Phase two of Rockford Neighborhood Improvement Initiative begins Thursday

The City of Rockford is introducing the second phase of the neighborhood improvement initiative. The initiative focuses on five neighborhoods within Rockford. Its purpose is to not only clean up neighborhoods, but bring resources to those in need, and decrease crime.

Police and Fire staff will be going door-to-door to connect with community members and give smoke detectors to those who need them. This will happen during a community workday and block party beginning with the Lewis Lemon area neighborhood on Thursday, May 25th. This year there will five days and each day will end with a block party for the community.

Mayor Tom McNamara says, “It was successful and one of the things that residents said was ‘you’re going to continue to do this once and nothing will continue to happen.’ So, we have been knocking down that myth ever since. This year we are going back to those same neighborhoods and we are starting on May 25th,” said, McNamara.

Some of these resources can also be found at Voices Of Inspiration Food Pantry. The organization not only provides food but also clothing, health classes, and even help with food stamp applications.

Founder Vivian Lott thinks the neighborhood initiative is a good idea, stating; “It’s a disaster on the west side when it comes down to the housing and instead of fixing them up, they are boarded up. A lot of the stores that were open on West State are boarded up or knocked down. It’s really bad on the west side if there was a need in the City of Rockford it would definitely be the west side,” said Lott.