Streets of Hope response

One aspect of this narrative that I think really connects to our project is the creation of the Dudley Advisory Group out of the Riley Foundation's interest. When the directors of the Riley Foundation first saw the Dudley area and La Alianza Hispana up close, they had an emotional response. However, they were not listening to what the community was asking for. When La Alianza Hispana requested funding for a new carpet, the Foundation offered grants that did not solve any real problems. They offered to be a part of a larger, more visible initiative to revitalize the area, without addressing real issues. I see this problem paralleled very often when people try to help causes or organizations. It is imperative that the volunteers, donors, etc. listen to the people in need so that their resources can be put to use. I think that the network we are creating in Somerville will address this issue. It will give groups an opportunity to explicitly state what needs to be done, or at least a means to collaborate to figure out what needs to be done. The progression from isolated grants to the Dudley Advisory Group was an instrumental step, as input from more than one organization helped formulate their plans. I do not think that the ensuing problems stemmed from this collaboration, but that the problems would have prohibited any progress at all if the collaboration and communication did not take place.