Community Health Analysis

Easton Community in Winston Salem

Forsyth County
Census Tract 35

Group Members:
Yolanda Jarrett
Olivia Harper
Abby Dupre
Monique McLeary
Neighborhood
The Easton Community was built in 1949 as a government-subsidized, affordable housing
community for returning World War II veterans (Easton Neighborhood Historic Marker to be
Unveiled, 2015). Throughout the past decades, the community has undergone many
demographic, political, and geographic changes. However, the rich history, culture, and pride of
the Easton Community remains alive and well today.

The Easton Community is located off of Thomasville Road in Winston Salem and is flanked by
US Route 52 and the fairly new Interstate 40. The community features integral churches, an
elementary school, and local businesses.

Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of conducting the interviews in the Easton community was to gather information
about the area that could not be seen or known without further insight. The interviews were done
with individuals who lived within the community or worked with the residents of Easton.
Although our group toured the community, the perspectives of the individuals that are involved
with or live in the community is more informative. These interviews allow the concerns of the
community to be heard and assets to be known that are only visible to residents or leaders. The
audience for this assignment includes our professor, Regina McCoy, other public health related
professionals who may want to gather more information about the Easton community, members
of the community, as well as community leaders.

Methods
Upon our first tour of the Easton Community, our team noticed an abundance of Neighborhood
Watch and No Trespassing signs and became curious about the history behind them. We
wanted to learn more about the safety and violence related issues that the community may have
as well as their relationship with law enforcement. Initially, we proposed an interview with
Lieutenant Delray Anthony who is stationed in the area. However, Lieutenant Anthony referred
us to SGT Mark Snow who is in charge of the Community Relations Division for the Winston
Salem Police Department and helps to establish Community Watch. The interview with SGT
Snow was informal and succinct. We asked about the safety concerns of the community in
relation to drugs and violent crime and SGT Snow was able to give us some insight about why
those signs went up in the first place and why they are still there. We were able to gather
information in the form of written notes that helped to shape our understanding of the Easton
Communitys safety.

During our windshield tour, we also conducted observation to assess the environment and life of
the residents in the Easton community. Since there were few businesses or resources
immediately adjacent to the community, we drove on the main roads surrounding the community
to identify other key markers that could contribute to the culture and possibly serve as assets to
the community. We found the Easton Elementary School but we arrived after school closing
hours. When we spoke to staff members they directed us to the custodian, who informed us that
we could speak with the Assistant Principal to find out more about how the school serves the
community and more about the families in the community in general. The Assistant Principal
then directed us to the school nurse and the Parent Involvement/Engagement Coordinator, Mrs.
Angela Miller. We interviewed Mrs. Miller in her trailer on the campus of the school.

Mt. Carmel Baptist Church is located in the Easton community. On our tour, we stopped by the
church and spoke to a member who was on her way out. She gave us Pastor Youngs name and
told us that he would be more than willing to assist us with any questions that we had about the
community. Pastor Young was interviewed at Caribou Coffee at the Friendly Center. To record
his responses a note-taker along the with interviewer were present.
Pastor Young suggested that we also speak with Reverend Olando Speas, whose family has lived
in the Easton community for many years. Reverend Speas invited us to his home on one of the
central roads in the neighborhood. One interviewer and one note-taker gathered data from
Reverend Speas about the recent history of the community, giving us great insight into the
residents perceived community strengths and their primary concerns.

Results
SGT Mark Snow

SGT Snow mentioned that there were drug issues in the Easton Community about 5 or 6 years
ago when he worked the area, but he doesnt think that there are any particularly pertinent issues
with drugs or violence in the area now. The signs just stayed up. Besides the issues that he saw
when he worked the area 5/6 years ago, SGT Snow does not believe that the Easton Community
faces any more gang/violence related crime than any other community. According to SGT Snow,
the Easton Community has access to the same safety and law enforcement resources that are
available to other communities. Again, SGT Snow does not believe that the Easton Community
is at a greater need for law enforcement support than any other community. He made a point of
reiterating the idea that the Easton Community is no more or less dangerous than any other
community in Winston Salem.

SGT Snow believes that the strong sense of community in Easton contributes to a reduction in
crime and allows the community members to become more dependent in seeking out their own
safety and support. SGT Snow mentioned that there is a Neighborhood Association in the
community) run by Robert Leak, III) in conjunction with the Neighborhood Watch which is
coordinated by the police department; the neighborhood association handles all non-law
enforcement related issues in the community.

Mrs. Angela Miller

Mrs. Miller was excited to speak with us and inform us about the school and the families in the
community. Having previously served as a bus driver for the Easton community, Mrs. Miller
indicated that she has built a strong relationship with a majority of the parents in the
neighborhood. Her desire to help impact the families she previously served as a bus driver
caused her to look for a position to help families within the school. She currently serves two
schools that serve Easton: Easton Elementary (where the majority of Easton students attend
school) and Ashley Elementary (a magnet school where some of the Easton students attend
school). Mrs. Miller indicated a marked difference between the schools based on culture and
resources, with Easton Elementary having language barriers to learning while Ashley Elementary
had issues of generational poverty that prevented families from being motivated to seek
assistance with improving their students learning, even when the school provided on campus
resources for psychological and academic testing from the Bremers hospital that is not available
to other schools in the district. However, Easton Elementary does receive dental, vision, and
hearing screenings along with free eyeglasses from LensCrafters and other businesses with
which she has developed partnerships over the years.

According to Mrs. Miller, Easton Elementary reflects the population of the current Easton
community, with ~87% of the student population coming from families of Hispanic heritage,
with the other 13% including African-American, White, and Multiracial students. The school
has 100% Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL), so every student gets free breakfast and free lunch
during the school year. Mrs. Miller indicated that - while most students have parents who speak
Spanish as the only language - the parents at Easton value education as a means of improving the
family quality of life, so they are sure to make efforts to improve their childs learning.
However, Mrs. Miller indicated that it would be great if the school had better resources to help
Spanish-speaking families advocate for and assist in the learning process of their children. Mrs.

The biggest concern that arose with Mrs. Miller were access to resources for the families at
Easton. In addition to her concern for more resources to address the frequent language barriers
between families and staff members, Mrs. Miller indicated that there was also a need to increase
student access to food. She currently runs the Backpack Program in conjunction with the Second
Harvest Food Bank and the First Christian Church. There are also additional churches and local
business partnering with the school that have added backpack and food items to give to students.
This has helped Mrs. Miller and her team provide food items each week to 100 students. Still,
Mrs. Miller indicated that she would like to serve even more students, given how high the need
was with families in the Easton community. Ultimately, Mrs. Miller indicated that the Easton
community is a strong community with elders who attempt to improve it and empower the
residents to make positive change for a better future.

Pastor Young
Pastor Young provided insight into how the church was involved with the Easton community.
According to Pastor Young, there are only about 10-15% of the church members that actually
live in Easton. Although not many people from the community attend the church, they do
participate in many of the events that the church provides. The church has many events and
programs such as giving out turkeys to families during the Thanksgiving holiday, summer
feeding programs, etc. There are other services in the area such as Sunnyside Ministries which is
an outreach organization, as well as Second Harvest Food Bank. The Backpack Summer
Program that the church has, works with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide food for
individuals in need.

Pastor Young did mention that at one point in time they had issues with someone tearing down a
sign in front of the church. He also described a change in the attitudes of the community
residents towards the police. A few years ago, Easton had issues with gang affiliations and drugs
but that has gotten better. At the time of these issues, the residents were not very open to the
police but have since developed a better relationship with law enforcement. The police are also
encouraged by Pastor Young to attend the events at the church in order to restore the relationship
with the community. He described the demographic of the community to be an older generation
with close relationships between residents. Easton community members look out for one another
and pay attention to what is going on in the area. The older generation of residents in Easton
hope that the plaque that was recently dedicated to the Easton community will instill pride within
the community and encourage continued growth.

The major concerns of the residents as outlined by Pastor Young are vandalism, gang activity,
and drugs. In light of these concerns, residents in Easton continue to take steps towards ensuring
their own safety. There was even mention of resident application screenings that are done to
ensure that incoming residents do not pose a risk to the community and/or its members.

Reverend Olando Speas

Revered Olando Speas described his familys long history in the Easton community. His wife
grew up in the same home that the Speas family currently lives in, and their extended family
members still reside throughout the neighborhood. Reverend Speas described the changes that
have occurred in the neighborhood in recent decades, including the transition from mostly white
residents, to mainly black, and most recently to a Hispanic majority. This transition was
concurrent with a transition from predominantly homeowners to predominantly renters, resulting
in a decrease in the socioeconomic status of the community.

Reverend Speas also described several unique strengths of the Easton community. There is a
nearby park that is maintained by the city. The very active neighborhood association has erected
community entrance signs and a historical marker, and conducts monthly clean-up activities.
Although the demographics of the area are quickly changing, one does not sense any racial
tension. He made several references to Councilman James Taylor, with whom many Easton
residents are in close contact and who is very responsive to residents requests. Revered Speas
indicated quite a few concerns as well. The transition to fewer owner-occupied homes has led to
people taking less responsibility for maintenance and upkeep.

According to Reverend Speas, although the neighborhood association exists, it would be more
effective if more residents would join. The neighborhood has had problems with sanitation,
including litter from the nearby fried chicken restaurant that clogs drains, and rats that became a
problem after the demolition of the Happy Hill Gardens housing development. The demolition
and subsequent building of highway 40 divided the Easton neighborhood from other
communities and their resources, including the recreation center. Revered Speas voiced the need
for somewhere people can go so they do not have to spend time in the street, which brings up his
concerns about safety. There are often people hanging out in streets and children playing in the
streets, and very few sidewalks exist in the neighborhood for them to play on. In addition,
residents dangerously cross busy 109 to get to the store. Less visible but still present is the drug
dealing in the area which has led to gun violence in past years.

Themes
Strength Through Diversity
At the corner of Louise Road and Betty Drive, a sign sitting in a small flowerbed welcomes you
to the Easton community. The motto on the sign reads Strength through Diversity, an adage
that we discovered is a true representation of the community culture. Our interviews revealed
that Easton residents take pride in the diversity of their population. Easton has experienced rapid
changes in demographics in recent years, a fact that could easily cause strain and friction.
Instead, the neighborhood seems to have claimed this diversity as a feature and a strength. Not
only was this made clear throughout our interviews with Pastor Young and Reverend Speas, we
also observed it. Walking through the Easton neighborhood on any given afternoon, it is easy to
appreciate the diversity of the Easton community.

Strong Sense of Community

In addition to representing diversity, the neighborhood entrance signs are also a symbol of the
strong sense of community that Easton residents feel. These signs, along with the historical
marker that was unveiled in September of 2015, were efforts made by the neighborhood
association in order to both demonstrate and encourage community pride and ownership. All of
the interviews we conducted made references to the changes that have occurred over the past few
years, particularly the transition from a community of homeowners to a community of renters.
These changes have made it a priority of the long-time residents to instill a sense of community
pride in Eastons newer generation.

The passion that Mrs. Miller, Pastor Young, and Reverend Speas feel for their cherished Easton
community was obvious, and each interviewee emphasized the importance of the relationships
each has built within the community. Sargent Snow credits Eastons sense of community with
crime reduction, Mrs. Miller built her career around her relationships with neighborhood parents,
Pastor Young provides neighborhood outreach and services to community members whether they
are members of his church or not, and Reverend Speas family members have been community
leaders for decades.

Leadership

Not only does Easton have strong leaders within the community, they also have positive
relationships with leaders outside of the neighborhood. Sargent Snow and Pastor Young indicate
that there is an increasingly positive relationship between the residents and the police in Easton.
The neighborhood watch (operated by the police department) works in conjunction with the
neighborhood association (operated by residents). Additionally, the Easton community has a
great ally in Councilman James Taylor. Being personally connected with the area because he
grew up in a nearby neighborhood, Councilman Taylor is extremely responsive to the needs of
Easton community members, and has the power to make significant progress when called upon
by residents.

Concerns

Safety
In addition to the strengths discussed above, our interviews revealed several needs felt by the
community members. The need most commonly expressed was a concern about safety in the
neighborhood. This came out in two major areas- safety related to drugs and violence, and safety
related to traffic. Several interviewees stated that there is drug activity in the neighborhood.
Although some say it has decreased in recent years and Sargent Snow claimed that it is not any
worse than in other communities, it is still a concern to residents, along with the violence that
accompanies it. Another safety concern involves the amount of people hanging out or playing in
the street. The neighborhood lacks sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic calming measures, or a
recreation center where residents could spend their time. Without these things, residents are left
in danger.

Food Insecurity
Another need discovered through our interviews is food security. The residents of Easton are
generally low income, and Mrs. Miller indicated that food is a great need, especially for the
children in the neighborhood. There are two food stores accessible by walking, and they both
offer very few healthy items, with no fresh fruits and vegetables. For low income residents who
may not have easy access to transportation, this could be a significant detriment to their health.
Interestingly, this was a need expressed more by the interviewees who worked with the
community, and not by the residents themselves.

Sanitation
A final theme that developed in our interviews was that of sanitation. One can easily observe the
litter on the streets in Easton, but speaking with the residents revealed that litter can be more than
just an issue of neighborhood pride- it can also affect health. Reverend Speas revealed that the
trash in the streets clogged the gutters, causing unhealthy drainage issues for some properties.
Also, the abundance of trash attracts rats to the neighborhood. The decline in the number of
owner-occupied houses also can result in a decline in sanitation, because the landlords and
tenants tend to take less responsibility over the upkeep of their homes and yards.

Discussion
We found three distinct themes in the Easton community through this community assessment.
First, there is a strong sense of community in Easton. Neighbors walk around and speak to each
other, hang out with each other, stop cars and socialize with each other, and look comfortable
walking around the neighborhood early in the day or late in the afternoon. Additionally, the
community has key informants in long term residents, clergy, and organization leaders who also
have access to key leaders in the Winston-Salem government that maintain a presence in the
community. While having access to the police for a neighborhood watch happens for many
neighborhoods, most neighborhoods lack the immediate access and relationship to a city
councilman that many residents of Easton have established in their community. Most
importantly, the Easton community seems to have a strong resilience despite having gone
through adversity as a community and experiencing many changes in the community dynamic.
Having a recent history with drug and crime issues, the Easton community has developed a
neighborhood association and relationships with these key informants and leaders to improve the
safety and access to resources for their community.

We were able to gain valuable information from our interviews with these community members
and key informants. However, it is important to consider potential biases that might exist in our
interviewee selection or in the interviewees personal opinions. We recognize that there are
voices in the Easton community that our interviews did not express. Our research indicates that
the population is majority Hispanic, yet we were not able to interview any Hispanic residents. If
we had, they may have exposed different types of concerns or assets. For the most part, our
interviews represented the older Easton residents rather than the newer generation, which gave us
insight into the history of the community and efforts to resist change, but we may have missed
important contributions from newer residents. For a more complete picture of the community, it
would be beneficial to interview a wider variety of residents.

Conclusion
The Easton community has a strength built on the resilience of members who continue to thrive.
Entering the Easton community, members seem proud of the neighborhood and at ease with
communicating with neighbors. Embedded in the community are residents who have watched the
changes in culture occur and still work to maintain strong relationships to enhance safety and
access to food for all community residents. Local community organizations, schools, and
churches also participate to provide access to resources that could enhance health outcomes for
all residents. Any attempt to conduct further assessments in this community should include these
assets as an essential resource to develop authentic partnerships within the community.
 When addressing needs of this community in the future, a possible next step for the
community assessment would occur through a survey of the community needs by residents.
Since the church and the schools have a strong presence in the community, any data collection or
surveying could happen through the initiatives they implement in the community. Any future
surveys or focus groups would need to include documents in both English and Spanish so that
the majority of community members have equal ability to participate and provide their
perspective on the needs and assets in the Easton community. Ultimately, the goal should be
helping to empower members in the already strong and asset rich community of Easton.

Appendix I: Interview Guides and Notes

Pastor Daryl A. Young, Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church

Interviewer: Olivia Harper
Note Taker: Abby DuPre
Date/Time of Interview: Tuesday, October 20, 2015, 8:45 PM
Location: Caribou Coffee, Greensboro

How involved is Mt. Carmel with the Easton community? What percentage of your
members are Easton residents?
Really involved. Every year we do clothing giveaways, free dinners, thanksgiving turkeys,
anyone that comes by. Holiday community dinner thats free, back to school giveaway, bouncy
houses, kids always come by and get whatever they need.
Probably a smaller percent come from community. Probably 10-15% are residents. A lot of the
kids and people that were there already go to another church in the area.

How long have you worked in the Easton neighborhood?

Ive been pastor a few years now.

What are some of the best things about Easton? What do you like most about working in
Easton?
The community has a lot of pride, is making a lot of changes. Past years, known for drug dealers
and gang activity. A few years ago there was a story about a child in his house being molested by
a man. An older generation there now, and there was a placard just dedicated to the community.
The older generation is trying to instill pride, let them know the community means something
and the things in the community mean something. Recently, someone would tear down our bible
study sign everyday, and I would put it back up. Everything is valuable, you have to let the kids
know that. We can come out of this and be impactful. The older generation is one of the best
things about the community.

What concerns do you think Easton residents have about their neighborhood?
Vandalism, gang activity, crack houses. That really bothers them. They wanted the plaque to
instill that value, to show its is a special place. Concerned with moving some of that element
out, screening applicants for new homes, getting the right people coming into the community.
Article in paper recently about trying to monitor whos coming in. For a while, the community
didnt have a good relationship with police. It became an issue, made people wary about police
presence. Now they are in our parking lot, I say thank you for your service. They come to our
community events.

What health or safety issues are most relevant to Easton residents?

Not that Im aware of.

What services exist to overcome these concerns?

Besides church- Sunnyside ministries- an outreach/Salvation Army organization - goodwill is in
the area as well. Second harvest. We are working with Second Harvest now, doing a summer
feeding program. Well be doing it next summer. Easton Elementary School does summer
feeding program for 18 and under.
The beefed up police presence at one of the meetings at the rec center. That may have been the
catalyst for community watch. Making police more present but more of a friendly presence.

What kinds of services would you like to be more accessible to Easton residents?

What community organizations are active in and around Easton?

City councilman, James Taylor. Weve talked with him and invited him to the rec center, told
them they could come to our church for community meetings.

How would you describe the relationship between residents in the Easton neighborhood?
Do you think all the residents have equal access to available resources?
Yes, they have equal access to resources.

Seems like a lot of people know each other, a lot of second generation in the neighborhood.
Seem to be close, they know each other. We do visitation with some people that live in the
neighborhood. They know one another. But you still have, you may be familiar but sometimes
there are things going on in the house that you dont know. But it comes out, people pay attention
to what's going on, watching and looking out for one another.
Would you be able to give us some names and contact information for some community
members who may be able to talk to us too?
Head of the neighborhood. Assn. Robert Leak. (Marys second cousin).
Reverend Speas. Raised in Easton., Luther Leak. And his wife and father in law.
Olando Speas and his wife, Mary
336-624-8086

Get on 40 bypass, all the way to Lewisville something rd, take exit. Come to stoplight, make left,
go through one light, second stoplight 2nds st on right, right beside Citgo. 1111 Louise road.

Carol Miller on corner has a lot of connections to community resources, in charge of missionary
ministry. When people come with a need, shes our point person. Our ministry
SGT Mark Snow, Winston Salem Police Department
Interviewer: Monique McLeary
Note Taker: Yolanda Jarrett
Date/Time of Interview: 10/22/15 at 9am
Location: 225 E. Fifth Street (Winston Mutual Building), Winston Salem, NC

We noticed a lot of neighborhood watch and no trespassing signs throughout the

neighborhood. Is there a specific reason or pattern that lead to this?

SGT Snow mentioned that there were drug issues in the Easton Community about 5 or 6 years
ago when he worked the area, but he doesnt think that there are any particularly pertinent issues
with drugs or violence in the area now. The signs just stayed up.

He told us the difference between a neighborhood watch and a neighborhood association:

neighborhood watch = police associated concerns (drug and gang problems, etc)
neighborhood association = community concerns (lack of landscaping upkeep, noise levels, etc)

Indicated there was both an active neighborhood watch and neighborhood association in the
Easton Community, but that the signs we saw may have been there for a while. Robert Leak is
the head of the neighborhood association.

Apparently the signs do not indicate the current existence of a drug and/or gang problem in the
area.

Has there been a history of violent or gang related crime in this community? If so, how do
you think it has shaped the health of the community?

Besides the issues that he saw when he worked the area 5/6 years ago, SGT Snow does not
believe that the Easton Community faces any more gang/violence related crime than any other
community in Winston Salem. The question he had was is it well kept?.

What health or safety issues are most relevant to Easton residents?

Indicated the health and safety issues in Easton were the same as any other neighborhood but
did not volunteer any other information about what those health and safety issues are.

Again, SGT Snow does not believe that the Easton Community is at a greater need for law
enforcement support than any other community. He mentioned that there is a Neighborhood
Association in the community) run by Robert Leek) in conjunction with the Neighborhood
Watch which is coordinated by the police department. The neighborhood association handles all
non-law enforcement related issues in the community.

What health and safety resources are available to the members of the Easton community?
To your knowledge, are these resources accessible and frequently utilized?
SGT Snow indicated that there werent really any other health and safety concerns for the Easton
community that didnt exist in other neighborhoods in Winston-Salem. Provided the Community
and Business Development center as a resource to help keep the community clean and adhere to
city ordinances; apparently they help keep houses looking clean and avoid city violations by
providing help cleaning up.

What concerns do you think Easton residents have about their neighborhood?

The same concerns other residents in other communities have. SGT Snow mentioned that the
sense of community in Easton contributes to a reduction in crime. He stated that if the
community is involved, there is a reduction in crime. This sense of community was definitely
evident on our windshield tour.
Takeaway: Our first impression of the community is slightly wrong. Although there was an issue
with drug related crimes in Easton previously, the prevalence of such crimes as well as violent
crimes in the community now is not much different than that of any other neighborhood in
Winston Salem. The sense of community in Easton is a strong asset that contributes to their
health and safety.
Mrs. Angela Miller, Easton Elementary School
Interviewer: Yolanda Jarrett
Note Taker: Monique McLeary
Date/Time of Interview: 10/22/15 at 10am
Location: Easton Elementary School, 734 Clemmonsville Cir, Winston Salem

Demographics of the School/Community:

The community used to be predominantly white
~2001, there was a shift from predominantly black to predominantly Hispanic
students/families (~87%)
Most of the families come from the Easton Community walking distance!
Variables that impact differences in Easton: Language
Not many discipline issues: parents get it that there are a lot of opportunities for the
children to succeed.
In some cases, generational poverty repeats itself; this is generally seen with parents who
dont value education.

What do you like most about working with the Easton Community?
The diversity and the challenges that arise due to language barriers. Ms. Miller thoroughly enjoys
advocating for her children and goes above and beyond to make sure that the home life does
not negatively impact the childrens education. She tries to fill in gaps that may affect each
childs social, emotional, and educational well being such as food and access to medical care.

Working with parents who do not value education or show initiative is also a challenge for Ms.
Miller.

What health and safety issues are relevant to residents?

Health; mental, vision, and dental.

What services exist at the school/in the community to overcome these concerns?
Agencies that assist with vision screening (school nurse, referrals), partnerships with Lens
Crafters, Department of Health and Human Services. Also, all students at Easton receive free or
reduced lunch.

What community organizations are active in and around Easton?

Flowers bakery: provides boxes of snack cakes

First Christian Church and a Womens bible study group: provides backpacks with weekend
meals for 50 and 40 students respectively.

Mrs. Miller works at both Easton and Ashley Schools, both being Title I schools
- Title I schools indicating that the percentage of students at the school are at 55%+ Free &
Reduced Lunch (F&R)
-Mrs. Miller started her career at Easton driving the school bus, but wanted to do more
-she has contact info for all the parents of the school that she helps in her position, and they have
her cell phone number.
Easton information
- While Easton currently has around 85% F&R, 100% of the students receive free breakfast and
free lunch
- Easton has many business partners that provide resources for the Easton families
There are community advocates in different agencies and churches

Easton is currently 87% Hispanic. It was originally predominantly white until the late 1980s. In
the late 1980s, the population in Easton became majority African American. By 2001, the
majority of Easton was predominantly Hispanic and has stayed that way since (there are still
black and white people present in the neighborhood; some are also mixed and Asian).

The zip codes she serves are 27105 and 27107

The difference between Easton Elementary and Ashley middle school is interesting.

Language barriers vs generational poverty

Easton has language barrier issues because of the high Hispanic population, but the parents are
trying to work with their kids even with this barrier and seem to value education as helping their
children have a better life in America.

Ashley has more generational poverty, where families dont see beyond their current status or the
history of poverty their families have had (Ashley is predominantly African American). There is
a wellness center that is on Ashleys campus that many of the parents refuse to go take their kids
to. There are also licensed psychologists and LCSWs from Breners Hospital who come to the
Ashley campus to serve in the wellness center for academic and mental health testing and
services. It is a magnet school, so it has kids bused in from all over, but some of them come
from Easton.

It takes a village, & I dont think it will ever stop taking a village

Backpack Program
Gets resources from Flowers Bakery and local business partners for 90 students
-Flowers provides snack cakes (like oatmeal crme pies and chocolate snack cakes) 4 boxes
each week (4 boxes = 8 box of 24 snack cakes, equal to 4(192) = 768 cakes / 90 people = ~8
cakes per student)

2 Church sponsors also help with the Backpack Program

First Christian Church pack bags outside of school and drop them off for Mrs. Millers team to
distribute to the kids designated in each classroom. She felt by dropping it off with the teachers
and letting the teachers slip the bags into the designated kids backpacks, that it would be less
noticeable than lining all the kids up to distribute the bags to them.

Also, a womens bible study group in Clemmons, NC meets together and 1x/month prepares
items for backpack buddies to give to the school.

Thursdays and Fridays Ms. Amanda and Mrs. Miller distribute bags to the students

Ms. Millers goal is empowering every parent I come in contact with

A 3rd church has agreed to sponsor 10 more children

Other health concerns

Kids get vision and hearing screenings annually
Communities in schools in the past helped students who couldnt afford glasses to pay for them;
dont know if this resource is still available to them but she said they were told it is not.

Lens Crafters has a Gift of Sight program that accepts donated glasses and gives them to needy
people for free

The department of Health provides free dental care for families

DSS (Dep. of Social Services) is who Miller and staff members call for negligence and abuse of
kids

Mrs. Miller does visual assessments of the home and the families.

There is a Newcomers Center for those who are just moving into the country or the state

Downtown Health Center and DSS to initial intake and physical and psychological testing for
families. Then once tested they are taken to a behavioral health center or the monarch agency for
med checks

Ms. Miller informed us that we and our classmates were welcome to come volunteer at the
school any time that we would like.

Reverend Olando Speas

Interviewer: Abby DuPre
Note taker: Olivia Harper
Date/Time: Monday, October 26, 2015. 4:30 PM
Location: Louise Road, Easton Neighborhood

What are some of the organizations that are involved with Easton community and how do
they impact the residents?

Neighborhood association- helped people take responsibility of their home. He feels like if
everyone would join, guidelines would be followed better. Neighborhood pickup once a month
by the neighborhood association. Had a youth association but not anymore.
Needs a recreation center to give young people something to do. Pastor is striving to start a
family life center. Closest one is in Bellevue but there is not one in this area.
What are some of the concerns that the Easton community members have?
The S&K mart has a grill and lots of people litter there and then it backs up the drains. The litter
has gotten better but they feel like it is the stores responsibility to clean it up.
The younger tenants, drug scene came more intense in the last 5-10 years. Not as much drug use
but drug dealing.
Always someone walking up and down the street.
The park down the street, the city takes care of it.
Children playing in the street who will not move, fear is that they could get hurt.
People not taking care of where they live, the yard. Feels like the house next door is not
habitable, the renters do not take care of the house.
The neighborhood is cheaper which can bring in more problems.
What assets do you believe the community has?
Diverse neighborhood, seems like everyone gets along. He hasnt seen a segregation between
races. New families coming and going.
The councilman Taylor comes through the neighborhood on a regular and says to call him if
anything is wrong in the neighborhood and he does respond and take care of it, he is concerned
with the upkeep of the neighborhood. Drug dealing all times of the night, have been drive by
shootings, so they were worried about the children in the area. Talked to Taylor about it and
some raids were carried out.
Neighborhood garden.

Are there any health concerns that prevalent among members of the community?
 Health concerns linked in with the litter and when they tore down the projects the rats came into
Easton community. The emergency services are called a lot. Children playing in the streets and
driving fast. Feel like there should be a sidewalk for safety.
Lower income families so not exactly sure if there are issues with insurance. Traffic on 109 and
children crossing the road to get to the store.
Appendix II: Resources and References

Easton Neighborhood Historic Marker to be Unveiled. (2015, September 23). Retrieved from
http://www.cityofws.org/News/ID/15322/Easton-Neighborhood-Historic-Marker-to-be-
Unveiled

Community Health Assessment Handbook - NC Division of Public Health (2015), Retrieved

from http://publichealth.nc.gov/lhd/cha/

M. Minkler (Ed.). (2014) Community Organizing and Community Building for Health and
Welfare, 3rd Ed. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

Winston Salem Police Department

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina

Easton Elementary