It seems the old adage, "What goes around, comes around" is indeed true, as the Joint Neighborhood Project in Jamestown is getting what it deserves, ten-fold.
Since January, participants in the Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES Adult & Community Education program housed at the Gateway Center in Jamestown have been remodeling the 111-year-old Immanuel House, which houses JNP.
"Our project here started when one of the BOCES teachers who uses the classroom at JNP asked if we could do some painting in the room," said Denny Wright, the coordinator of the program which has become a model for the state. "From there, the project just got bigger and bigger and by the time were done, we will have done something in every room of the building."
A MODEL PROGRAM FOR THE STATE
Wright leads a class of 15 people from the community who are assigned by the Department of Social Services, which is providing each of them some degree of public assistance. Three days a week, their work is hands-on, renovating local non-profit organizations, and in the process, learning valuable skills that will help them in the long run.
"The program doesn't just teach them how to work with their hands, it also teaches them how to work with a team and the basics of working for someone else," Wright said. "They learn how to communicate with a client and work responsibly to get a project finished to a client's liking."
Twice a week, the group meets in Wright's office at the Gateway Center on Water Street, where they have traditional schooling in a non-traditional setting, to prepare the students to obtain their GED. Wright explained that the class is reserved for people receiving some degree of public assistance who never graduated high school or received a GED.
The program can only facilitate a small number of people at one time and there is a perpetual waiting list for people to join. But based on the success of the program, Wright recently traveled to Albany to present it to the New York State Public Welfare Association.
"There is a high demand to start more programs like this across the state, but they are having a hard time finding someone with a background in being a jack of all trades as well as a teaching certification," Wright said. "Right now, that is the problem in the north part of the county. I taught high school for a number of years, and although I miss it, this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life."
Wright and his students have donated their efforts to several other non-profit organizations that couldn't spend the money to pay for the grounds keeping and maintenance work, such as the Prendergast Library, the Fenton History Center, the Audubon Society and the YMCA.
Through the Work Experience Program, he and his students were instrumental in transforming the abandoned Chautauqua Hardware factory at 31 Water St. into the Gateway Center, which is home to many non-profit organizations all dedicated to helping those who need it the most.
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN
The group's work at JNP's office has already been extensive, although it isn't complete yet. After the seven layers of wallpaper were stripped from the classroom BOCES uses in the Immanuel House, the decision was made to move forward with a full renovation and modernization.
"The work that they've already done for us is something we never even dreamed of doing," said Patty Perlee, JNP's executive director. "We just don't have the money to be able to pay for new paint and fixtures after we are done serving our clients for the day, so this has truly been amazing."
Wright explained that most of the tools used come from his personal collection, with others coming from BOCES. The fixtures are mostly donated by Home Depot and Bed Bath & Beyond to Community Helping Hands, which works with Wright's program.
"In this case, JNP is paying for some paint and a few other minor things, but we provide most of what's needed to complete the job," Wright said. "The labor is completely free, and that is typically the big cost of any job. And we were lucky enough to have Sherman Williams donate a lot of paint, which helps a lot."
The classroom on the second floor is nearly finished, with modern earth-tones covering the walls, complimented by the original 19th century hardwood moldings and doors. In other offices on the second floor, there has been work completed to re-fashion windows that haven't opened in years and decorate them with new window treatments, compliments of Bed Bath & Beyond.
One second-floor bathroom will be functional for the first time in 50 years, while another is being updated, shedding the linoleum flooring and flowered wallpaper of yesteryear.
In Ms. Perlee's office, the pink walls that crowned the waist-high antique wood have been repainted with a refreshing sandy taupe, and Wright even fixed the original pocket doors that haven't functioned in years.
"We are so thankful for everything they are doing," Ms. Perlee said. "There is just no way we could ever afford to pay for all this on our own, and the benefit is a nicer place for us to work and a better place to serve our clients' needs. Denny is the heart of this program and his team has surpassed all of our expectations. It has truly just been amazing."
Wright is also aiming to update JNP's food pantry, which serves hundreds in the community each month. The yellow 1970s paneling and fluorescent lighting is expected to go, according to his design, but he would also like to install some new cabinetry to expand the kitchen area's storage space.
Anyone who might have some cabinetry to donate, or is in charge of a non-profit agency that wants to further inquire about the group's services, is asked to call Wright at his office in The Gateway Center at 484-9811. He can also be reached via e-mail at dgwright@e2ccb.org.
JNP is also looking for eight matching chairs to adorn the conference table in its newly renovated conference room. Anyone who might be able to help is asked to call JNP's office at 664-7101.
