Block by Block is an original and experimental approach to creating community change in our inner city. The concept for the Block by Block Revitalization Strategy originated from two United Way Impact Tables – primarily from the Supporting Families in Safe and Stable Neighbourhoods Table, but also supported by discussions at the Youth Table.

The participants of our Impact Tables realized that no one of them had the capacity to take on the challenges confronting the Core community all at once. Even outside of the issue of capacity, it was questionable whether such a strategy would work. What made sense was a different approach: instill and accelerate community change one block at a time.

The idea is, in principle, a simple one: focus renewal efforts on a single block, bringing sufficient resources and leadership to create success that serves as a catalyst for change on a larger community basis