Awake

Good Idea: Community Center in Apartment Complex

Spotted this excellent notion in today's Oregonian, (Dec. 7, 2005, page B3):
(click picture to enlarge if you have a fast Internet connection or a lot of patience; if not, captioned text is typed out below)

Building Community

Hawo Ali builds a tower of Legos on Tuesday in a community room at Beaverton's Fir Crest Manor Apartments. The staff from Firm Grove Elementary School donated videos, games, toys, and books to the recently refurbished community room. The apartment complex, across the street from the school, is home to roughly 75 children under the age of 12, most of whom are recent Somali immigrants. Companies including Intel, Comcast, and Fred Meyer donated computers, Internet service and playground equipment to the project.

Olivia Bucks, The Oregonian

I have a similar idea, but on a smaller scale for the apartment complex where I tutor Ruth (not her real name), who is also an immigrant from Somalia on refugee status. The complex is only 2 buildings, so my thought is to convert one of the apartment units into a community center for the 10-20 kids who live there. But where to get the money...