The Future Blooms program in Cincinnati enlists artists to paint the plywood panels used to secure vacant and abandoned homes and buildings in the city. Taken in 2012, these before and after photos show participating properties in the city's historic Over the Rhine neighborhood. A similar program, called Spring Forward, is coming to South Bend. (Photos provided)
SOUTH BEND - The Neighborhood Resources Corp. in partnership with artist Chris Stackowicz of cstackstudios is seeking sponsors and volunteers to help with a project aimed at addressing blight in the city's neighborhoods.
"Spring Forward" would enlist artists and other volunteers to paint sheets of plywood that would then be used to secure between 300 and 500 such homes in the city. The sheets would display false windows or doors, curtains, flower boxes and/or other appropriate details.
Stackowicz and the NRC currently are working with neighborhood organizations to identify homes for inclusion in the program and to recruit sponsors and volunteers, including preppers, painters and installers, Stackowicz said.
Sponsors are asked to contribute $500 per house, he said, with the money going to pay for supplies and to support the program, the volunteers, the NRC and the participating neighborhood organizations.
The NRC is looking for between 300 and 500 sponsors and upward of 1,000 volunteers, NRC Director Diana Hess said. Interested parties are encouraged to visit the group's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/springforwardsb) or e-mail springforward14@gmail.com.
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