United Neighbors News

UNITED NEIGHBORS INC, Celebrates 35 Years

Thirty five years ago, Ida Johnson was raising a family of five children and thinking of ways to help her family and the neighborhood at the same time.  As luck would have it, two students from Marycrest College were canvassing her neighborhood for a social work project. She told them her idea for a neighborhood center. Which started in her living room then later a church on 12th Street became the home of Central and Western Neighborhood Development Corp. An old house at 618 W. 8th St. then housed the organization for about 20 years. In 1980, the nonprofit organization was renamed United Neighbors Inc, .The new building was built at our present location in 1996. The organization is supported by United Way, the City of Davenport, the Riverboat Development Authority and many other companies, area churches and private individuals. United Neighbors provides emergency assistance and referrals, first time home buyers classes and financial assistance for down payment, home-repair, ramps, budget counseling, foreclosure counseling assistance, summer parks program ,after school program ,youth tennis rallies, youth golf ,awareness training for breast and prostate cancer as well as other multi heath issue .Other causes include leadership training seminars and ongoing activities for children such as karate classes, drama, a computer lab and Davenport Halloween parade

Please join us on November 13th, 2008 to celebrate our 35th Anniversary at our Annual Meeting. Guest Speakers will be Davenport PoliceChief Donchez, current and past board and staff members, as well as community leaders. Event will be held @United Neighbors from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00  p.m.  Dinner will also be served!


Hundreds join in Juneteenth freedom celebration

The Juneteenth tradition comes from the time period in June of 1864 when word of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation reached slaves in Texas. In recent years. Juneteenth has been celebrated in many places across the country.

It’s about freedom, says Ida Johnson, United Neighbors Executive Director, who has spearheaded the local events, held every year for at least 20 years.Many community groups set up booths and tables. Speakers addressed historic in addition, current issues. Games were organized for the kids. Poetry  reading. praise dancers, story-telling, choirs, and individual singers helped to make this one of the best yet.United Neighbors thanks the many businesses, groups, and individuals who contributed to program booklet and the event.