National NeighborWorks Week

Over Two Hundred Northern Hills Residents Plan to Paint the Town

[Deadwood-5/30/08]—Armed with paint brushes and cans of paint, over 200 residents will paint the town in the communities of Deadwood, Edgemont, Lead, Spearfish and Sturgis. The Paint the Town Event will kick off with the first ever Paint the Town-Spearfish beginning on Monday, June 2nd-7th. Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills will then move to the Deadwood, Lead and Edgemont on Saturday, June 7, for the 14th Annual Paint the Town Event, kicking off a week-long celebration of neighborhood revitalization activities nationally recognized as National NeighborWorks® Week. The event will finish up with the Fourth Annual Paint the Town-Sturgis, June 9th-16th.

“Community improvement activities are a vital piece of neighborhood revitalization,” said Michelle Eddy, Community Outreach Coordinator of Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills. “The appearance of a neighborhood helps to attract new homeowners and allows existing residents to see that progress is taking place in their neighborhood. Our 200 volunteers realize this importance and will donate over 1,000 hours to the painting of six homes in the communities.”

Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills will continue to celebrate National NeighborWorks® Week from June 7–14, 2008, by hosting the following additional events:

Plant the Town, June 7th

NeighborWorks Paints, June 7th, Deadwood

Sturgis Housing Fair, June 11th, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Sturgis Armory. Sponsored by USDA Rural Development

Community Plant Swap, June 14th, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Gordon Memorial Park, Deadwood

During National NeighborWorks® Week, Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills and other NeighborWorks® organizations across the country will mobilize tens of thousands of business people, residents and government officials in a week of neighborhood change and awareness. They will rehab and repair homes, paint and landscape properties, conduct neighborhood tours, recognize successful partnerships and host a number of events that educate, train and inform. In 2007, more than 7,000 families benefited from the week’s activities nationwide.

Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills is part of the national NeighborWorks® network, an affiliation of more than 240 nonprofit organizations that increase homeownership, produce affordable housing and revitalize neighborhoods in more than 4,414 communities across the nation. In 2008, the NeighborWorks® network is projected to generate more than $3.2 billion in total direct investment and help more than 216,000 low- to moderate-income families purchase, improve and maintain their homes. The NeighborWorks® network was founded and is supported by NeighborWorks® America, which strengthens the network through training, technical assistance and funding.

Media are welcome to attend any of our National NeighborWorks® Week activities. Please contact Michelle Eddy, Community Outreach Coordinator to arrange for a tour of our neighborhoods and explanation of our services prior to the event.