Parker Action Alliance to Host Neighborhood Meeting on July Funding
As of June 2019, Parker Action Alliance (PAA) received $3,807 to be used along Parker Street from 24th to 35th Streets, and within their concerned neighborhood boundaries. The funds were awarded by Mayor’s Neighborhood Grant and Omaha Community Foundation.
Organizers are asking neighbors to attend a one-hour meeting on Tuesday July 9, at 7pm, at 2205 N 24th Street. Folks can call or text with questions to Dawaune Hayes at (402) 452-0931. See the Facebook event here: Parker Action Neighbor Meeting
PAA intends to support neighborhood revitalization through beautification, food access, and civic engagement along Parker Street from 24th to 35th streets and surrounding areas. Working in collaboration with neighbors and community groups, PAA plans to facilitate meetings, coordinate project timelines, and manage volunteers.
Place-making and transportation
Civic engagement
Food access and nutrition
Neighborhood culture and organizing
Omaha Community Foundation
$1,000 was secured for organizing around health, wellness, and nutrition and increasing food access to desired foods. This money will be used generally to host meetings discussing food and nutrition, to collect feedback about food items and ingredients people want, support cooking education and demonstrations, and make food purchases informed by people’s feedback.
PAA President Dawaune Hayes said, “As a resident on or near Parker Street, your input and participation determines the look and feel of the community. Parker Action was created to provide project and financial support to residents like you who want to see their neighborhood improved. Without you, the changes won’t be as impactful or sustainable. We have the opportunity to uplift our community, together.”
Mayor’s Neighborhood Grant
$2,807 was secured for the beautification and rededication of Parker Street. The beautification includes trash collection and clean-up, landscaping, and a tiny free library featuring books by Black authors. Input from neighbors is essential to design, plan, and carry out how the beautification will take place.
PAA gets its name from Parker Street and also honors George Wells Parker, a philosopher who lived in Omaha and was one of the first African-Americans to graduate from Creighton and Harvard universities in the 1910’s. Parker helped resettle many Blacks moving to Omaha during the Great Migration of the early 1900’s. The rededication includes commemorative street signage featuring George Wells Parker’s name and a plaque with photo describing his legacy. The death date of George Wells Parker is July 28 and would be the ideal date for the formal rededication ceremony as it lands the Sunday before 2019 Native Omaha Days.
Parker Action Alliance was formally incorporated by Hayes and Luis Jimenez, residents of 2618 Parker Street, in January 2019 with the intention to raise money and coalesce neighbors connected by the Parker Street bridge, one of the few bridges over 75 North Freeway.