The World According to Willis: Maryland Model Center Director Shares Secrets of Success

08/10/2010

Glenarden, MD–Essie Willis has served as the director of the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center for a little more than five years. During this time, Willis has learned a great deal about what it takes to build a successful Neighborhood Networks center and has put these lessons to good use. In April 2010, she helped the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center achieve Model center classification, becoming only the second Neighborhood Networks center in Maryland to do so. But, of all the pearls of wisdom Willis has collected during her time at the helm of the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center, two have proven to be the most useful. Lesson 1: Take a Holistic Approach to Self-Sufficiency As director of the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center, Willis is responsible for the management of the property’s multiservice learning center, as well as the health clinic that is staffed by the Greater Baden Medical Services, the mental health facility at which the TIME Organization provides a variety of behavioral and therapeutic services, and a unit that houses Narcotics Anonymous. Property management's decision to have Willis oversee the activities of the social service facilities was not by default, but by design. "Achieving greater self-sufficiency often requires more than just taking a class or participating in a program," explained Willis. "Becoming self-sufficient may require one to make significant life-altering changes. Without ample support and continued guidance, these changes can be very difficult to make and maintain. At the Glenarden Apartments complex, we strive to offer classes, programs, and services that deliver the complete solution. I believe success is achieved through a combination of forces coming together." It is at the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center where these forces often combine. Three stories high and equipped with 13 Internet-accessible computers, the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center serves as the hub of the 584-unit housing community located a little more than 10 miles from the heart of Washington, D.C. Each week, 150 individuals visit the center to take advantage of much-needed programs and services. To offer the extensive array of programs and services, Willis has enlisted the help of numerous community partners, which ties into Lesson 2. Lesson 2: Do Not Be Deterred by a Lack of Staff While many Neighborhood Networks centers are fortunate to have a paid staff to help plan and implement programs and services, the staff of the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center consists of an army of one, Essie Willis. After reviewing the list of center programs and services, which reads like a community college course catalog, one would never know that Willis is the one-woman force behind the scenes, and not a staff of 10. "I'm a firm believer in our center's motto, 'Teamwork makes dreams work,'" said Willis. "I am fortunate enough to receive the support of an amazing team of partners, interns, and volunteers, and we all work together to get the job done. While a paid staff would be nice, a team of non-paid staff actually can be a very good thing. Because team members are not receiving compensation for their time and effort, you know they truly want to be here and make a difference." Over the past five years, Willis has expanded her professional network and built solid partnerships with a variety of organizations and institutions to create a top-notch non-paid staff. "We have a great partnership with Heart to Hand, Inc., which offers resources to individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS; ProjectHELP, which operates the much-needed food bank; and Prince George's County Public Schools Even Start Program, which provides our GED [General Educational Development] exam preparation classes and ESL [English as a Second Language] courses. We also team up with local colleges and universities, such as the Prince George's Community College, Bowie State University, and the University of Maryland. Prince George's Community College Next Step Program and Zenzele, Inc. teach youth leadership and life skills, and help them understand the importance of employment and education. Prince George's Community College also assists students through the Upward Program, which offers academic instruction, tutoring, and guidance to high school students interested in attending college, and pays the instructor who runs the center's Spectrum Art Studio for children and youth ages 7-14. Bowie State University provides us with student interns from their pedology department. These students help create childhood development programs and activities. The University of Maryland's Educational Opportunity Center offers academic, personal, and career counseling to adults ages 19 and older, and its Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program teaches participants how to eat better, feel better, and cut food costs." The Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center also receives support from a variety of: Local faith-based organizations. Each weekday, representatives from Meet the Needs Ministries and the Mt. Nebo AME Church are on site to offer the Study Hall and Focus on Learning programs. These afterschool enrichment programs offer students help in reading, vocabulary, math, science, and social studies. Local municipal agencies. The center partners with the Prince George's County Health Department to host the Strengthen the Family Program. Also, in conjunction with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the center is a 2010 Summer Playgrounds site. At Summer Playgrounds sites, Prince George's County residents ages 6-12 attend camp each weekday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and participate in games, crafts, and other fun activities. Through a partnership with the Prince George's County Department of Social Services, the center offers a summer food program that provides breakfast and lunch to young residents, enabling the center to begin its Summer Playgrounds camp at 8 a.m. Willis does not rely on partners for all services. On the third floor of the resource center is the computer lab. It is here that Willis offers employability services, such as writing resumes, conducting online job searches, and completing and submitting online job applications. Willis has also dedicated hours during the day for students to use the computer lab. During this time, students may complete homework assignments and school projects, as well as prepare for the Maryland School Assessment that tests reading, math, and science achievement. "There are many more partners who make it possible for the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center to offer such a variety of programs and services," said Willis. "There's no way I can mention them all, but I appreciate each and every one of them. Because of our center partners and volunteers, we have achieved great results. We have one young woman who visited the center regularly now attending her third year of college out in California. We have had more than a dozen people successfully earn their GED. We have had numerous parents complete our parenting classes and family programs who are now focused on building stronger families. We have had adults complete construction management, hospitality, and tourism programs that have helped them secure good jobs, and we have helped youth obtain summer employment and students earn community service hours. Every day we witness people move in, move up, and move out. It is great to see, and I am proud to be a part of it." Looking to the Future Even with such an exhaustive program and service offering, Willis is always looking to expand the resources offered at the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center. One program that Willis is excited to launch is a daycare facility that is expected to open in the fall of 2010 on the property. Made possible by Rising Generations, the program will offer safe and affordable daycare from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for toddlers to age 5. Willis is not done there, though. "At this time, the center is not a nonprofit organization, so I am working with other nonprofits to obtain consolidated grants," said Willis. "This will allow us to continue and expand our programs and services. There are still many barriers to self-sufficiency that plague the population the center serves, and we are working hard to eliminate those barriers. The operative word at our center is 'accountability,' and everyone must do their part if the center is going to be a success." For more information about Neighborhood Networks centers in Maryland contact: Debra Walker U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Baltimore Multifamily Hub 10 South Howard Street, Fifth Floor Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 209-6605 Diana J. Gaither U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Baltimore Multifamily Hub 10 South Howard Street, Fifth Floor Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 209-6534 For more information about the Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center, contact: Essie L. Willis Director Glenarden Apartments HOPE and Resource Center 3030 Brightseat Road, Suite 201 Glenarden, MD 20706 (301) 322-5365 or (301) 322-5386

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