Joe Erpenbeck

ABCD Institute Faculty Member

Working Together

Projects and Impact

Stories

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A “Community” Park

A “Community” Park

In a park in Vancouver there are the usual climbing things and swings and there’s also close to 20 toys lined up along ...

Near and Dear

Near and Dear

It was a fun way to start a Friday. 80 people joined the Near and Dear event starting at the Brantford Public Library and hea...

That’s What It’s All About

That’s What It’s All About

That’s What It’s All About I have been thinking recently about how space can be created or modified to create opp...

You Have a Friend in Chattanooga

You Have a Friend in Chattanooga

I had just arrived in Chattanooga and it was a sunny warm beautiful Easter Sunday. After dropping my bags at the hotel, I wal...

Everyone Belongs Here

Everyone Belongs Here

Steamy hot pizza is on display in the front window of Golden Boy Pizza. My mouth waters looking at the varieties of delicious...

Sharing The Good News

Sharing The Good News

In the Southwest neighbourhood of Philadelphia, the Southwest CDC publishes the Globe Times. This local paper has been “bri...

The Local SouveNear

The Local SouveNear

There is a SouveNear machine at the Cincinnati Airport. A wide variety of items from colouring books to earrings to T-shirts ...

Napkin Art

Napkin Art

Bob Dylan once said that masterpieces of art should be in diners, gas stations and in the places that are part of our daily l...

“Joe has created a small team of people who are moving from providing service to building community. His work has radical implications for social service and he has the results to show it. Joe’s work is done with great compassion and courage. He directs a group that is applying the asset based principles of John McKnight in new ways. The results he is achieving are significant; his group is directly bringing those on the margin into community...Joe is creating a model for care and inclusion that sets the standard for what is possible.”

Peter Block

Peter Block

Noted Cincinnati Author & Consultant

"Joe Erpenbeck is in my opinion one of the very best, if not the best community connector in North America."

John McKnight

John McKnight

Co-Director The Asset-Based Community Development Institute

"Community development is a big idea, and a thing I’ve enjoyed so much about Joe’s work is that his approachable manner allows everyone to participate and see how they could have a role. I’ve been part of this conversation with groups who have been together for a long time, having the same old conversations, and its been a gift to watch Joe lead - not push - them into the potential of new ideas in an appreciative way. Like many, I did not enter those conversations easily, and, like many, I came to really appreciate his genius (I use this work carefully) for this work."

Aaron Johannes

Aaron Johannes

www.imagineacircle.com