Connected and Engaged Communities
Unlike their neighbors in DC, who have Advisory Neighborhood Commissions to keep them regularly informed about and engaged around issues of the concern to the community, the residents of GCHIC’s focus area lack that kind of formalized information network—or even a comparably effective informal network. This often leaves neighbors in the dark about important issues impacting the community, and ill-prepared to organize around issues when necessary.
Knowledge is Power: Creating Informed Constituents
GCHIC is working to eliminate this information gap by strengthening the communications infrastructure within the Community. This will help to enhance public awareness and civic participation and to facilitate collective discussion, decisionmaking, and action regarding issues of concern to the Community. Over time, our volunteers will help us develop website content and newsletters that will become a clearinghouse of information relating to development, land use, and government accountability, among other areas. We will build our contacts database to facilitate outreach and collective action.
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We will also implement a Neighborhood Advisory Panel comprised of GCHIC's supporters from 20 different subareas within our focus area. The NAP will be part of a broader Advisory Committee comprised of business, nonprofit and faith organizations, and subject matter experts..