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About

Building Community on the Eastside

The following short video was directed by Shaemus Kermiet, as part of the Cool Cities Grant and features interviews with ANC staff and board members as well as the GardenHouse and Allen Street Farmers Market.

Lansing Cool Cities

The following short video (9:37) was produced by Guiseppe Getto, an MSU graduate student, and features interviews with ANC staff and board members.


Allen Neighborhood Center on Vimeo.

Who We Are, What We Do

Allen Neighborhood Center (ANC) serves as a hub for neighborhood education and capacity building. We offer activities that promote the health, safety, and stability of families and neighborhoods on the Eastside of Lansing.

We provide:

  • Support for organized neighborhood groups: technical assistance, meeting space, use of copy machine and fax.
  • A neighborhood-based, comprehensive information and referral service, linking residents to housing, health, and human service providers throughout the area.
  • A local ‘learning space’ for residents of all ages, featuring a variety of classes and programs.

Strategic Plan

We have developed a strategic plan to guide our development over the next three years, 2009 through 2011. The plan is made up of several sections:

  • Our Vision for the Eastside
  • Leadership Development
  • Organizational Development
  • Resource Development
  • Program Development
  • Neighborhood Development
  • Housing Goals
  • Food Resource Project Goals
  • Youth and Seniors Goals

ANC Programs at a glance:

Housing

  • Energy Preservation Initiative: We link homeowners with local community resources to restore and improve their homes to a higher level of efficiency, safety, and beauty.
  • Weatherization Assistance: Sign up for financial assistance to improve your home’s energy efficiency and reduce your utility bills.

Health

Food

  • Allen Street Farmers Market: A Wednesday market from May through October connecting residents with fresh local produce.
  • Hunter Park GardenHouse: The GardenHouse is an urban gardening demonstration and education facility, conveniently located in the Eastside’s Hunter Park.
  • Tuesday Bread Basket: Every Tuesday we have free bread available to Eastside residents from 1:00 to 6:00 PM.
  • Youth Gardening: Spring and Summer programs for youth in the area interested in gardening, as well as educational after-school and classroom visit programs at Bingham Elementary.

Building Community

  • Eastside Neighbor: A monthly newsletter covering ANC events and neighborhood happenings, distributed free to homes in our service area, businesses along Michigan Avenue, and our mailing list.
  • Web Site: An Internet presence at www.allenneighborhoodcenter.org, including breaking news, downloads of our monthly newsletter, and pictures of the center’s activities.
  • Youth Service Corps (YSC): Community service projects for neighborhood youth. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30 to 5:30 PM and 1:30 to 3:30 during summer vacation.
  • Wednesday Morning Senior Coffee: Weekly gathering of neighborhood seniors from 10 AM to noon, with presentations by visiting speakers on topics of interest.