General information about KDPS
Why Kalamazoo Block Parties?
These parties are part of a community placemaking program that changes the way in which residents and community members view a neighborhood. Partnering with our local law enforcement agency (Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety), neighborhoods and areas are selected where crime has impacted their ability to connect in a meaningful way with kids.
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What to Expect!
The event is coordinated and designed by KELC Events (Kalamazoo Experiential Learning Center), whose mission is to create experiential learning opportunities for college interns in marketing, public relations and event management. The college students create the games, envision the ability to mix and match supplies to create new games and opportunities to have fun.
Some Key Highlights!
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Hosting these events in neighborhoods with higher crime rates might appear to be challenging and intimidating for college students, but the outcome is a deeper understanding of diversity, the importance of inclusion, and the realization that education and relationships are critical to the ability to "disrupt" poverty and crime.
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The events take place in the afternoon, and community groups join us as table vendors designed to share their services with the kids and families.
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Each year, this program features multiple events each in a different neighborhood with a few officers there to attend to and bond with the children and families.
