Sustain Blue Island

January 2012 is the 11th National Mentoring Month.

A mentor is a coach, guide, tutor, facilitator, counselor and trusted advisor. A mentor is someone willing to spend his or her time and expertise to guide the development of another person.

As tutors, coaches, teachers, volunteers, and friends, mentors commit their time and energy to kids who may otherwise lack a positive, mature influence in their lives. Their impact fulfills critical local needs that often elude public services.

Many of us are fortunate to recall a role model from our own adolescent years who pushed us to succeed or pulled us back from making a poor decision. We carry their wisdom with us throughout our lives, knowing the unique and timeless gift of mentorship. During this month, I encourage Americans to give back by mentoring young people in their communities who may lack role models, and pass that precious gift on to the next generation.

10 11 Things to Do This January

Become a mentor in your community.

Learn more about mentoring.

Partner with a mentoring organization.

Tell 5 friends about National Mentoring Month.

Think about the mentors in your life and post a tribute to them online.

Watch videos of celebrities such as Quincy Jones, Sting, Cal Ripken, Jr., talk about the mentors in their lives.

Read the latest research and find resources on mentoring.

Go to YouTube on Thank Your Mentor Day™ (January 21st) and make the National Mentoring Month videos the most popular of the day!

Serve your community on MLK Day of Service by deciding to become a mentor.

Make a donation to a mentoring organization in your community.

Health for the Holidays: Share We're Not Buying It 

Help the kids in your life become more media literate this holiday break, and engage them in standing up for health. Watch and share We're Not Buying It, a 2-minute video that highlights the role of industry in shaping the foods kids eat. 

7/14 Webinar: "Black Health: Food and the Law" - brief overview of the Black health disparities & social determinants of health. This webinar is the 6th in a year-long series. The foundation of the series is that Black health status is significantly worst than whites and that the law is a determinant of health.  

For additional information: 

Dying While Black: Black Health Status, (24 minutes),  http://vimeo.com/20545689

Racial Inequality: A Risk Factor for Health Disparities in the Black Community (20 minutes), http://vimeo.com/20555792

Law as a Social Determinant (32 minutes), http://vimeo.com/20623661

1st video in a series highlighting CMAP’s Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program - includes Great Footage of Blue Island. 

Stay tuned - in the next year, CMAP will be producing a video that offers an in-depth view of planning in Blue Island. 

Model Community Coalition Kick Off

On May 25, BICDD and MetroSouth Medical Center (MSMC) combined efforts and launched a successful kickoff dinner.

Mayor Peloquin was on hand to welcome community partners and interested residents. 

Diane Banta of the National Park Service updated guests on the Cal Sag trail development. 

Melissa Buenger of PHIMC and Gita Rampersad of BICDD presented an overview of the Model Communities program which aimed to address obesity by promoting healthy communities and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control.

Guests were treated to a delicious buffet dinner and dessert bar catered by MSMC. Thanks to everyone who made this event a success!

Community Garden Updates

May also marked the launch of community gardening expansion project under the Blue Island Model Community program. Community gardens promote healthy communities and residents who participate in community gardening contribute to the preservation of open space, provide access to it, and create sustainable uses of the space. Community gardens strengthen community bonds, provide food, and create recreational and therapeutic opportunities for residents. They can also promote environmental awareness and provide community education.

Residents are encouraged to “adopt a plot.” A few plots are currently available at Memorial Park location. Our first new garden is targeted for the Blue Island Recreation Center - partners include BICDD, Tommy Brown Sports Association, UFB Urban Ag & Community Gardening Committee and Delta Institute. For more information or to get involved, please contact Jodi Prout.

June kicks off our Complete Streets project

The streets of our cities and towns are an important part of our communities. They allow children to get to school and parents to get to work. They bring together neighbors and draw visitors to neighborhood stores. In communities across the country, a movement is growing to “complete” the streets.

Complete Streets are streets for everyone. They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation users of all ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across a Complete Street.

States, cities, and towns are designing policies and asking their planners and engineers to build roads that are safer, more accessible, and easier for everyone. In the process, they are creating better communities for people to live, play, work, and shop. BICCD staff, the Active Transportation Alliance and members of our Complete Streets steering committee will attend an all day training at the Field Museum on June 21 to help with Blue Island’s Complete Streets policy-making. 

As a part of our comprehensive planning effort, the Community Development Department invites local residents, business owners, community leaders and other stakeholders to share their ideas about what the future of Blue Island should look like. Read more about Blue Island's Comprehensive Plan project.

The public will have 2 opportunities in June to contribute to the comprehensive plan by attending a special community planning event. These events will be held in the evening, and are open to all members of the Blue Island community. 

For more details, please contact Jessica Simoncelli via email or call (312) 386-8631.

Workshop #1 Date: Monday, June 20th, 2011 Time: Evening, TBD Location: Salvation Army, 2900 W. Burr Oak