WHAT BETTER LOOKS LIKE INC

WBLL works toward the goal of fostering the development of beloved community by helping individuals imagine, articulate and create visions for a better world. WBLL posits that infusing love into interactions within and between communities generates the power to create radical and fundamental changes for the better.
Participants in our community programs acquire these ideas and tools:
• Articulate a vision for what “better” would look like for them.
• Recognize that people experiencing problems need to take an active part in solving those problems.
• Identify the communities they wish to impact: family, town, country and world.
• Recognize that everyone has creative abilities – discover their own unique talents to heal, create, teach.
• Envision and describe, or symbolize through art, their concepts of what “better” would look like to them.
• Discover ways to use their voice and unique talents to create a more compassionate world.
• Understand the benefits of building community connections as a civic minded individual or group.
• Understand the value of increasing their willingness to be open to new information and regularly attempt understanding of other perspectives.
• Recognize that we need to create well organized social structures based on love and community.

Participants in our Village of Hope program have imagined a better world through education and training. WBLL provides financial support and arranges specialists to enable the students and trainees to take an active part in solving the problem of extreme poverty in their families and community. They are encouraged to give back to the community throughout their education/training period, as well as in years to come.

WBLL operates two projects: “Community Programs” in the New York metropolitan area, and the “Village of Hope” in Rwanda.

The Community Programs strategies include provision of customized presentations/workshops to teach the above goals, offered in the following formats:
• Speakers/ presentations for schools, community organizations and businesses.
• Workshops incorporating teaching of skills as well as creative expression through use of arts/crafts and media.
• Connection Circles- incorporating teaching of skills as well as group interactions and community building.
• “Communi-Tea”- ongoing, informal drop-in community connection gatherings.
• Documentary film screenings with follow-up panel discussion.
• Corporate diversity programs.

The Village of Hope project is an outgrowth of the experience of beloved community. A small village of 350 genocide survivors in Rwanda are offered support to lift them out of extreme poverty through the following methods:
• University education.
• Vocational training.
• English literacy competency assistance.
• Evidence-based mindfulness, breath, body awareness skills to mitigate the effects of trauma.

WBLL has a core group of six officers, and eight board members as well as additional volunteers. All are dedicated and talented, with a range of capacities and expertise to enable the organization to fulfill its mission since 2007. WBLL has a detailed website offering insight into all of its programs; postings of projects and events, both past and upcoming; press/media history; and a blog. WBLL has a mailing list (operated with Mail Chimp) of approximately 1,000; and a Facebook page reaching out to nearly 1,000. WBLL has produced four short films. The organization has also produced two successful galas; participation or sponsoring of fifty plus events; and one large event in New York City with over 1,000 participants.
WBLL, operating exclusively on donations, estimates between 400-500 discrete donors since inception; 200 gift/raffle donors; 15 ongoing monthly donors; and 2 corporate sponsors.

WBLL has developed and implemented written procedures and training to ensure quality, integrity and compliance with 503 c(3) regulations; a yearly written business plan with targeted and achieved expense ratios; and a procedure and compliance manual. WBLL has held two sizeable galas, and presented 15 “What Better Looks Like” awards to local community members who have made significant contributions to creating a better world.
Community Programs:
• Delivered more than 50 community programs and connection circles.
• Facilitated film screenings of 4 relevant documentaries followed by discussions central to key ideas of community-building;
• Hosted a guest speaker presentation with a Nobel Peace Prize laureate;
• Provided more than 75 drop-in gatherings for the purpose of exercising the principles of Beloved Community;
Village of Hope:
• Facilitated university education for 13 baccalaureate degree graduates;
• Enrolled 10 additional students currently in the process of earning a baccalaureate degree;
• Provided vocational training in sewing/dressmaking for 12 women;
• Funded trauma recovery work, which was offered to all interested village residents;
• Provided a village lending library;
• Provided assistance to specific residents when an urgent or crisis situation occurred.