FLINT, Michigan — The 2nd Ward Community, in partnership with WOW Outreach, Clio Road McDonald’s, and the Sarvis Park Neighborhood Association, hosted the 2nd Ward Community Conversation on June 21.

Held every third Tuesday of the month at Flint’s North Police Mini Station, the community-driven event gives 2nd ward residents opportunities to voice their concerns and learn about resources and new developments in business and economics, law enforcement, health, and education.

The event is a part of 2nd Ward Councilwoman Dr. Ladel Lewis’ initiative to get 2nd Ward residents engaged, involved, and informed.

June’s conversation was held at 9 A.M. and 5:30 P.M. and included a wide variety of residents from 2nd Ward and Sarvis Park. The Michigan State Police Flint Post was present to talk about their Youth Basic Swim Safety Program with the YMCA of Greater Flint. The Neighborhood Engagement Hub spoke about the resources and tools available to residents to help fight blight and other services offered.

The Greater Flint Health Coalition engaged residents about their CARES financial programming. And, the Sloan Museum of Discovery presented an engaging conversation about new things to experience at the museum’s grand reopening.

Michigan State Police Swimming Program

The Michigan State Police Flint Post, the YMCA of Greater Flint, and ELGA Credit Union have partnered to offer free swimming lessons to 144 Flint children this summer in the Youth Basic Swim Safety Program. Split into two sessions, one already beginning mid-June, with the second beginning mid-July, the program will take place at the downtown YMCA, located at 411 E. Third Street in Flint.

The Youth Basic Swim Safety Program will provide swimsuits to kids and focus on breathing control, safe water entry and exit, floating, swimming strokes, and other basic swimming skills. The teachers are Flint Post troopers who are lifeguard-certified and have experience teaching swimming and water safety. To be eligible, participants must be between the ages of 3–11, have a current Flint address, and fully complete a sign-up packet. 

2nd Ward residents learned about a free-swimming program for kids, financial literacy, a community tool shed, and what to expect at the new Sloan Museum of Discovery.
Neighborhood Engagement Hub

The executive director of the Neighborhood Engagement Hub was on hand to talk about the organization, its mission, and new things they’re bringing to the area. The NEC opened in 2014 and works city-wide, providing residents and organizations with landscaping tools such as lawnmowers and power tools to help eliminate blight in the city through their Community Tool Shed. 

In addition, the NEC offers support, fiduciary, and consulting services to local organizations and residents to help with project planning, resource management, and fiscal sponsorship. Any resident group or organization can fully utilize the NEC’s newly renovated Community Center for free to host meetings when it reopens later this summer. The NEC is currently looking to hire a full-time seasonal Tool Shed Associate Member. 

For more information about the Neighborhood Engagement Hub, visit their website or Facebook.

Greater Flint Health Coalition

The Greater Flint Health Coalition’s Outreach Coordinator Doron Pratt was first to speak. Pratt spoke about the CASES program (Community Approaches to Strengthening Economic Supports). CASES is a program designed to reduce financial stress on Genesee County families through tax preparation, financial literacy, trauma-informed research, and more. Pratt also spoke about the numerous free tax services and information available to residents, like understanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and childcare tax credits. For more information, visit: gfhc.org or EITC4Genesee.org.
   
Sloan Museum of Discovery

Jerome Threlkeld, Community Engagement Coordinator of the Sloan Museum of Discovery, talked to residents about what to expect and explore at the museum’s grand reopening next month. With a $30 million renovation and expansion, The Sloan will be host to four new interactive galleries to enjoy. 

The Hagerman Street is an Early childhood gallery that will prepare kids for Kindergarten through play-centric exploration. The Durant Gallery will feature rotating exhibitions of rare and vintage collections of vehicles and the future of automobiles. The History Gallery will present unique stories from Flint’s earliest days. Also, the Discovery Gallery boasts a multi-story Spaceship Earth exhibit, a Maker Space, the giant interactive Great Lakes water table, Earth Globe, and more for hands-on fun. 

Attendees can also enjoy an expansive gift shop to purchase souvenirs and gifts and even grab coffee and snacks at the Coffee Beanary Cafe. The Sloan Museum of Discovery is free to all Genesee County residents and is set to open on July 16.

For more information, visit the Sloan Museum of Discovery’s website and find them on Facebook.