Heart and Soul is a program that was initiated to act as a catalyst for the positive change by providing a roadmap for the small cities and towns aimed at building a brighter future that matters for everyone in the community. For over a decade, the Orton Foundation has worked with the small cities and towns in the development of a community growth model aimed at empowering the residents of these small cities to shape the future of the communities. It fosters community teamwork, engagement, and energy that focuses on the development of the communities.
The Orton Foundation’s goal is to emphasize on building a stronger and healthier as well as economically stable small cities and towns in America. The foundation was founded in 1995 in Vermont, and since its foundation, it has for over a decade now worked with small towns and cities where it creates development models that are used in empowering the residents to build the future of their communities. The foundation has launched many projects across America towns and cities that are meant to create a positive change for the residents. This is done by recognizing the value and uniqueness of each place as well as the deeper emotional connection of the people who live in those towns. It involves bringing all the community members together and getting an insight on what matters and what can be done that best serve the interest of all the residents. The decisions made are collective decisions involving all the residents.
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Heart and Soul program harnesses the residents of a town or a city to participate and have their voices heard by providing equal opportunity for every voice to be heard. Many towns and cities have been developed due to this program. Towns like Colorado have witnessed several programs and projects that have been implemented by the Orton Foundation as a result of collective community voice. It has built strong relationships and home pride for the residents of the small cities and towns in the United States. The Orton Foundation relies on the idea of a community’s shared vision and passionate about having their community developed.
The Orton Foundation is applicable in situations where the community members can unite together and have a shared vision as well as having the passion to develop their community. It occurs when there is a mutual understanding among the members of the community that they need to build their community. The whole process begins by creating a profile of those people living and working in the community, then identifying those people who have for long been excluded from participation in the community development. The organizers then go ahead to identify the community network, both the formal and informal, who constantly associate with each other. Such community networks can include sports teams and social clubs. The connectors must be people who are trusted by the community members and can at the same time act as communicators and advisors to the community. The foundation then implements the engagement opportunities for each network.
The Orton Foundation may experience certain weaknesses as it tries to achieve its aims. Based on the idea that the community members develop a shared vision might act as a drawback. Every member of the community has different interests and visions. This may make it hard for all members to have a common vision that unites all members. Also, the program involves all the communities, including those who have not been given full participation in the community development in the past. The issues of language barrier may arise during the community meetings to discuss the common visions.
