Tag Archive: community projects

Build Your Local Business in 3 Easy Steps

July 25, 2021 Community Projects, 0

LOCAL BUSINESSES

 

Whether you are in the business of making pastries or in the business of proofreading legal documents, there is always a way to get noticed in your community. With some easy-to-apply ground rules, take a look at some ways in which you could start to expand your business.

Get Online

Getting set up on the internet is always a big help. When someone wants to search for a service like yours in a city or town like yours, they will often just type in the key words into a search engine. They will type “sewing” and “Milton” for example and see what comes up. You want your company name to be among those that come up in the search results. Get some help with building your website if online programming is not your thing. You could always pay your child or a friend’s child to help you with the development. There are lots of website templates to choose from online that provide the framework for the website’s design. There are sony vegas pro templates if you want to look modern and cool, but there are also more basic templates if that’s what you’re looking for. Spend an afternoon with someone who can help and get your presence recognized on the internet first.

Get Noticed

Do you have a sign up outside of your local shop? If it’s flat and facing the other side of the street, that’s great for those who are looking from that point of view. But what about people who are on the same side of the street as you? Consider a mounted wall sign that sticks out from the side of the building so your business is more noticeable. There are also those folding signs you can set outside on the street so your business logo is at street level. This type of sign is great for restaurants and coffee shops but even if your business is about custom hats, people’s eyes will still be drawn to the writing on the board. Many people will probably think it’s a food menu as they approach and read it out of curiousity. By the time they are finished reading your sign, they’ve realized that it’s not about food but instead about whatever it is that you’re promoting. Even if they feel a little disappointed that they didn’t read what they expected to, the point is that they read your sign.

There are also magnetic car signs your can put on your car doors or on the back. This way your company name will be noticed and recognized as a local character over time. Whether you’re driving to get some supplies or parked outside the office, your car will be advertising while you work.

 Give Samples

This one could get tricky, depending on the business you’re in. If it’s food or wares, it may be easier to give out samples. If you work in a trade or in accounting for example, it will be more difficult to produce some sort of enticement sample. It’s easy to hand out cupcakes but not so easy to hand out tax paperwork. If you can’t hand out samples at local events, try posting your services with a prominent logo on one of the bulletin boards at your community center. You could also leave a flyer with a business card stapled to it in neighbor’s mailboxes. Don’t do that last one too often though, or it could have a negative effect of being considered junk mail.

Build Your Community With Local Handiwork

July 23, 2021 Community Projects, 0

COMMUNITY 2When your home needs work done, the task can seem daunting. You’re wondering who to call for the job, who will not overcharge and who has the best work ethic. Consider asking around in your own neighborhood and see who has the skills you need. There are many in your community who may be skilled in different fields of work concerning residential or commercial repairs. There may be some older folks who used to work in the trades for decades and have since retired. You may be giving someone a job they really need or allowing an older member of the community to feel that they are not forgotten. Here are some areas where local handiwork can help.

Fencing

If it’s a matter of putting up a fence where none was before, that’s a job. It could also be that the existing fence is collapsing or tree roots have eroded the surface and are pushing the fence posts up. If you’re repairing an old one or installing a new one, fences are easier to build when there are more people on the job. Ask around in your neighborhood and see who is good with their hands. If you can round up a couple of people who know what they’re doing, they can help you out for a smaller fee than a contractor would. You could always offer to repay their kindness with food and drinks as well. A team effort from the neighborhood folks is a great way to build relationships and strengthen community ties.

Pavement

Paving is a little more complicated than putting in a fence, but it could still be beneficial for you to ask the locals who did their driveways and who they would recommend. They may also tell you who to avoid, so a moment to seek the advice of the community folks could go a long way and save you stress in the future. If no one in the neighborhood has anyone in mind, perhaps the local community center knows of a person who could help. They know more people in the community than you do so give them a try as well. Even if they know of someone on your street who works with http://www.xlasphaltmelbourne.com.au/, it’s somewhere to start.

Painting

Painting is a big home repair job, even if it’s only one room. If you are in your first home and are new to renovations, this is another good opportunity to chat with your community members and see who can recommend some help. They may know of a company who did their interior or exterior a few years ago and will get you their number. Or they may tell you that it’s not that hard to do it yourself and that they will help you out. Having some folks over for a team painting day is a fun way to get closer to the people in your town. Keep your helpers well fed and make sure they don’t go thirsty either. Treating them to a nice barbeque dinner afterwards might even be payment enough for those who just want to help out and be useful.

By reaching out to those in the community for home renovation help, you may be surprised at what the people around you know and what you can learn. If they end up doing the job with you, you’ll grow from there and a few years down the road you can return the favor to the next new neighbor.

 

 

Hold a community meeting to meet the neighborhood

July 19, 2021 Community Projects, 0

COMMUNITY MEETINGA community is a group of people that come together to help each other out with daily activities and community support. One way to do that is to have a monthly meeting to discuss community issues, the passing of neighborhood members and additions to the neighborhood. There is a great idea that communities work together to raise the children of our future so that the future would be brighter, friendlier, and more respectful. We would teach the children in the community how to work problems out and how to help others without expecting in return. With this thought in mind, maybe we should all band together in our communities and meet our neighbors, introduce our work services to each other so that we can help each other in times of need. What if someone broke into your house? Wouldn’t you want the police man two doors down to come help? Maybe as the neighbor who owns a window install company for a good quote on the work to replace the window broken. Or how about talking with the Insurance agent next door to you about insuring your father, ask for more info on your options and what you can and can’t do to help your parents out in this aspect. If your mother and father are over fifty then you can read more here about the different policies and options you have for this age group.

A community that bands together and helps each other helps make the community seem like a small town with everyone helping every one like back in the 50’s. Those were the times when people were nicer, communities were smaller, and you could let your kids walk around without adult supervision. But times have changed and we have strayed from that type of community environment. Why not take your community back to those days and have a town meeting every month to discuss the improvements to the town, or proposed changes to the town, or even business services that each person in the community can offer their fellow neighbors.

A potluck is a great idea for such an event. Everyone in the community brings a dish to share with the other members of the community and we all get to try new foods that maybe we have never had and get to introduce ourselves to the rest of our neighbors. Your kids may meet the new kids down the road and make new friends. You may meet a group of women for a book club, or your husband could find a few new buddies to talk about tools and grass cutting.

Some people won’t be interested in participating but the ones that are can help make the meeting a fun event for everyone and maybe help you find your next pool boy or landscaper. You might be able to set up a community neighborhood watch program in case of break in’s or troubled teens vandalizing people’s houses. Community meetings can benefit everyone when you think about the opportunities you will have to meet new people and help support neighborhood businesses.

Building Your Community Center’s Website

July 12, 2021 Community Projects, 0

 

So you have a community center and need a website. What do you do to get started? Well that is an easy question to answer. There are many sites that offer free websites such as Tumblr. But what you really need is to invest in a domain name form any reputable domain name company online and set up a self-hosted WordPress site. This can be done by yourself or you can hire someone, but seeing as how you’re a non-profit it would be easier to do it yourself and cost a lot less.

 

 

  • Domain names

Domain names generally run anywhere from .99 to 12.95 for the first year depending on who you purchase form and who is running a special, but remember when the renewal comes around that low cost name could cost you 30-40 dollars for one year renewal so be careful who you use. Domain names is the web address that you type in to direct you to your page. So it’s very important to pick something that reflects your community centers message.

  • WordPress platform

WordPress is the platform that houses your files and where you login to handle your cpanel and dashboard. This is where you will set up your design and write your articles pertaining to the community centers activities. This can be done with a little CSS coding or you can install a standard free theme and tweak it to how you like it. The CSS coding will need to be done by and expert but the free theme can be done by yourself. It’s a simple download and pick colors, sidebars, footers, and buttons. You will need a header and that can be created through picmonkey.com with a few simple clicks.

  • Buttons

Buttons are an essential part of blogging or business pages. You will need to go to CSS3 button generator in order to learn how to make buttons for your side bar. Buttons make everything so streamlined and professional looking. You will also need a button for your page to direct people from other sites to your site. This is called advertising.

  • Design and theme

Once you have set up your page theme and design you will need to start adding an about us page, a contact page, and some basic information about the community center. This requires a competent writer to put into words the great work your community center does for the community. You can also do a schedule of events and price listing for any fee based services.

  • Writing

Making pages at the top near the header will help you to organize everything into separate areas of the blog. Such as a page about activities for children and adults, or fee services offered, the gym page, or computer lab page, and local events. These are all things that will help the community to keep up to date on activities and functions at the community center.

  • Advertising

By offering advertising on the community centers page for local businesses you can earn a profit off of the advertising to put back into the community center. This is one way to help your non-profit afford the bills that come along with running a business and a web page.

Ways to help the less fortunate

July 10, 2021 Community Projects, 0

Many communities coordinate events to feed the homeless, or collect clothing for the needy. Some even set up play grounds for kids, or build homes like with Habitat for Humanity. Community’s band together to help each other out. That is what is best about a close nit community. They come together to find ways to support the less fortunate and add entertainment and solutions to everyday life needs.

When working with a community outreach program its very rewarding. But sometimes the thanks you get from the smile on the faces of those in need just isn’t enough. So why not do something special for all those volunteers by throwing them a party or movie night.

This can be accomplished pretty affordably. To throw a BBQ you will need a grill or smoker and the best way to find one is http://thankyouforsmokin.com. They offer many options for your needs. If this is out of your price range why not throw a movie night. A movie night can be much more affordable, you can pick up a movie projector from any local store for a pretty affordable price and get movies as low as $1.50 for rental or $5.00 for purchase. Snacks that would be really great to have at a movie night are popcorn, candy, soda, water, and pizza. All these items can be purchased pretty affordable. You don’t always have to go with the most expensive items, sometimes the cheaper option is the better option.

Community BBQs and movie nights are a great way to also give back to the community for all the hard work they have done and to give to the needy for entertainment that they could not otherwise afford. When we give back to the less fortunate we are making a better world for all. This is one of the best things you can do for your community. Many people don’t get but one meal a week or they go to a church soup line and get a meal a day. Some communities have food trucks that come around and provide sandwiches to the poor, but that isn’t in every city.

More cities and communities need to band together to help the needy and offer a little bit more support for those less fortunate. There are so many women and children who are on the streets or need help due to no fault of their own and simply are too shy or proud to ask for help. By throwing movie night or a BBQ and inviting everyone to come you are not only helping them out but you are showing them the kindness in your heart and making them feel better about themselves. Some people will come to a free community event but will not otherwise ask for help on any other day. So doing these type events can really help someone without them having to swallow their pride and ask for it.

There are many sites online that offer stuff for free, these sites are called Freecycle, but if the less fortunate have no access to a computer with internet how are they supposed to know about these sites. So throwing community events can really bring the ones that really need some help the help they need without them feeling uncomfortable about their situation.

Help your community and volunteer regularly because you never know it may be you needing the help next.

Refreshing the community with new business opportunities

July 8, 2021 Community Projects, 0

The most current trends in boutiques and shops are the fresh market type stores and the specialty stores like candy stores, toy stores, and unique mom and pop stores. One type of store that would be an ideal store to add to a small community would be a vitamin and nutrition shop.

Vitamin and Nutrition shops provide many different types of products. They have all natural supplements, pre-workout supplements, post workout supplements, women’s supplements, and vitamins that help with all different types of things. To find out more information on supplements they could offer check out whichsupplementswork.com or feel free to check out this article here.

Clothing Boutiques are a great way to add character to a community. They can have unique architecture, beautifully decorated store fronts, and colorful doors. Fashion boutiques provide an insight into fashion that wouldn’t otherwise be offered at a local store or local Wal-Mart. Fashion boutiques bring fashion from bigger cities and foreign countries to smaller communities. They introduce you to the world through the clothing items they sell.

Specialty Toy stores are also a great way to add new businesses to the community. Specialty toys can be anything from hobby toys to eco-friendly toys. Some communities have remote control boat races, well where do you think they get the boats from for those races? They acquire them at specialty hobby stores. Specialty hobby stores specialize in RC boats, RC cars, RC helicopters, and other items like car kits and similar items. One other type of Specialty toy store could be a handmade eco-friendly toy store. These are stores that are just starting to come out and provide a unique option for the eco-friendly parent to purchase toys for their kids. There are many artisans that build toys from pieces of wood and sell them at craft fairs and such but what if you could go to a toy store in your local community and pick up a cool new and handmade toy without having to wait for the next craft fair. This would be a really interesting store to shop at.

Candy Stores are also a great way to add a specialty store to your community. The old school candy store is a staple to history. Since the 1940’s children have spent their allowance at the local candy store. Every Friday after school let out the local children and the teens would head to the local candy store and pick out the most delicious candy in all varieties of flavors. This is a very profitable business since many people love candy and have a sweet tooth often.

An ‘Old Timey’ soda shop is something that would be a great addition to a small community. It gives the local teens a place to hang out and stay out of trouble. They can order milkshakes and burgers and listen to popular music at night and during the day the shop can be used for lunches for the workers in the neighboring stores and town visitors. Soda shops have been around for years and are always a great place to come see friends and get a great cup of coffee or a delicious milkshake.

These are just a few was to brighten up the community with new businesses that add jobs and activities for the whole family.

 

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Showing your true self to the community you’ve been helping with projects for years!

July 3, 2021 Community Projects, 0

COMMUNITYYou’ve been a part of the community for years. Anytime there is a community project, you’re one of the first to throw your hat into the ring. Actually wait, you’ve never thrown your hat anywhere, as a matter of fact you really only take it off when you’re at home by yourself. You have thinning hair syndrome and feel the best way to deal with it is to wear a hat. So anytime anyone in the community you’re so eager to help sees you, they probably think you have a full head of hair under that hat, when in all actuality it’s thinning out slowly.

Now to celebrate the most recent community project, they are doing a formal evening fundraiser next month. This time, there’s no hat to hide behind. You thought about trying a hair thickening product, but you’ve recently gone green for the environment and don’t want to use products that have chemicals in it. These days you try your best to keep your lifestyle organic. So what are you to do?

Time to dust off your computer and hit the information superhighway and see what you can find. There’s got to be an alternative to aid your thinning hair without chemicals, which keeps it on an organic level. Luckily you can browse some of the best shampoos for hair loss, and find an area that’s even dedicated to organic shampoos as well. You know it’s not an overnight cure, but maybe it’ll help keep it from progressing the way it has been the last couple of years. You’re still young and there’s still time to slow down your thinning hair or stop it in its tracks.

You’ve done your part for the community for so long and never realized that no one has seen you without your hat. You’re always in a place where you can wear one or outside working on a project. It’s time to show your community who you really are. Dress up in that suit and be proud. Thinning hair can happen to anyone, young like you or older, male or even female.

To be honest, they aren’t really going to even notice, or probably even care. You’re a hard worker for your community and that’s all they really care about. You’re the one they come to when there’s building projects to be done, or fundraisers that need community involvement. They know they can always rely on you and that makes you a staple in your area.

Who knows, there might be people there that you yourself have never seen without a hat as well. It’s really not a big deal. Thinking about it though helped you find organic shampoos that help slow down thinning hair and thicken up what you have, so you actually gained something from all your worrying. So get yourself suited up for your community fundraiser formal and step in and be proud. It’s not about the hair on your head, it’s about the love for the community in your heart.

Helping the community around you

July 2, 2021 Community Projects, 0

COMMUNITY

 

Helping your community is a great way to do some volunteer work. Many communities will get together and build gardens or playgrounds to beautify the neighborhood, but what about building a gym for those who can’t afford to get a membership? One way to help you community is to build something that all people can use such as a community center that is non-profit. Finding the right building and grant can be daunting but once you get the funding you need and find the right building it’s all a matter of getting the community together to make it work. Here is some helpful information that will help you with this task.

Buying equipment for the adults

Adults in a community center will need exercise equipment and these can be purchased pretty affordable. Do your research with keywords such as the best cardio machine, or affordable exercise equipment, you can even check craigslist.org for exercise equipment in your area that is for sale. These are all options to keep it affordable and obtainable.

Furniture

You will need tables and couches for sitting. Community centers need different stations for different activities, such as TV center, relaxation center, and a food court. You can find reasonable prices on furniture that is either at a goodwill or on a classified ad site. Many items that people are selling for affordable prices are still very useable and with a little professional cleaning can look as good as new. An eclectic mix of color pallets and patterns makes for a very interesting design concept.

Children’s play area

You can find many children’s items at second hand shops for very reasonable prices. With a little bit of elbow grease and some bleach and Lysol all toys can be sterilized and made to look brand new. Sometimes adding a coat of paint can make an old toy look brand new. This will help in adding toys and play equipment to the community center without going out of budget.

Playgrounds

Playgrounds can be built with a little ingenuity and some wood and tires. If you can’t afford to buy a playground set then simply draw up plans for an A-frame swing set and some tires swings and maybe a play house and purchase wood at a discount lumber yard or use pallets that are for free from some companies and refinish the wood. You can find all kinds of plans online for free if you search for the right key words. Some companies will donate the tools and supplies needed for a name plate on the grounds.

Community centers are a great way to add benefits to low income communities and provide special places for kids to go after school to stay out of trouble and off the streets. The workers can be volunteers which means they don’t have to be paid. You can offer volunteers college credit for their involvement in the community center and this will help them with their degrees and transcripts. Volunteer work is something we should all do at some point in our lives. You can also work with the police to offer community service volunteer work for teenagers who are assigned community service as a condition of their probation. These are all ideas to help your community be a better place.

Put the summer in summertime with a fun BBQ community project

June 23, 2021 Community Projects, 0

COMMUNITYDo you live in a close knit community? Have neighbors that wave when they get their mail or walk their dog by your patio and stop to say hi? If so, why not take advantage of that bond you have with your neighbors and throw together a community project you can work on together. Summer is here, it’s a great time to throw together a neighborhood barbeque.

Get together with some of your neighbors and the first thing to start with is a date that most everyone will be able to attend and go from there. Figure out what kind of food that there will be served, make it a great BBQ with pot luck dishes brought from people attending. Set it up at a park where the children can have fun hanging out together on the jungle gym and running all over the place with games like tag and hide and seek.

Then when the day gets here, you’ll be amazed at how things seem to fall into place. Men manning the BBQ keeping eye on the food on the grill while some go out and toss a football with the kids. The women getting together for a little neighborhood gossip and trading recipes about the dishes they’ve brought and what’s going on in their day to day lives.

It’s a great time to pick up on tips and tricks that make their lives easier or happier. One of the gossipy topics women talk about when they get together is any adventures that they are or are not having in the bedroom. Don’t be surprised if you find out that a couple or two have resorted to trying pills to liven things out and have more time to spend romantically with each other. Then you might find yourself hearing a little gossip about how one couple have found a way to spend that time together for longer stretches and by not using pills. You probably think they aren’t serious, but you can find out more information here. It’s just part of the gossip but it’d be great to cut pills out of the regimen. Who needs chemicals to put in your body for something along the lines of private time in the bedroom when it can be done naturally? You can use this link to see if they are right and it’s something worth trying because according to them, it most definitely is.

Good old fashioned BBQ’s in your community are a fun way to spend time with your neighbors outside of the community projects you tackle together throughout the year. Games, food, gossip, and all around fun. Even talks about other community projects that you can plan to work on together next. The BBQ isn’t a project, it’s a get together between a community that is like having a reward, a celebration for all the projects that you have tackled thus far and make ways for new projects that are on the way next,

Housing and Community Adaptations to Accommodate People with Disabilities

June 14, 2021 Community Projects, 0

COMMUNITY RENOVATIONSAs a community project, you could take on the issue of public spaces not being able to accommodate people with disabilities. Many people take for granted the ability to get from place to place easily and access community resources without trouble. For individuals with disabilities curbs, stairs, obstructions, narrow passageways and a lack of ramps can be barriers to getting around the community. Signs, traffic signals and walkways must also be considered as necessities for individuals with disabilities.

Changing the Physical and Social Character of Your Community

Community projects can be created to ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to buildings, bathrooms and passageways used by the public. Access to employment, education, and other amenities goes hand in hand with physical access to community spaces. By creating barrier-free environments for people with disabilities you are changing not only the physical space, but also the political and social components of a community as well.

How Do You Ensure Access for People with Disabilities?

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) which passed in 1990 is there to ensure that people with disabilities have the right to accessible amenities within their communities. ADA guarantees physical accessibility as well as counteracts discrimination in employment and the delivery of goods, services, programs, and education for individuals with disabilities. One area of concern is ensuring that individuals with disabilities can exit buildings safely in the case of emergencies such as fires. If elevators are not functioning properly, can people in wheelchairs exit a building safely? Creating ramps, accessible emergency exits, wider access, and automatic doors, your community can become more accessible for people with disabilities.

Renovations for Accessibility

To increase accessibility, one can recommend bathroom renovations in Perth.  For example, public washrooms can be made wider and be made wheelchair accessible. For community centres with pools, showers can be made wider and support devices can be put in place such as bars and seating. Other things to consider include the height of hand driers, sinks and soap dispensers. There are also some great eco-friendly options for these projects as well. Reusing and recycling to make ramps and other things can be great for our environment and for the disabled.To seek out information on bathroom renovations, see PerthRenovationsGroup.com.au to find out more.

Why Ensure Access for Individuals with Disabilities?

In most cases the ADA states that it is the law to ensure access for people with disabilities. Ensuring access is also a matter of respect and providing fair opportunities for all. People with disabilities are smart, capable and talents. These talents would be wasted if they were denied access to community resources due to physical constraints. Ensuring accessibility also makes sense economically and financially in the long run. It can increase the number of customers for a business and therefore increase sales and profits. Adding to the diversity of a community is always a positive thing. Also, when areas become more accessible for people with disabilities they really become more accessible for everyone in the community.