West Marion Community Forum
We believe that our community members know their problems best and know how to solve them. This belief has been our north star since the start of our nonprofit’s work in 2016. We engage our community through facilitation of participatory community meetings using popular education and participatory change tools, such as systems mapping, root cause analysis exercises, pair and share, card storming, fish bowls, language justice exercises, panel interviews, community-led research, facilitated discussions, and consensus-based decision making. We use these tools to host monthly meetings, activate the voices of grassroots partners, facilitate open and honest conversations with institutional leaders, and co-create action plans.
Join Our Meetings
Our community forums are for anyone in the county and encourage those who want to get more involved to attend our monthly meetings on the 3rd Thursday of most months 5:30-7:30pm. Dinner and childcare are provided for free to attendees. We rotate locations for more information check out our Facebook page for more information!
Community Driven Priorities
Healthy Food Options: Maintains the Keeping it Fresh Community Garden that is youth led. The youth are able to decide what to grow and how to grow the fresh produce. Our garden provides fresh vegetables to the community and employees youth to work in the garden. Partners Include: Cooperative Extension, Marion Tailgate Market, McDowell Local Food Advisory Council, Foothills Food Hub, MANNA Foodbank, Resourceful Communities, and the YMCA.
Housing: Ensures that housing is safe, healthy, affordable, and available for all residents. We host credit counseling and credit rebuilding classes. These services enable our community to purchase a home, pay off debt, and establish savings and assets that provide long-term economic security. In addition, In 2017, we joined forces with the Marion East Community Forum and influenced the City of Marion to adopt a minimum housing ordinance to ensure safe and affordable housing for all residents. Partners Include: The City of Marion, and On Track Financial Counseling.
Transportation: Supports all residents to have access to safe and reliable transportation. We influenced McDowell County to adopt its first local public transportation department. In addition, we designed a transportation route that provides free transport to residents in West Marion, Marion East, the Latinx Community, and the homeless shelter. Partners Include: McDowell Transportation Department, Marion East Community Forum, Centro Unido Latino-Americano.
Project Revive: Helps youth recognize their own power and supports our youth ages 5 to 18 and our young adults ages 18 to 35. This program offers mentoring, educational resources, and recreational activities to our youth. Partners Include: Cooperative Extension, Foothills Food Hub, Highlander Research and Education Center, YMCA and McDowell County Schools.
Dymon Loftis- Youth Leader
Holding our first watermelon grown in the garden!