can stop by Archway any day this week between the hours of 11 am-2 pm to pick up a free sack lunch while supplies last. There will also be free individually wrapped snacks and fresh fruit. Come by and see what else is available as some unexpected donations come in from day to day that will also be made available to those in need right now.

From our Board Member and Archway director, Carlos Hampton, “I am so proud to be a part of a network of organizations and community leaders that are able to band together in an effort to see and be a part of the big picture. This is larger than us, but we can definitely get more done together. This is Chattanooga.”

This is first come and first served and while supplies last. We will keep this info updated as the circumstances change. For now please take advantage of this generous open door this week (3/23-3/27).

Archway is located at 2523 Glass Street next to our pocket park and across the street from the free wifi hot spot.

Please use this list of helpful links for other community resources available this time.

Speaking of pride, many of the new Glass Farm house banners were distributed at the Christmas party and we were so glad we were there to hear everyone’s excitement and plans to hang their banners on their homes. As always, our appreciation to the Lilian Colby Foundation for sponsoring this project, which was sparked from an idea at a Glass Farm Block Leaders meeting nearly two years ago. It is so gratifying to see ideas from our neighbors turned into action. Now, everyone who drives through Glass Farm, will be able to see banners flying proudly from homes all around the neighborhood. Coming next: Be on the lookout for more neighborhood pride signs to place in yards as we look for different ways to celebrate and utilize the new winning design voted by the community!

In all, the evening was really special and we are so proud to see so many people working together to celebrate one another. Archway, especially Michele Peterson and Nedra Davis, generously hosted the party in their space and were the party sponsor. All the presents were generously gifted by Lee/Santa with Progress Barber Shop on Glass Street. Events With Taste provided the delicious food. And The Glass Farm Block Leaders provided the postage for the Christmas party invitations. Thanks for inviting us!

PHOTOS HERE

Urban Art Bike Camp: Art 120, a non-profit organization set out to teach kids appropriate welding and design skills to create a unique art bike to ride during our upcoming Glass Street LIVE parade. The two week camp, run by Kate Warren, was held at the East Chatt YFD Center and created a lot of buzz amongst not only the kids participating in the camp, but also amongst the kids in the neighborhood since they were able to see the progress of the bikes from start to finish. From a ladybug to a red race car swivel bike, each camper was involved in the designing and creating of their pieces from beginning to end. The campers, along with their recently finished bikes, will be able to participate in the Glass Street LIVE Parade on October 8th.

Magic Markers Teens: Mark Making of Chattanooga, an organization started by local artist, Frances McDonald, held its third year of Magic Markers Teens this year. The work readiness program has provided local teens a creative space to come together and create three murals to hang around the neighborhood. These murals are not only aesthetically pleasing to the community, but also provide an important message of hope. During each session, the teens are led by a group of local artists to pick three inspirational and relevant words to create the murals. This final session’s three words were “Growth”, “Develop”, and “Help!”. To learn more about Magic Markers teens, visit the recent article Times Free Press wrote about them here.

Archway Kids: Michele Peterson, local businesswoman, started Archway Kids about a year ago in what is now the Archway building on Glass Street. Every Wednesday night young adults in East Chattanooga gather together to learn various marketing skills from Michele, all while practicing the social and professional skills essential to working and collaborating with others in a business environment. Although Michele believes it is important for these young adults to learn these important skills, this doesn’t mean all work and no play! Just recently Michele and the rest of Archway crew went rafting down the Ocoee River! To learn more about Archway Kids visit their facebook page here.

Mozilla Haunt Camp: We are so excited to announce the launch of the first Mozilla Haunt camp this summer! GHC’s Community Coordinator, Nicole Lewis received a separate grant to run the pilot program, and has been teaching kids in the community the skills to create their own video games. In addition to learning the physical process to creating a video game, the participating youth were challenged to create a game that highlights some of the various problems teens face today in the East Chattanooga community.

The excited group took off from Glass Street at 7am via the shuttle van provided by Groome Me, transportation. Alli Dozet and Anthony Frederick of Magic Markers Film Camp came along to film using waterproof GoPro cameras. Michele Peterson, ArchWay’s sponsor, provided PennStation sandwiches for the group. During the pre-rafting volleyball game and picnic, Peterson coached each team about how they’re all team players, and the importance of working together for a common goal.

Nikki Lewis, who came along for the trip said that even though they had never experienced anything like the rafting trip before the kids were excited rather than scared. She admits that she was even a little bit nervous when their raft took an unfavorable route through a large rapid, going directly over a rock they were meant to steer around. Carlos Hampton came along as a partner with Peterson at ArchWay, and said the river experience provided the ideal metaphor for entrepreneurship being a mix of smooth and rough waters, and when rocks are in the way, you have to flow around them. “The kids experienced something totally different that day,” Hampton recalls, “that was the point: to keep widening their perspective on the world– show them a variety of options.”

Returned to Glass Street by 5:30 PM, where they gathered at the ArchWay building to debrief and announce the upcoming project (scheduled for this Thurs, Aug. 11) working with Ms. Barbara Davis of Koch’s Bakery, where participants will get the chance to name and market a new variety of donut.