(Leopold Area Resource Coalition)

Prior to 2000

• founded by reps from Leopold School (family-school coordinator, psych, teacher, parent), local police, Arbor Covenant church
• Focus: providing food, clothing, gifts, reference services to needy

2003-2005

• participants expanded to include volunteer groups, JFF, Evenstart, Community Learning Community (CLC), Title, VISTA, Literacy Council
• Focus: social services delivery: develop a community resource site
• Focus: communication support: stakeholders within Leopold
• Focus: Business/community partnerships: working with neighborhood companies/organizations

2005-2007

• participants expanded to include YMCA, Ridgewood (Fairways), GHC, realtors, fire department, local media, banks, golf course, Charles Hamilton Houston Institute, RSVP, SOL Grant/Big Brothers & Big Sisters-Hispanic families
• Focus: Networking/positive relations with stakeholders
• Focus: Advocacy for community/school needs
• Focus: Facilitate increased parent/community involvement
• Focus: Facilitate mentoring/volunteer/service opportunities (community to school and school to community-intergenerational)
• Focus: Family resource support (resource/referral; parent/adult education; student support programming-after school)

2007-Present

• participants expand to include Fitchburg Mayor's office, Fairway properties, Leopold Neighborhood Association
• JFF worker hired; JFF office established on Fairways property site
• FACE (Fitchburg Area Community Exchange) meeting took place 3/11/08
• GHC expanded insurance coverage/health services to families in poverty
• Explored Time Bank program
• Play and Learn program begins at Fairways rental office site
• LARC meetings begin shared facilitation model and expand to meetings over the summer