NWI News and Events
Photo of sunflower in Riddle school garden courtesy of Katie Olender
Get Involved!
NorthWest Initiative - North Neighborhood Center
1012 North Walnut, Lansing, MI 48906
Phone: 517-999-2894   Fax:  517-999-2897
Lets Garden Lansing!

A group of community partners have come together to provide
a calendar listing of gardening education events and
workshops throughout the Lansing area.  For more
information, visit
www.letsgardenlansing.org.

SAVE THE DATE:
Lansing Area Youth Gardening Conference
Saturday, February 20, 2010; 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Southside Community Center (Hill)

Come learn about what is happening with youth gardening in
the Lansing area.  Gain knowledge and resources to help
grow your youth garden.  Network with others growing school
and youth gardens throughout the Lansing area.  

Youth and adults are welcome (There will be one track of
workshops intended especially for youth ages 8 and
above, as well as tracks intended for adults).  Lunch is
provided.  Registration fee $5

Online and paper registrations available in mid-January ; call
676-7300 or check
www.youthgardeningcoaltion.org.

Westside Commercial Association – Revitalizing the
Saginaw/Oakland Area

The Westside Commercial Association works to revitalize the
business and residential areas along Saginaw and Oakland
on Lansing’s Westside, using projects related to design,
promotion, business development, and organization.
Click
here for news, events, and to learn more about WCA!

NWI Hosts FREE Tax Site

NWI's FREE Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site is
located in our offices at 1012 N. Walnut St., Room 107
(inside the old Walnut School).  With the help of the IRS and
the Asset Independence Coalition (AIC), we are able to offer
certified income tax preparation at no charge for low to
moderate income individuals.  NWI's Free Tax Preparation
service  has helped residents receive more than $4 million in
previously unclaimed tax credits and rebates since 2004.  

Call
2-1-1 to set up an appointment today!  

    Click the links below to watch a video about our
    free tax preparation service!

 
Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit - short version
 Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit - long version

Young Phoenix and Young Athena Program are Back!
For Youth ages 9-16

Young Phoenix and Young Athena programs are still meeting
on Saturday mornings from
9:00 am– 12 noon at the North
Neighborhood Center—
l012 N. Walnut St. Suite l07.  This
program provides youth with a variety of activities including
teaching your child how their self-esteem, learning
leadership skills, participating in positive community service
projects, and taking fun, educational field trips! For more
information , contact  
Lori at (517) 999-2894.

Ready to Get Fit?

NWI's Food Systems Project has started a new fitness group
that will meet weekly to get in shape.  Activities will range
from walking, to yoga, to hula dancing.  For more information
contact
Stephanie at 999-2894.

New Program for Children with An Incarcerated Parent

Do you have or know of a child between the ages 5-18, who
has a parent or other close relative who is incarcerated?
Would you be interested in helping them learn how to
communicate with their absent parent/relative via letter
writing, drawing pictures, making cards, and taking pictures
to send to their loved one who is behind bars? The goal of
this program is to help children maintain a positive
relationship with a parent/relative who has been
incarcerated. This program will be held on the s
econd
Saturday of each month from 11:00 am – 12:00 noon
(first
session, Saturday, September 12th). If you are interested in
registering your child, please contact
Jeana-Dee at 999-2984.

New Photography Class for Children!

Calling all children who
are interested in learning
about photography!
Children will learn about
techniques to taking and
composing wonderful
pictures. The youth will
also learn how to write
about each of their
pictures with the goal of having the art images displayed in a
local art gallery at the end of the school year. This class is
free and all equipment will be provided by NorthWest
Initiative. The class will meet on the
1st Saturday of the
month
. The class will meet on the 1st Saturday of the month
from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm. To register for this class, please
call
Jeana-Dee at 999-2894.

Click here to view some of the photo's they have taken so far!

Stay Connected with Nixle!

The City of Lansing has launched a new Community
Information Service designed to deliver important and timely
information to residents in our area using the latest
technology.

This service, Nixle, delivers trustworthy and important
neighborhood-level public safety and community event
notifications instantly sent to you by cell phone text message,
email, and web. There is NO Spam or Advertising.

Nixle is available at no cost (standard text message rates
apply for cell phone subscribers who do not have text plans
with their cell phone providers).  The service is simple to use,
reliable and trusted.

Register now and learn more at www.nixle.com

Stay connected to your community, from the public safety and
traffic alerts that are relevant to you, to the important
neighborhood advisories you want to know about, as well as,
other valuable community information. You decide what
information you want and whether you want it sent to your cell
phone, email, or just simply over the web.

National Alliance on Mental Illness

NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group meetings are now
held every
Thursday from 7-8:30 pm at the NorthWest
Initiative,
1012 N. Walnut Street, Room 107. Please use the
southern entrances into the building (closest to Kilborn).  On-
street parking is available along Walnut or Kilborn Streets or
in the parking lot.   For more information, call
485-4904.

Riddle Garden and Hoophouse Open Time

The Riddle Garden and Hoophouse is now open every
Thursday from 2-4.  Come on in and see what we got
growing on!
 For more information on the Riddle hoophouse,
please contact
Ramona at 999-2894.
Share your Ideas
Are you interested in what
this community is doing to
improve the area and want
to help the people living
and working in the
Northwest Lansing area?  
Spare some time for a good
cause, come and share
some of your ideas with us!

Our agency is fuelled by the
support and ideas of
prominent community
leaders like you!
Donate
It feels good to give and it
helps your community.  
Every effort is appreciated
and together we can make
a difference and have fun
while doing it!  You can
even specify which
programs you would like
to fund!
(Contact info below)
Volunteer
We are always looking for
volunteers to work in our
office, school gardens, and
to help with projects like
flower planters, events,
advocacy and more!  Giving
your time for a good cause
is a rewarding experience!
(Contact info below)
Intern
We are always looking for
student interns to work in a
wide variety of settings, with
skills ranging from human
services and social work to
computer technology.  NWI
is a great place to gain
some experience and to
begin your career!
(Contact info below)
Contact Us!

If you would like to learn
more about becoming a
partner, sponsor,  volunteer
or intern; contact
Peggy at 517-999-2894;
peggy@nwlansing.org
NWI Now Distributes
Supplemental Bread








NWI now distributes   
Panera Bread commodities
every week on
Thursdays
between
12:00 and 4:00.  
Residents in need may    
pick up breads and bagels
at our North Neighborhood
Center location,
1012 N.
Walnut, or you may call
517-999-2894 to
schedule a pickup time.
Thinking of
Opening a Bank Account?

Comerica Cash and Care
is a great way to support
your favorite charity or
community organization.  
Just open a new qualifying
account or take advantage
of a new qualifying service
from Comerica and we
will contribute $100 to the
charity of your choice.

So if your shopping around
for a new bank, stop by your
local Comerica banking
center and tell them you
want your $100 donated to
NorthWest Initiative!  




For more information visit
comerica.com/cashandcare
or call 800-292-1300;
800-589-1400
NWI Seeking Senior
Citizens for PT Positions –
Experience Works Program

If you are a senior age 55
and older, qualify as low-
income and are looking for a
part-time job (18 hours per
week), contact us about our
various office and program
positions that we have
available. For more
information, call
Jeana-Dee
at 999-2894.
Positions Available
Seeking Volunteers to
Teach Nutrition in the
Classroom

The Food Systems Project
now has 900 students in
four Lansing area
elementary schools and is in
desperate need of 44
volunteers to work in our
classrooms beginning in
January.  If you like working
with children, gardening
and/or cooking and would
like to make a difference in a
child’s life, please contact
Joy at 999-2894 or
joy@nwlansing.org
.