HEART

HEART. The Higher Education an Rehabilitation Training Program (HEART) originated in Dubuque in 2003. According to its mission statement, students once identified as at-risk of dropping out are now leading a community revitalization effort through relevant service learning activities. The goals of the program were: (1)

              1) develop affordable housing for low-to moderate-income working families

              2) transform the Washington Neighborhood by removing slow and blight

              3) develop a better-prepared workforce through hands-on-training

Working partners of the program included: (2)

              1) City of Dubuque

              2) Community Housing Initiatives

              3) DUBUQUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

              4) DUPACO COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

              5) Four Mounds Foundation

              6) Four Oaks of Iowa

              7) Iowa Workforce Development

              8) Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services

              9) Northeast Iowa Community College

             10) The Transition Alliance Program (Dubuque Community School District)

The program began in 2003 as a partnership of Four Oaks, the school district, and Four Mounds. John Gronen, then president of Four Mounds Foundation, has been credited with providing guidance and assistance as needed. (3) From 2003 through 2016 dozens of students have learned the skills of carpentry. Beginning with a pilot program at FOUR MOUNDS, the program moved to Washington Street in 2004. Participants through 2016 transformed an estimated thirty rundown rental units into owner-occupied homes. HEART participants rehabilitated five homes for Community Housing Initiatives (CHI) between 2012 and 2016. CHI promoted home ownership and residential development in the Washington Street Neighborhood by purchasing, rehabilitating and reselling abandoned and neglected houses from 11th to 22nd STREETS and Elm to Central Avenue. (4)

Students in the program come from HEMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL and DUBUQUE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. They must volunteer to be in the program which is limited to twelve each year and they must be at least 16 years old to work on the site. Classes are taken at Four Oaks and they earn a small stipend. In addition to the renovated homes, the program in 2016 could claim: (5)

                1) 91% graduation rate

                2) 1.5 years--average student participation

                3) 31  number of owner-occupied homes made available to first-time owners

                4) 267%  increased tax base for major projects

                5) 44  non-housing HEART community projects since 2003

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Sources:

1. Swenson, Jim. Building a Better Future," Telegraph Herald, November 6, 2016, p. 6

2. Ibid.

3. Swenson, p. 1

4. Swenson, p. 6

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.