Photo Journal

By Chelsie Hanline

Zane Mehl

And Kati Solin

Dear Journal,

I know we haven’tspoken in a while…

But I wanted totell you about some

really cool new concepts I learned…

And how they pertain to my

community

Resiliency BuildingResiliency, the ability to recover from

difficulties or challenges in a fashion that supports growth, is the backbone of a healthy community. One way that resiliency can be fostered is through the creation of positive interpersonal relationships. According to Benard (2004), the loss of relationships is one of the “great casualties of modern life” (Benard, 2004, p.93). Resiliency is fostered in communities where caring interactions take place between generations. These interpersonal relationships between individuals in a nonjudgmental and caring environment aid in fostering positive life outcomes. This occurs through an increased attachment to one’s own community, as human interaction repairs the social fabric which has been damaged as a result of modern styles of life.

Faith Based Organizations

“Faith based organizations are organizations where faith is embedded into the organizational structures producing a diversity of approaches to development practices” (Bradley, 2009).

Although there is much controversy concerning faith based organizations there are many of them

in our Whatcom community that help many different people in a variety of ways. Some faith based organizations in Whatcom county include Rebound, Whatcom County Pregnancy Center,

Catholic Community Services, Agape House, Hope House and many others. Regardless of faith and religion, all of these institutions serve a diverse

population in our community.

IsolationAs a result of current societal structures many community members find themselves separate, despite sharing similarities with many in their community. Currently involvement with groups is undergoing a sharp decline. This is the result of the growing influence of suburbia and a loss of common areas, along with many other reasons. As involvement with others declines, feelings of disenfranchisement and detachment can begin to occur. This disconnection has led to a general decline in civic participation, as well as feelings of powerlessness.

One On One