Painting Party

Painting Party will brighten up the Duval Neighborhood on October 16 & 17

Volunteers from the Institute for Workforce Innovation’ s Project YouthBuild, which helps high school students advance their education and develop job skills, will kick off the painting party on Friday October 16. Innovative Dads, a ‘ Handy Dads’ community revitalization program led by Pastor Gerard Duncan, will host a neighborhood block party and fish fry on October 17. Both events will start around 9 a.m. and end around 4 p.m. at 2600 NE 11th Place. The CRA’ s residential paint program offers homeowners vouchers for up to $500 in paint and painting supplies to improve the curb appeal of their homes. When six Duval neighbors applied for the program together, they decided to share paint brushes and turn it into a big weekend of service, said CRA Project Manager Malcolm Kiner. “This event is a testament to the tight-knit relationships that define the Duval Community. From teens to fathers to grandparents, several generations are coming together to give one another a helping hand. It’ s awesome to see the whole block come together to make a positive impact,” he said. Last year, 14 homes were painted through existing CRA paint programs in the Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street and Eastside neighborhoods. The CRA expanded this program to its Downtown redevelopment area earlier this year. Another CRA paint partnership, a program with Alachua Habitat for Humanity known as ‘ A Brush with Kindness,’ goes a step beyond the residential paint vouchers and assists homeowners-in-need with repainting and minor house repairs in the Duval area. Interested in applying for a residential paint voucher? Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Homeowners must live within the Downtown, Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street or Eastside redevelopment area to qualify for the residential paint voucher program. Click here for a map of CRA redevelopment area boundaries. Contact CRA Project Manager Malcolm Kiner at 352-393-8204 for more information.