Genesis Garden

Community Empowerment Initiatives. Four new empowerment-focused initiatives were continued or launched during the year. (1) the Family Dinner Project which promotes food, fun and conversation about things that matter. (2) The Open Table which focuses on community assets that are renewable, sustainable, and transformational through organizing and investing relational and social capital. A group of volunteers develops long-term, reciprocal relationships with an individual or family. Tables meet weekly to share friendship and access social networks to support life goals. (3) Mental Health Resiliency training and peer supports to improve mental wellness in the community, and(4) becoming a HUD-certified Housing Counseling agency. As a Housing Counseling agency, Genesis Garden will offer groupeducation and one-on-one counseling to individuals on topic such as landlord-tenant interactions, improving credit scores,pre-home purchase counseling and foreclosure prevention.