Angela Blanchard, Neighborhood Centers President and CEO and 2011 ARAMARK and Building Community Leadership Honoree, presented at the United Neighborhood Centers of America (UNCA) Neighborhood Revitalization Conference in Washington, D.C. on July 21.
The conference brought together recipients of the 21 Promise Neighborhood grants and showcased the work that Neighborhood Centers is doing to build vibrant communities.
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan shared his thoughts about the importance of the Promise Neighborhood initiative in addressing the pressing issues surrounding education. "We can’t build strong communities if we don’t have strong schools. Changing the quality of the schools is key," stated Duncan.
At the conference, Neighborhood Centers was recognized for its efforts in the Gulfton Promise Neighborhood, as well as Blanchard’s visionary leadership. The agency's work in Gulfton is centered on an asset-based approach which is defined by the members of each neighborhood and builds upon the existing strengths of the community.