When I moved to Minnesota, I encountered the Structured Potluck complete with sign-up sheet. Often this takes the form of last names starting with A-G bring salad ... . While I appreciate the impulse to try to control the chaos, my name starts with B and I am terrible at making salad (you really want me to bring lemon pie).
The community development equivalent to the structured potluck is a model in which agencies and residents work together to identify development goals and then align existing organization programs and community resources to support them.
Locally, the Northside Achievement Zone and the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood follow this model. These two efforts, modeled after the successful Harlem Children’s Zone, set out the goal of making sure that all children within their geographic zones are ready for college. Working with their communities, they have identified and aligned programs, services, and support to help families achieve the collective goal.
While this model of potluck development ensures that diners have a full meal, unless it is paired with a rigorous process of identifying and cultivating community assets it can result in the equivalent of a meal that includes my crummy salad but is missing a great lemon pie.
By Andy Barnett, Director of Community Development, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
This is the third in a series of blogs explaining community development through potluck metaphors.