Our MQ BUILD Network Meeting is coming up soon - MONDAY, Feb, 24, 7 PM in the church.  This is for all Justice Ministry Network Members and anyone else that would like to know more about our issues and what we are working on to make Lexington a City for God.

Come and learn more about the 3 issues being worked on:

Microtransit - a public transit option that would be more flexible and accessible that the current bus system. BUILD is excited to announce that the Microtransit feasibility study  that we won at the 2024 Nehemiah Action began officially in November and is scheduled to be completed in June. We've met the new planning director at Lextran, and he seems very open to the idea of Microtransit. He's also committed to keeping open communication with us, which is fantastic.

The study is supposed to be finished in June, but we will push Lextran to move the timeline up. We have a meeting planned with Lextran and Councilman Chuck Ellinger on Tuesday, February 25, at 9 am, at Shiloh Baptist Church, 237 East 5th. Everyone interested in Microtransit is encouraged to attend to demonstrate public support for this initiative.

Councilmember Ellinger has been our champion for Microtransit for the last 2 years.

We met with him recently, and he agreed to two key issues: He will meet with Commerce Lex to get the business community involved and he will bring a proposal for funding to the Council in spring of 2024.

While we're waiting for the study to be completed, our committee is researching other pilots so that we can put together a list of our expectations for the pilot in Lexington. We’re looking at what's worked well in other cities and what challenges we want to avoid. As part of this, we’ve met with Birmingham and Chattanooga to learn more about their

experiences with Microtransit.

We are also setting meetings with new Council members to let them know about the benefits of Microtransit and seek their support. These meetings have already been scheduled:

Tyler Morton, District 1, March 4, 9 am

Joseph Hale, District 4, March 13, 1 pm

CM Boone, 3/18, 11 am on Zoom

 Eldercare - Think about the elders in your family, your neighborhood, your congregation—what do they struggle with as they deal with aging? Most older adults want to grow old in their own homes, but they face many obstacles as they do. Villages are membership organizations that help our elders overcome these obstacles. They help people find volunteer help, vetted service providers, and companionship so they can safely remain at home for as long as possible. Because of BUILD, Lexington has fully funded the needs assessment that we need to get Villages started here. Right now, a team of researchers from the University of Kentucky is beginning this study. Their work is being coordinated through A Caring Place, a Lexington non-profit that is now our first Village. BUILD and A Caring Place share a vision for many diverse Villages throughout Lexington, organized around a central office with full-time staff to support the work. For this vision to become real, we will need funds to pay for staff and administration. BUILD is watching the research process, and we will push for more funding. We want our elders to have access to the resources they need to age safely at home! We will keep working to bring that care to Lexington.

Renter concerns - The research committee is working hard as there are several ways to address a piece of this vast problem. They are looking for more stories and input as they narrow down the direction of this issue. Do you or someone you know have challenges finding safe, affordable rental housing?  Are you a landlord willing to share your experiences?  Our BUILD Renters’ Concerns group continues to learn from both tenants and landlords how we can best improve the local rental environment in Lexington.  

I hope to see you at our Network Meeting, Monday, Feb 24, 7 PM in the MQ church. Contact Kabby with any questions ([email protected].)