NWI News and Events
Photo of sunflower in Riddle school garden courtesy of Katie Olender
Panera Bread Distribution Every Thursday from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm NorthWest Initiative 1012 N. Walnut St., Room 106; 517-999-2895 Angel Food Ministries Place orders in the middle of the month and pick up at the end of the month. Call Julie @ (517) 485-0174 (Must enroll prior to distribution) Great Food for All Place orders at the beginning of the month and pick up in the middle of the month. Call Jack @ (517) 374-2650 (Must enroll prior to distribution) Food Movers Distribution March 10th, April 7th from 11-12pm NorthWest Initiative 1012 N. Walnut St., Room 107 (517) 482-1270 (517) 999-2894 (Must enroll prior to distribution) Letts Community Center (Supplemental Bread Location) Monday– Thursday; 12-6pm. 1220 W. Kalamazoo St. 517-483-4311 |
| Get Involved! |
| NorthWest Initiative - North Neighborhood Center 1012 North Walnut, Lansing, MI 48906 Phone: 517-999-2894 Fax: 517-999-2897 |
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!
Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit - short version
Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit - long version
NWI Hosting Free H1N1 Flu Clinics!
The NorthWest Initiative in collaboration with the Ingham
County Health Department will be offering free H1N1 flu
vaccinations at various sites in northwest Lansing between
February 1 – April 30, 2010. Click here for a listing of free flu
clinics, or call 999-2894 for more information.
CSO Construction Starts March 15, 2010
CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) Construction is coming to
W. Saginaw Street in 2010, including the following closures:
If during construction, you have a concern or issue about the
work being done, please call the CSO Hotline at 394-5566, or
go online to their website at www.LansingCSO.com.
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:
Growing Our Food System: Nourishing Our People
An all day conference addressing local food issues
March 25, 2010; 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
LCC West Campus - 5708 Cornerstone Drive, Lansing
The Greater Lansing Food Bank and a large group of
community partners have come together organize a
conference addressing local food issues in the Capitol
Region. We are looking to reach out to people who grow,
produce, prepare, distribute, market, or sell food and anyone
else connected to the food industry, public health, pantries,
funding and policymaking. This all day event will offer
examples of examples of emerging practices and plenty of
interaction among participants to help strengthen our local
food system and our community. Register online now at www.
greaterlansingfoodbank.org; the cost of registration is $5.00.
We Need Your Help to Plan a Neighborhood Conference
We are looking for individuals, especially in their 20's, 30's
and 40's, who are willing to help us plan a Lansing area
Neighborhood Conference to be held in September 2010. If
you have a few hours to volunteer over the next several
months; are interested in improving your neighborhood; want
to make Lansing the best place to live and work, or have
expertise in event planning, then we need you! Contact
Peggy at 999-2894 for more information.
Are You Providing Childcare?
If you are registered with the Department of Human Services
(DHS) to provide childcare as a Relative or Day Care Aid
provider, we have some very important information to share
with you. Did you know that you must attend an orientation
training in order to continue being paid by DHS? Please call
999-2895 or 887-4319 for more information.
Are You a Young Father and Need Help?
In collaboration with The New Youth Fathers Program, the
NorthWest Initiative is hosting a workshop on Thursday,
March 18, 2010 at 5:30 pm at NWI offices. Come join us and
learn more about your rights as a young father, how to deal
with child support and custody issues, your responsibility as
a father, and managing your budget. For more information,
please call Andre at 256-1368.
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!
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 second
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.
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.
Register now and learn more at www.nixle.com
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.
Need Health Coverage or Have a Child With Asthma?
If you are uninsured, live in Ingham County, and are income
eligible then you may qualify for coverage under the free
Ingham Health Plan (IHP) and/or the Healthy Homes
University (HHU) Program. IHP covers doctor visits,
prescriptions, x-rays, lab tests and urgent care all for a small
co-pay of $5.00. HHU provides extensive assistance to
families who have a child with asthma under the age of 18.
They provide products and services designed to reduce
asthma triggers and prevent injuries in your home.
For more information about IHP or HHU or other health and
human service needs, please call our Outreach Office at NWI
at 999-2895.
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
NWI Hosting Free H1N1 Flu Clinics!
The NorthWest Initiative in collaboration with the Ingham
County Health Department will be offering free H1N1 flu
vaccinations at various sites in northwest Lansing between
February 1 – April 30, 2010. Click here for a listing of free flu
clinics, or call 999-2894 for more information.
CSO Construction Starts March 15, 2010
CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) Construction is coming to
W. Saginaw Street in 2010, including the following closures:
- March - November: Saginaw reduced to one-lane
between; Westmoreland and Chestnut (expect lane
reductions to begin further west of Westmoreland) - July - August: MLK Jr. Boulevard temporarily closed at
Saginaw for approximately six to eight weeks.
If during construction, you have a concern or issue about the
work being done, please call the CSO Hotline at 394-5566, or
go online to their website at www.LansingCSO.com.
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:
Growing Our Food System: Nourishing Our People
An all day conference addressing local food issues
March 25, 2010; 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
LCC West Campus - 5708 Cornerstone Drive, Lansing
The Greater Lansing Food Bank and a large group of
community partners have come together organize a
conference addressing local food issues in the Capitol
Region. We are looking to reach out to people who grow,
produce, prepare, distribute, market, or sell food and anyone
else connected to the food industry, public health, pantries,
funding and policymaking. This all day event will offer
examples of examples of emerging practices and plenty of
interaction among participants to help strengthen our local
food system and our community. Register online now at www.
greaterlansingfoodbank.org; the cost of registration is $5.00.
We Need Your Help to Plan a Neighborhood Conference
We are looking for individuals, especially in their 20's, 30's
and 40's, who are willing to help us plan a Lansing area
Neighborhood Conference to be held in September 2010. If
you have a few hours to volunteer over the next several
months; are interested in improving your neighborhood; want
to make Lansing the best place to live and work, or have
expertise in event planning, then we need you! Contact
Peggy at 999-2894 for more information.
Are You Providing Childcare?
If you are registered with the Department of Human Services
(DHS) to provide childcare as a Relative or Day Care Aid
provider, we have some very important information to share
with you. Did you know that you must attend an orientation
training in order to continue being paid by DHS? Please call
999-2895 or 887-4319 for more information.
Are You a Young Father and Need Help?
In collaboration with The New Youth Fathers Program, the
NorthWest Initiative is hosting a workshop on Thursday,
March 18, 2010 at 5:30 pm at NWI offices. Come join us and
learn more about your rights as a young father, how to deal
with child support and custody issues, your responsibility as
a father, and managing your budget. For more information,
please call Andre at 256-1368.
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!
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 second
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.
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.
Register now and learn more at www.nixle.com
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.
Need Health Coverage or Have a Child With Asthma?
If you are uninsured, live in Ingham County, and are income
eligible then you may qualify for coverage under the free
Ingham Health Plan (IHP) and/or the Healthy Homes
University (HHU) Program. IHP covers doctor visits,
prescriptions, x-rays, lab tests and urgent care all for a small
co-pay of $5.00. HHU provides extensive assistance to
families who have a child with asthma under the age of 18.
They provide products and services designed to reduce
asthma triggers and prevent injuries in your home.
For more information about IHP or HHU or other health and
human service needs, please call our Outreach Office at NWI
at 999-2895.
| 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! (Contact info below) |
| 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 |
VITA Tax Site Mondays from 4-8 pm; Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am -2 pm. Call 2-1-1 for an appointment Senior Coffee Hour Thursdays; 10am -12 noon 1012 N. Walnut, Suite 107 Young Phoenix & Young Athena Programs Saturdays; 9 am-12:00pm 1012 N. Walnut, Suite 107 After School Homework Help Monday-Thursday 3:30-5:30 1012 N. Walnut, Suite 107 Photography Class for Kids 1st Saturday of the month 11:00-12:30pm Call Jeana-Dee to enroll (517) 999-2894 After School Garden Club 3:45-4:45 @ MMLA on Mondays Cavanaugh on Tuesdays Willow on Wednesdays Riddle on Thursdays Chess Club Fridays; 7:30 pm MMLA; 730 W. Maple NAMI Support Group (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Thursdays; 7 - 8:30 pm 1012 N. Walnut, Suite 107 |
| Food Resources |
| Weekly Programs |