Smiths lead the way on "Block by Block" flood relief

CEDAR RAPIDS – Cornell trustee John Smith ’71 and his wife Dyan never really seem to keep their checkbook closed in the face of a worthy cause.

The Smiths, who have donated millions to Cornell over the years, are at the forefront of “Block by Block,” a program aimed squarely at speeding up neighborhood recovery in flood-damaged areas of the Cedar Valley. The program was recently featured in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

According to the article: “By Christmas, Block by Block will have mobilized most homeowners on eight flood-damaged city blocks to agree to finishing work on their houses. Heavy lifting will come from $1.9 million in cash donations, $100,000 or more in donated materials, and countless hours of volunteer help.”

The heavy lifting on the $1.9 million is being done by the Smiths, who are contributing $1 million to the effort that came about when the couple approached Jim Ernst, president/CEO of Four Oaks about doing more the hasten the recovery.

The Block by Block program, despite its name evoking the Cornell Block Plan, is not actually affiliated with John Smith’s alma mater. Like Cornell, however, the program has Methodist ties, as it was largely founded by The Rev. Clint Twedt-Ball, a Methodist minister who runs a non-profit neighborhood effort called Matthew 25.

More information on Block by Block can be found at www.blockbyblockcr.org or by calling (319) 350-2252.