My Block is Beautiful – Block Party with a Purpose

(Norfolk, VA) – The non-profit organization, TWP (Teens with a Purpose) – The Youth Movement is creating a safe and healthy community in Norfolk with My Block is Beautiful, a block party with a purpose. The St. Paul’s quadrant community is celebrated through interactive art, music, health, food & more!  My Block is Beautiful will be held on April 6th from 4-7pm and is free and open to the public.

In its third year, the block party will be held at the Safe Creative Community Space (SCS) – a safe, welcoming neighborhood space for art, entertainment and learning in a beautiful, bountiful garden.  The development of the city-owned vacant lot adjacent to the Vivian C. Mason Teen Center for Arts and Technology Center, 700 E. Olney Road, started early summer of 2017 when community members and several organizations band together to help turn a gravel lot into an oasis.  Among the known positive impacts of the SCS are increased physical health, mental health, leadership development, improved security and safety, reduce carbon footprint, capturing rainwater and of course, beautification of the area. The City of Norfolk, Pace bike share stations will be installed and launched on April 6th at sites throughout the city, including one at the Safe Creative Community Space.

Through this community event, Teens With a Purpose and its numerous collaborative partners, plan to affirm the beauty of community.  Residents from Young Terrace, Calvert Square, Olde Huntersville, and the surrounding neighborhoods are the primary honorees for this unique arts and cultural experience.  The activities include a Wellness Zone powered by Eastern Virginia Medical School with resources on Nutrition’s, STI/HIV preventions, Diabetes Management and Blood Pressure, live visual art projects, STEM activities, a dance contest, a community clean up, voters gardening activities and FREE food.

Landscape Architect, Nikolas Henry will also share his concept design for the next phase of the SCS as he continues the community dialog around the wants and needs for this developing space.  The event concludes with the dedication of two newly planted Apple Trees. The trees were donated to Teens With a Purpose as recipients of the Innovative Youth Award, presented by Keep Norfolk Beautiful in 2017.

My Block is Beautiful

April 6th 4-7pm

Safe Creative Community Space

801 Church St, Norfolk, VA 23510

Collaborative Partners include: City of Norfolk, Norfolk Parks, Recreation & Open Space, GEICO, Norfolk Police Department, Keep Norfolk Beautiful, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, Speak Up 757, Young Terrace Tenants Management Council. For additional, information call (757) 747-2679 or visit www.TWPTheMovement.org.