How would you improve your place? Each year, we collaborate with Mid City Redevelopment Alliance on the Mid City Neighborhood Challenge, a friendly competition among residents. Groups engage in grassroots campaigns to improve a property in their own neighborhood. All projects and volunteer participation are organized by the neighborhood group with materials and supplies provided by Mid City Redevelopment Alliance (MCRA) and grant awards provided by Tipton Associates.
With this support, the people who know a place best make small but pivotal changes. This year, four neighborhoods received $2,000 each. Projects are in progress, due to be completed by December of this year, with an award ceremony in January 2022. As you drive around Mid City, be on the lookout for:
Bernard Terrace Civic Association: new sign and native plant landscaping
Poets Corner Neighborhood Association: Repair and replacement of branded street signs; front porch renovation and landscaping to benefit a young family and add to overall neighborhood beauty
Melrose East, S.A.V.E. Baton Rouge Youth Prayer Movement, LLC: 5-step program to recruit, encourage, and educate youth, building a collective voice for positive change
Goodwood Property Owners Association: A trellis and bench installation for the pollinator/butterfly garden at Goodwood Park
The Neighborhood Challenge encourages residents to work together to build, create, empower, and motivate each other to bring the resources their neighborhoods need to the forefront. From neighborhood signs to pocket parks, the creativity is endless. Stay tuned for January 2022, when we’ll announce the overall winner.