Guestbook entries

Submitted:
First Name: Theresa
Last Name: Ellison
City/Town: Warsaw
State/Province: Missouri
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I began my career later in life because I had been raising children - some born to me, some adopted, and some abandoned - while supporting my husband's career. I initially started by learning grant writing and management, but soon realized that my true passion lies in community development. This realization led me to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. I also found a toolbox and decided to take certification courses.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I am working in an impoverished community in my city that everyone has given up on because of the multitude of problems. It was put on my heart seven years ago, but I just never knew how to help without enabling. Leveling the playing field would make a sustainable difference and restore the faith of the city's people. I am working on the toolbox certifications while developing a program in this community and building my portfolio, which is a win-win! I look forward to helping the people in this community learn and understand that they can also continue this effort for generations to come.
Submitted:
First Name: Julie
Last Name: Angell
City/Town: Phoenix
State/Province: AZ
Country:
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Submitted:
First Name: Amanda
Last Name: Green
City/Town: St Petersburg
State/Province: FL
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I work for a national nonprofit organization focused on supporting increased access, affordability, and quality of child care. My role focuses on leading a portfolio of national projects related to healthy child care
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I have used the Community Tool Box in previous roles as well, but most recently, I have referenced several aspects of the Community Tool Box, including the communication tools, in a toolkit to facilitate partnerships between early care and education professional and local health departments.
Submitted:
First Name: Kitty
Last Name: Hamilton
City/Town: Allen
State/Province: Kansas
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I'm a Prevention Consultant, working with community coalitions who focus on youth substance abuse prevention. The community toolbox is such a wonderful resource, easily accessible and helps us all understand the same processes and measurements so we can make the best impact with limited resources.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I first used it as a brand new Executive Director of an established Drug Free Communities grantee in Chase County, Kansas in 2008-2010. I can say that at that time, I did not comprehend the importance of the toolbox data gathering system. Now that I'm working with the State of Kansas, providing support and oversight to community coalitions, I see how the toolbox is a nonnegotiable. No money, no mission. Everyone benefits when community resources and effort are measureable.
Submitted:
First Name: Ryan
Last Name: Everest
City/Town:
State/Province:
Country:
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I'm a lab technician at a private clinic studying spinal cord and connective tissue therapies.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I haven't used the service yet
Submitted:
First Name: Alheri
Last Name: Stephen
City/Town: Abuja
State/Province: Federal Capital Territory
Country: Nigeria
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I work as Senior Programs Manager at KELIC Education Consult in Abuja Nigeria. KELIC is a community education program focused on Education, Environment and Health.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I had the pleasure of facilitating a session on "Chapter 7: Encouraging Involvement in Community Work" of the University of Kansas Community Tool Box. I want to express my sincere gratitude for this informative resource. The content is incredibly insightful, so I adapted the material and delivered it as a training session for KELIC, and WOFTHEL, a faith-based organization in Nigeria. The training was well-received by the seven participants, and they found it helpful in improving the effectiveness of their community service efforts. Given the benefits and the achievements we are recording, I intend to mobilize more nonprofits to expand on what we've started. 

I hope to facilitate more of such sessions in the future. I will keep you in the loop.
Submitted:
First Name: Eddie
Last Name: Mupotola
City/Town: Lusaka
State/Province: Lusaka
Country: Zambia
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Development worker and disability activist
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
To gain more knowledge and skills on various domains of development worker .
Submitted:
First Name: John
Last Name: Alderson
City/Town: Forrest City
State/Province: AR
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am retired from higher education where I spent 47 years as a teacher and administrator. I developed and taught a course in Community Leadership Development. I started a program in my home city and was asked to go to other cities to assist them in developing their own program. Was chosen to go to England and Scotland to explain what we were doing in terms of community improvement by developing community leaders and addressing community problems.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Have not used it yet.
Submitted:
First Name: Jodi
Last Name: Brazal
City/Town: Hartford
State/Province: CT
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I oversee a statewide caregiver respite program
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
We are working towards establishing a statewide caregiver collaborative. You have given us the How To steps and tools. Thank you so very much!
Submitted:
First Name: Michelle
Last Name: DiStefano
City/Town: Jacksonville, FL
State/Province: FL
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am the Associate Director Community Research for Pace Center for Girls. Pace is currently championing collaboratives focused on girls and young women in the communities we serve. My role is to convene these efforts.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I have used the Community Tool Box to supplement and provide guidance in developing resources for our collaboratives to use.
Submitted:
First Name: Rhonda
Last Name: Lintner
City/Town: Flagstaff
State/Province: AZ
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Hi I'm an MPH Student at Northern Arizona University. I've never used this toolbox before, looking for ward to delving into this resource.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I have not before used this CTB.
Submitted:
First Name: Angela
Last Name: Clardy Forder
City/Town: Kansas City
State/Province: Missouri
Country: USA
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
The Hickman Mills United Neighborhoods group is utilizing the Community Tool Box lessons to help bring a Farmer's Market to our community.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
The Community Tool Box has helped guide our group through the planning process for our intervention, and helped us to identify data collection methods for the project.
Submitted:
First Name: Telina
Last Name: Martinez-Barrientos
City/Town: san jose
State/Province: California
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Hi, I am government employee working in public health. Specifically, I work on community connections/collaboration to help support better health outcomes.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I just found Community Toolbox and excited to learn more about it and utilize the tools.
Submitted:
First Name: Donna
Last Name: Cohen, MLIS, MEd
City/Town: Portland
State/Province: OR
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am a former librarian and teacher and I now conduct workshops on various civics topics, usually at libraries [in-person and virtually], but also for other community groups.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
In my Citizen Activism 101 workshop I always highlight the Community Toolbox. It's a wonderful resource! It's also on my Resource List for the workshop.
Submitted:
First Name: Kevin
Last Name: Fleury
City/Town: Dunedin
State/Province: Otago
Country: NEW ZEALAND
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I'm 76 years of age and have an eclectic background in Alcohol and Drug and Family and Individual Therapy over the past 45 years in both public and private
services.
Industrial Psychology and Employee Assistance Programme Development and Practice
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Over the past 10-12 years I have used CTB for reference and introducing the program to a range of volunteer and Community Mental Health and Addiction Groups, as well as in lectures and as a guest speaker across a diverse range of sectors, including Government, Local Authority, and Volunteer Services.
Submitted:
First Name: Yasser
Last Name: Mubarak
City/Town:
State/Province:
Country:
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I like your platform. Keep up the great work.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Submitted:
First Name: Arlene
Last Name: Munoz
City/Town: Vineland
State/Province: NJ
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Advocate, Service-Learning Curriculum Design, and Community-based participatory research. I'm with a new company and this site and resources are part of the treasures in my resource chest for community-engaged work.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Most recently, I utilized various academic-community partnership modules for community-identified priorities.
Submitted:
First Name: Tan
Last Name: Daman
City/Town: Phenix City, Alabama(AL), 36856
State/Province: Alabama
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Community volunteer member.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Great resources available to use
Submitted:
First Name: Dan
Last Name: B
City/Town:
State/Province:
Country:
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Helping me connect with people and get more context.
Submitted:
First Name: Darilyn
Last Name: Jones
City/Town: Washington
State/Province: DC
Country: USA
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Received a Masters Degree in Public Health from George Washington University in 2019. Previously an executive in oil and gas industry.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Yes, used in graduate school.
Submitted:
First Name: Austin
Last Name: Jeffers
City/Town: Surprirse
State/Province: Arizona
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Hi,

I am a Nurse Practitioner Student based in Arizona.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
New to the service, however would love to make a difference in the community
Submitted:
First Name: Clyde
Last Name: Howell
City/Town: Columbia
State/Province: SC
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Manager of Employee Engagement (Organizational Development)
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Building a course on Process Facilitation to be used internal to the City. Your site has an excellent summary of this topic and feels very familiar in style and substance.
Submitted:
First Name: Debbie
Last Name: Maysey
City/Town: Roseburg
State/Province: Oregon
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I'm a HUD Certified Housing Counselor. I have been tasked with helping to create a Strategic and Action Plan. Honestly, I was asked to learn about the Theory of Change. I am not a College Graduate and will have to learn as I go. For me that means researching and learning everything I can.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
No but when I found your site, I decided it will be my go to resource for gaining the knowledge I need to perform the task assigned to me.
Submitted:
First Name: Anja
Last Name: Jepsen
City/Town: München
State/Province: Bavaria
Country: Deutschland
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Hi, I just wanted to give congratulations on this great functionality. Thanks for the initiative, best Anja
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Yes, I just started working with.
Submitted:
First Name: Brenda
Last Name: Burns
City/Town: Fishersville
State/Province: Virginia
Country: USA
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
RN in BSN program. Nursing career of 45 years.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
To help with development of a case management program for a school project
Submitted:
First Name: Andrea
Last Name: Fiero
City/Town: Lexington
State/Province: KY
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am the founder and Excecutive Director of Bluegrass Advocates. Bluegrass Advocates is dedicated to giving a voice to vulnerable populations in Central Kentucky and nationally. We are working hard to address shame and social isolation and appreciate others' resources.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
We have not yet used it, but are looking forward to it!
Submitted:
First Name: Teresa
Last Name: Kelley
City/Town: Belleville
State/Province: Illinois
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
At 57, Erase only attended and graduated Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville CPRS \ CRSS Success Program. I have sat for my PRS & and now Creditentialed. I have 35 yrs (36 in Dec) lived experience in substance use recovery & I am a lifetime consumer of mental health services.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I am new here, but I managed a Facebook page for our cohort alumni. We are currently in the 4th cohort under a Federal Grant to help those who are still suffering. I hope to share as MUCH INFORMATION as I can to set others Free.
Submitted:
First Name: Carolyn
Last Name: Holcroft
City/Town: Los Altos Hills
State/Province: California
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I'm our college professional development coordinator. My work at Foothill College is to bring professional learning to faculty with a special emphasis on equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
There are some wonderful resources in the Community Tool Box. I've already been able to leverage them as supplemental learning materials for our professional learning cohort around Culturally Repsonsive Pedagogy and know I'll be returning to the tool box to snag more resources for our other learning communities.
Submitted:
First Name: Alrena
Last Name: Lightbourn
City/Town: Jefferson City
State/Province: MO
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Former Public Guardian Representative in North Florida (2018 State 'Shining Satr' Awardee)
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I have not used it yet, but I expect it will be helpful for policy development.
Submitted:
First Name: Hilary
Last Name: Carpenter
City/Town: GILBERT
State/Province: Arizona
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I've been an RN for 12 years and I'm currently at NAU in the FNP program.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I'm only now learning about it.
Submitted:
First Name: Gin
Last Name: Schaffer
City/Town: Fredericksburg
State/Province: VA
Country: USA
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am a doctoral student at Point Park University. Professionally, I work in integrative oncology. Personally, I run a diaper Bank program within our food Bank.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Just getting started, but I can already tell that the toolkit will help us make improvements to our diaper program.
Submitted:
First Name: AMANDA
Last Name: DE BRUIN
City/Town: CAPE TOWN
State/Province: CAPE TOWN
Country: SOUTH AFRICA
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I AM A PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR, AND HAVE INTEREST IN MENTAL HEALTH
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
NO
Submitted:
First Name: Glenda
Last Name:
City/Town: Tiaong
State/Province: Quezon
Country: Philippines
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am a health care professional and a mother to my only son who experiences chronic symptoms of schizophrenia. Because of this experience in witnessing my loved one who has altered functioning and difficulties in relating to the way of our world, I have been drawn to working with others who are having mental health challenges. In my work I have learned that mental health care is an essential priority and it needs to be at the individual and community level for it to be effective and truly make a difference. I am currently involved in community building through rotary services and I am applying my passion for mental wellness wholeheartedly.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I am using the community tool box to help me in building a peer support group for mothers and other women in my community. The hope and the aim is to create a center where women and mothers can come to access mental health peer support and also other educational and personal development training to help empower them in creating the needed change to become their fullest potential.
Submitted:
First Name: Dakota
Last Name: Chisholm
City/Town: Chicago
State/Province: Illinois
Country: United States of America
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am a coordinator in the Program in Public Health at NU focusing on areas of the curriculum that pertain to community engagement & advocacy
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
We have used the Community Tool Box in many different ways to support our work! Recently, we did a gaps analysis- taking stock of our current established community partners & doing research to see what health areas they focus in so that we can target new partnerships strategically to fill any gaps. We used the Community Tool Box definitions of sectors/etc. to categorize our partner orgs and the work they do. It served as a really helpful frame for our research/categorizations.
Submitted:
First Name: Yahya
Last Name: Bulle
City/Town: Nairobi
State/Province: Nairobi
Country: Kenya
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
My name is Yahya Bulle. I'm a Kenyan. I'm interested in learning my about the complexity of managing community changes.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Writing a grant proposal.
Submitted:
First Name: Alvaro
Last Name: Ramos
City/Town: Bogotá
State/Province: Cundinamarca
Country: Colombia
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Por aparte les envaré una presentación sobre prevención de la drogadicción y de la violencia que promueve nuestros cursos entre los hispanos.latinos en EE.UU. Contiene un esbozo-esquema de nuestro modelo y método: "consciención-racionalidad-humanización" con fundamento y rigor en la "unidad dialéctica del conocimiento científico, resultado de nuestras investigaciones académicas y experiencias prácticas durante 50 años en Colombia, América Latina y en parte en EE.UU.

How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
La conocí por casualidad recién hoy y me sorprendió por sus temas y contenidos. Por mi experiencia durante 50 años la considero un buen esfuerzo y trabajo. La daré a conocer en varios contextos institucionales, académicos y comunitarios.
Submitted:
First Name: Rodney
Last Name:
City/Town:
State/Province:
Country:
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am a counselor with the VA/Vet Center for the past 254years providing counseling and support to war-zone Veterans and their families in helping rebuild their lives that the war has destroyed. I am also the new Native American Veteran Outreach person for the VA medical center. I have recently been asked by VA Medical Center to help them improve their care for Native American Veterans and want to build a working relationship with the 12 Native American Nations in Wisconsin. One of my jobs is helping the staff at the VA medical center learn about Native American culture, traditions and history of the 12 Nations here in Wisconsin which will help to improve engaging Native American Veterans coming for care at the medical center.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I just discovered the Community Tool Box today!
Submitted:
First Name: Ashley
Last Name: Lavigne
City/Town: Helena
State/Province: MT
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
Hi, I am in my final semester of the BSN program at Montana State University Billings, and I live in Helena, MT.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I used the Community Tool Box to create a Community Health Assessment Project about Mental Health in Helena, MT. This Tool Box was extremely helpful in breaking down the project for me and giving me an understanding of how to do a windshield assessment. Thank you for letting us use this tool.
Submitted:
First Name: vivian
Last Name: allen
City/Town: Cottage Grove
State/Province: WI
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
hi my name is mrs vivian allen am former community activist of wisconsin I enjoy make difference and see changes happen that human fairness. doesnt like to see weakness of person be taken for granted or there kindness be abuse. am wife and mother and grandmother. have from chicago illinois. life was on westside . my mother was women that show love unconditionally. because old school upbring from way she was . it was inspired , I love it. it was joy to see how she touch people lives and receive respect. she also part of the community as volunteer and many commitee and neighborhood association. as my family live parents also great parents they made sure as child that we was told right way and spiritual encouragement was demanded from mother and grandmother.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
keep it real and tell truth about life raiseup a community family.
Submitted:
First Name: Muhammad Imtiaz ul
Last Name: Haq
City/Town: Lahore
State/Province: Punjab
Country: Pakistan
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
this is Muhammad Imtiaz ul Haq, I am a civil engineer and a quality manager, have worked on diverse construction projects with more than 18 years of experience & currently working as Dy Dir building control DHA Lahore Pakistan, and looking after building control policies & functions.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I am Dy Dir building control DHA Lahore Pakistan, we want to use community toolbox for improvement in our community, and further developed it to suit building control functions. I need to connect to discuss issues regarding building control & community development . regards
Submitted:
First Name: Crystal
Last Name: Thrall
City/Town: Tucson
State/Province: Arizona
Country: USA
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am a grad nursing student, completing Rural Theory and Health Policy.I
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I have not used it yet.
Submitted:
First Name: Margo
Last Name: Dawson
City/Town: Raleigh
State/Province: NC
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m the executive director of Train Them Up for Success CDC & the current evaluation manager of a national health equity nonprofit
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I’ve used it as a resource tool
Submitted:
First Name: Cristi
Last Name: Franks
City/Town: Iuka
State/Province: Mississippi
Country: United States
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am Mother of four adults and one child that is 12. I was widowed at 41 to the love of my life and my youngest child's father. He was a firefighter and we were working together to create a safe space for abused women and children where we could educate families on how to break the cycle of abuse. My first husband abused me for 18 years and I am a 13 year survivor of domestic violence. I have a passion to helping those who are still victims to stop the cycle of sexual and physical abuse. I am abused no more. I want to be a difference to help those recover from grief, abuse and childhood trauma.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
No This is brand new to me . I am very interested in how I can use this community to make a difference.
Submitted:
First Name: Emet
Last Name: Ma'ayan
City/Town: Las Vegas (and Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, and Farmington)
State/Province: New Mexico
Country: USA
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I teach Bachelor and Master level Social Work students. My career has been in the nonprofits and arrived teaching with a dislike for textbooks and academic writing. I discovered your ToolBox when looking for material for an assignment and was instantly engaged. After using material for the one assignment and I asked for permission. I was impressed by the quick reply, invitation, no fees and openness to sharing -- a huge match for social work! Thank you.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I teach social workers and our students in New Mexico are primarily first time college students who also work, support their extended families (hispanic, native american, and immigrant families). Your Tool box is engaging, applicable and we are grateful. If you are ever in New Mexico -- please look us up! Enjoy and thank you!!!
Submitted:
First Name: Karen
Last Name: Zupanic
City/Town: Dayton
State/Province: Ohio
Country:
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
As a Doctoral student (Leadership for Organizations), I found your website to be one of the most helpful and comprehensive regarding community engagement strategies and evaluation.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I am currently in a Communications and Community Engagement doctoral course and as we create large-scale community plans for change, I've reference the material on your website for guidance. Great information. Thanks for sharing under the Creative Commons Share license. Really appreciate it.
Submitted:
First Name: Matty
Last Name: Sula
City/Town:
State/Province:
Country:
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I was born out of New Jersey and my child hood troublesome because of being away from my parents and being raised by a step mother, having step siblings dropping out of school and overcoming these and living a humble life.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
Currently mentoring youths in crime and drugs addiction. thanks for this great community
Submitted:
First Name: Tammie
Last Name: Jackson
City/Town: columbus
State/Province: ohio
Country: united states
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am and outreach HIV Prevention specalist.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
This is new to me . I have not used it as of yet.
Submitted:
First Name: Juan
Last Name: Mejia
City/Town: Roanoke
State/Province: Virginia
Country: USA
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
We are a group of professionals and social workers, located currently in Roanoke, VA. Previously established in Venezuela and now advocating for Hispanics and minorities in the USA. We have multiples training initiatives and we are currently promoting and using the community tool box for.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I am using chapter 27 section 7 for a free cultural diversity course for service providers and social workers from VA.
Submitted:
First Name: Xolisile
Last Name: Ngumbela
City/Town: Johannesburg
State/Province: Gauteng
Country: South Africa
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
AM a researcher
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
yes made a difference
Submitted:
First Name: Emily
Last Name: Rutledge
City/Town: Waterloo
State/Province: ON
Country: Canada
Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
I'm a student participating in a university course that listed this community toolbox as a required lecture.
How have you used the Community Tool Box to support your work and make a difference?:
I am using the toolbox to evaluate programs implemented in communities as part of public health practice.