For the last 18 months, Chattanooga Organized for Action's story has been a Westside story.
The group has spent countless hours leading community organizing efforts in Chattanooga's low-income Westside neighborhood to help local residents organize themselves into resident councils, develop a Neighborhood Watch program, implement a Cop Watch program and write their own legislation that will go before the Chattanooga City Council in the coming weeks, according to the group's executive director Chris Brooks.
But the Westside story will only be one of Chattanooga Organized for Action's stories. The Benwood Foundation recently awarded the nonprofit grassroots, social justice organization a $40,000 grant to expand its community organization efforts into other low-income neighborhoods throughout Chattanooga.
"This is the biggest contribution we've received up to this point," said Brooks. "For us, this grant shows recognition that the work is working and it's really something our city needs."
According to him, the grant's funds will be dedicated to continuing community organizing efforts in new communities and allocated for a "justice school" being developed by Chattanooga Organized for Action. Brooks said the justice school will be a series of workshops that teaches the fundamental mechanics of community organizing and provides a broad based education on civil and political processes.
He said the intention is to help residents of certain communities understand that they are the authority on their community's problems and can be the authority on the solution to those problems.
"My favorite part of the community organizing process is when you know the work has been done right because people don't need you anymore," said Brooks. "We'll always be there for support, but it's a really happy surprise to open up the newspaper and see residents we've worked with holding their own press conference."
After success in Chattanooga's Westside, along with sufficient funding to start new projects, Brooks said the group is looking for ways to move forward.
"We are in the process of defining our next steps with community organizing and pinpointing communities we already have relationships with," he said. "We like to have invitations from the communities we work with, but we are definitely planning to expand with our next efforts."
In addition to new planning efforts, the group is also beginning work on a Westside documentary. Before receiving the Benwood Foundation grant, Chattanooga Organized for Action also received a $2,000 Highlander Research and Education grant that will fund the documentary project.
For more information about Chattanooga Organized for Action visit www.chattaction.org.