- Accomplishments of B.R.E.A.D.
B.R.E.A.D. and B.R.E.A.D. member
congregations have taken successful action on several community issues in its
two-and-a-half years of existence. Each of these issues has affected the quality of life
in our community; several issues have affected permanent change which have a long-lasting
impact on Columbus. Listed below is a sample of some of the issue victories of the
organization:
In May, 1997, the congregations of First English Lutheran Church and Holy
Rosary-St. John Catholic Church called for city action to address the plight of the twelve
worst abandoned houses in their neighborhoods. The result of this campaign was demolition,
clean-up or rehabilitation of each of the twelve structures.
- Access to Jobs:
Beginning in February, 1997, B.R.E.A.D. began a push to increase the access of center city
neighborhoods to outerbelt jobs by increasing public transportation opportunities. As a
result of this action, COTA added 38,000 hours of new bus service in 1998. In May, 1999,
COTA received a $684,000 grant to expand that work under the federal Access to Jobs
initiative which B.R.E.A.D. worked on.
B.R.E.A.D.
initiated a call for steps to address the low reading skills of center city Columbus
Public School students. The organization looked at national models of excellence in
education and called for Columbus to adopt benchmarks and focus on success. In February,
1998, B.R.E.A.D. leaders traveled to Houston, Texas to visit Wesley Elementary School
which has had tremendous success with a program called Direct Instruction. In October,
1998, B.R.E.A.D. leaders took Dr. Rosa Smith to visit Wesley School. As part of the C.P.S.
Reading Initiative (which shares many features that B.R.E.A.D. had initially called for),
10 Columbus elementary schools adopted the Direct Instruction model.
The experience of working and winning on
these and other issues has also helped the organization to develop a core of grassroots
leaders who will help to shape the future of Columbus.
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Project Notes