Our Future Leaders Most youth living in poverty-stricken communities are perceived to be disrespectful, violent and out of control. Over the years, data has been collected and proven at-risk youth need a structured professional mentoring program and positive role models to influence the path they are currently taking. According to statistics, at-risk youth will likely grow up and show the unscrupulous behaviors of their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and other family members who have lived a life of violence.

How many of us will delve into the matter of mentoring at-risk youth to make a positive impact in their lives? The stigma haunts these adolescents while growing up. Over and over, statistics report that the generational cycle of a history of violence and poverty continues to plaque the at-risk youth throughout their adult years. That is if they live to become an adult.

The title of this article “Our Future Leaders” emphasizes the importance of investing time to mentor a youth. They are our future leaders. Yes, they are under construction, and we must teach them that knowledge is power.

The dictionary definition of mentoring is: “A process that always involves communication and is relationship based.” It is also “a process for the informal transmission of knowledge, social capital and the psychosocial support perceived by the recipient.”

What would be the outcome of juvenile delinquency and high-school dropout rates in Lee County if every adult in the Fort Myers Community would invest in mentoring at least one or two youth per year? We would began to see our youth in a different realm and a decline in juvenile delinquency and high-school dropouts.

I know that many of you have heard the African Proverb, Igbo and Yoruba, “It takes a whole village to raise a child.” This Proverb is very easy to understand. Basically, it states that the adults living in a community have a shared responsibility in the upbringing of the community’s children and it’s a communal effort. Growing up in Fort Myers, I thank God that I experienced living in a communal environment. Back then, if a youth in our community were sited doing something wrong an adult spoke up but it didn’t end there; a riffled effect emerged. The adult who scolded us took it another step further. He or she would inform our parents of what happened. The same communal effort was demonstrated at school, Church and throughout the community. It felt as though our parents had eyes in the back of their heads and were lurking where- ever we traveled. The Proverb execution certainly proved to make a positive impact on the youth living in my community, so why can’t little ol’ Fort Myers return to being a united community?

The National Association for Colored People (NAACP) recently posted interesting statistics on violence and poverty stricken communities: Nationwide, the United States is now spending around $70 billion per year on corrections. This seems like a very high number for the government to spend per year on corrections.

Please go to NAACP.org/pages/criminal-justice-fact-sheet to read more information regarding criminal justice in the United States.

The Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers (HACFM) has inside stories; exciting information to share about our youth making a difference in the community. They are our future leaders; therefore, mentoring, training and educating them are key elements in preparing them for the future. Our hope is that our youth become productive citizens in our community and share their successes and experiences with other youth, along the way.

(See page 5 for future leaders inside stories.)

Article Written By Vivian Watkins

Client Services Staff Making A Difference in the Lives of Our Youth

^xxÑ|Çz \Ç gÉâv{ axãáÄxààxÜ Hous ing Author i ty o f the C i ty o f Fo r t Myer s

Inside this issue:

Executive Director’s Message

2

Housing & Maintenance

3

Client Services Department (FGCU)

4

CSS—Father’s Day Outcome

4

HACFM Youth Choir 5

Outstanding Student Taj Mitchell

5

East Pointe Place 6

Third Quarter

East Pointe Place Inside

Story on Page 6

Fall Back Nov. 2

Family Support, Education, Success & Job Training

bound students; they simply decided for many different reasons, some financial, that college is not the best option for them at this time. Through our programs, we are training young people to believe in themselves and their abilities to learn a quality trade that will sup-port them for many years to come.

As we approach the completion of East Pointe Place, formerly known as Palmetto Court, we could not be more satisfied with the finished product. This new development will provide quality energy-efficient housing for 86 families from this community. We anticipate moving the first few families during the month of September, with all families safely moved in by the Thanksgiving holiday in November. Once all of the families have been moved in, we will hold a dual “ribbon cutting” ceremony for both East Pointe Place and The Landings at East Pointe. To all of the families that were part of the former Palmetto Court and Sabal Palm communities and will be returning to live in one of the two new developments, we welcome you back home with open arms.

Marcus D. Goodson Marcus D. Goodson Executive Director

Greetings:

Last month summer vacation ended for the approximately 86,000 Lee County School System students and countless other students educated in local private schools. It seems like summer vacation just started, and here we are beginning another school year. I remember how my friends and I were so excited to start school many years ago in the Wake County School System located in North Carolina. The excitement and enthusiasm we felt for the start of another school

year was encouraged by our parents and community, which included our church family. Family and community support was the foundation for our success academically, socially and athletically throughout our twelve years of public-school education. Unfortunately, far too many students today lack the community-wide support needed to be successful academically. This is where we as a community need to take the lead in providing a positive presence, which includes a safe home environment that every child needs and deserves.

A quality education is one of the keys to success. However, education alone does not guarantee success as defined by each individual. What represents success to one person may not define success for another. For that reason, our goal at the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers (HACFM) is to provide avenues for a variety of interest when it comes to job training. Through our Client Services Department, staff recognizes that college does not represent the future for all graduating high school seniors. Therefore, we offer job-training opportunities for non-college bound gradu-ates and for non high school graduates. In most cases, these young adults are no less talented than college

Newsletter Title Page 2

“UNFORTUNATELY,

FAR TOO MANY

STUDENTS TODAY

LACK THE

COMMUNITY-WIDE

SUPPORT NEEDED TO

BE SUCCESSFUL

ACADEMICALLY.”

Marcus D. Goodson, Executive Director

East Pointe Place (formerly Palmetto

Court)

Arial picture of East Pointe Place

Housing & Maintenance Departments

3. Health & Safety Issues

Report any and all Health & Safety issues to your property manager

Never remove or tamper with your smoke detector.

Keep your stove/ovens and free of grease at all times.

Remove all tripping hazards in your home, such as cable wires running across the floor.

Infestation of roaches must be reported to management immediately.

Report ALL water leaks to your property manager immediately.

4. New Hours Developments & Main Office

Southward Village, Bonair Towers and Royal Palm

Monday: 7:30 a.m to 5:30 p.m. Closed Noon to 1p.m.

Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. to noon Closed noon to 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed noon to 1p.m.

Page 3 Volume , Issue

“ AIR

CONDITIONING

IS NOT AN

EMERGENCY”

1. Maintenance Calls:

Resident maintenance repairs are to be called into the manager’s office during business hours.

Emergency calls may also be made to the manager’s office 24 hours a day.

Southward Village: 239-332-6635

Bonair Towers: 239-278-7268

Royal Palm: 239-332-6162

Horizons: 239-936-6760

Neighborhood Stabilization Properties (NSP) - Broadway, Stella Covington Meadow and Coconut Cove: 239-332-6840

2. Type of calls that are considered emergency situations:

1. Fire or smell of smoke

2. Electrical sparking

3. Ceiling falling

4. Child locked in a room

5. Flood (A leaky faucet does not apply)

A. Overflowing toilet

B. Broken water heater

C. Broken water lines

6. Sewage stoppage or backup

7. Locks (only when tenant cannot secure unit)

8. Resident locked out of his or her apartment (charge will occur)

9. Broken Refrigerator (on weekends)

10. Power outage (only if its a HACFM connection)

11. No water

12. Person stuck in elevator

13. Window broken (only if completely out)

14. Smoke Detector not working

15. A “break-in”

16. Any conditions that may cause damage to property or endanger to the health and safety of the tenant

*** AIR CONDITIONING IS NOT AN EMERGENCY ***

Thursday:1 to 5:30 p.m. Closed 7:30 a.m. to 1p.m.

Friday 8 a.m. to noon

HACFM Main Office

Monday—Thursday:

7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m. to noon

Florida Gulf Coast University Intern Students The HACFM is excited to announce the successful partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Department of Social Work. In August 2013 there were three students who majored in the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program at FGCU. They have successfully completed an eight month internship with the HACFM. After completing their internship, two of the students were hired and are currently employed at the HACFM and the Lee County Housing Authority.

The Client Services

Department would like to introduce our newest interns, Kendall James, Dakendo Michel and Lori MacNamara under the leadership of Lori D. Carroll, LCSW, Field Education Coordinator/Instructor at FGCU. There are many field programs associated with social services in our community. The HACFM is delighted to have the BSW students interning with us at the HACFM. Welcome aboard!

Article Written By Vivian Watkins

Newsletter Title Page 4

ÂWE WERE THE

RECIPIENTS OF

THE FOLLOWING

ITEMS; STAINLESS

STEEL BBQ GRILL,

A DANCE STAGE,

AND ALSO A DEEP

HACFM Selected by BJ’s to receive a donation of equipment Mr. Twaski Jackson, director of client services, applied for a donation of food for our annual Father’s Day event. BJ’s Wholesale Club heard about what our agency does for our families and the local community, so it chose to donate more than food this year. We were the recipients of the following items: a stainless steel BBQ grill, a dance stage and a deep fryer. BJ’s held a photo op for its press release and newsletter, and we would like to share the moment with you.

Twaski & the HACFM

Congratulations on another

successful Father’s Day Event!

Left-to-Right: Kendall James, Dakendo Michel and Lori MacNamara

The HACFM Client Services staff member Vivian Watkins, elderly services coordinator/KIT newsletter editor, and Dakendo Michel, Florida Gulf Coast University intern student had the great pleasure of

interviewing Ms. Latoya Smith and her daughter Taj Mitchell, an outstanding student. Ms. Smith stated, “Taj is a very smart girl she has brought home A’s and some B’s since Pre-K, mostly A’s. I’m not

bragging about my daughter, but she has several talents; she’s an artist, she sings and recently joined the HACFM Youth Choir and plays the piano. My daughter is also very active at Jerusalem Missionary

Baptist Church our family church.”

The interview with Taj went quite well after she got past her shyness. Taj is a remarkable young lady, she said, “I’m intelligent; I can easily grasp concepts and understand them.” Her favorite subject is

“Math, especially algebra; numbers are easy to work with.” Taj recently completed an application to

join the Fort Myers High School Math Club. Taj says she’s self motivated, and although her family members have only graduated from high school, she would be the first family member to attend

college to receive an accounting degree. Her plan is to attend Georgia State University. Her favorite color is turquoise, and Tajs favorite quote is “ As long as I keep God first, I know I can do anything.”

Article Written by Vivian Watkins & Dakendo Michel

HACFM Youth Choir On behalf of the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers (HACFM), the Executive Director Marcus D. Goodson, board of Commissioners, staff and residents, we would like to introduce the HACFM Youth Choir, and its director Darlene Mitchell. We are so very excited about the forming of the HACFM Youth Choir. The cover story was written to encourage adults to become mentors and to invest time into our youth. They are our future, so it’s important that we reach them while they are young and help build their self-esteem.

The HACFM’s Youth Choir will include youth from our family developments managed by the housing authority and the Norstar Accolade Management, beginning with The Homes of Renaissance Preserve. Mrs. Mitchell volunteers her time to teach the youth voice lessons, and aims and objectives have been established. The choir has been established to meet the following objectives: To learn and perform music to enjoy and share with others, to encourage youth participation, to perform publicly for the purpose of entertainment and education, to perform at community events and functions that supports the housing authority and other community events, to promote choral singing to the general public through concerts, street singing and other events, to learn and sing appropriate music and lyrics, creating a positive atmosphere and to maintain the enjoyment of music making. The HACFM Youth Choir attended its first performance at the Dunbar High School, where the Southern Christian Leadership Conference held its Civil Rights Movement 50th Anniversary. The HACFM Youth Choir performance was phenomenal. Parents interested in signing their children up may call 239-332-3825.

Article Written By Vivian Watkins

Page 5 Volume , Issue

ÂTHE HACFM YOUTH

CHOIR ATTENDED

THEIR FIRST

PERFORMANCE AT

THE DUNBAR HIGH

SCHOOL.”

Taj Mitchell, Renaissance Preserve Resident and Fort Myers High School Junior

Renaissance Preserve Youth, Making A Difference

Lights, Camera, Action! East Pointe Place (formerly known as Palmetto Court)

and much more; (Monday— Thursday 7:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. (Closed Noon to 1:00 P.M. for lunch). Fridays: 8 A.M. to noon.

Public Art Display—East Pointe Place

“Reach for the Sky” by the husband and wife team Gus and Lina Ocamposilva. This piece was previously on display along the East River Park Promenade in New York City and will be displayed at the entry rotary into the development.

Article Written By Vivian Watkins

East Pointe Place

As everyone perused the Keeping In Touch (KIT) Newsletter last quarter showcasing the renovation of Landings at East Pointe (formerly known as Sabal Palm), they were amazed. The newsletter exhibited pictures that were state-of- the art public-housing units.

On behalf of the Southwest Florida Affordable Housing Choice Foundation, Inc., Officers, and the Board of Commissioners, we are very happy to announce that families started moving in as of Thursday, Sep. 11.

The pictures of the newly built East Pointe Place are astonishing. This new

property has a total of 86 units.

The new residents were overwhelmed in a jovial manner. This is the first opportunity for some of them to move into a brand new apartment with energy efficient appliances. The HACFM staff congratulates all of the families returning to East Pointe Place.

Our hope is that families will take advantage of the programs, resources and community referrals through Client Services Department. We offer free Financial Literacy Classes, General Education Development (GED), and the CSS computer-lab is open for resume writing, job searches

Newsletter Title Page 6

Public Art Display

The City of Fort Myers

Client Services Department Senior Corner The Elderly Services Coordinator, Vivian Watkins continues to locate

community agencies that are willing to offer in-kind services to our senior residents. In the past three months, we have invited Dr. Piper Center, 4-Senior Benefits, Florida Rural Legal Services, Cap-Tel Captioned Telephone and Broadway Church of God. Additionally, our onsite community partner Family Home Health Service offers free blood pressure clinics at Royal Palm Towers every Tuesday 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Bonair Towers every Wednesday from10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Family Home Health Services is hosting a “Balance” seminar for Royal Palm Towers on Sep. 30, at 10 a.m. in the cafeteria we will have door prizes and refreshments. Please contact the ESC for more details at 239-332-3825.

Client Supportive Services/Family Self-Sufficiency The CSS department will host (the first Saturday every month) a Homebuyers Education Class. The cost is $50. Make money order/cashier’s check payable to the HACFM. No cash please. For more details please call 239-332-3825.

Families living in public-housing units are able to enroll into the FSS Program. The coordinator works very closely with you to help you development an action plan. Please contact Yeney Ruiz, FSS coordinator at 239- 344-3252.

Article Written by Vivian Watkins

Page 7 Volume , Issue

“HACFM BOARD OF

COMMISSIONERS”

Florida Rural Legal Services—

Daniel Cruz, Eviction Workshop,

Bonair Towers

HACFM Board of Commissioners

Peter Routsis Arroyo, Chairman

Joseph D’Alessandro, Vice Chairman

Bill Barnwell, Commissioner

Douglas Hogg, Commissioner

E. Bruce Strayhorn, Commissioner

Lemuel Teal, Commissioner

Mattie Young, Commissioner

Mayor Randy Henderson, City Mayor

William P. Mitchell, City Manager

City Council

Teresa Watkins Brown, Ward 1

Johnny W. Streets, Jr. Ward 2

Christine Matthews, Ward 3

Michael Flanders, Ward 4

Forrest Banks, Ward 5

Thomas Leonardo, Ward 6

4224 Renaissance Preserve Way

Fort Myers, FL 33916

Phone: 239-344-3220

Ho us ing Author i ty o f the C i t y o f Fo r t Myer s

We’re on the

Web! Hacfm.org

Executive Director—Marcus D. Goodson

Director of Housing, Maintenance & HCV—Sherri Campanale

Director of Finance & Human Resources—Vicki Collins

Director of Client Services— Twaski Jackson

Nov. 2