There are few lives in the Chicago neighborhood around Garfield Boulevard that have not been touched by the generous contributions of time and energy by Floyd and Myrtis Minor. The Minors moved to the neighborhood 14 years ago and have not stinted in their service to the community for one day since.

For more than 14 years, Floyd Minor has served on NHS's Central and Garfield Boulevard board of directors. For the past 11, he has served as chairman of the Garfield Boulevard board. In addition, he also has been a member of the finance committee for three years and currently is a member of the planning committee and chairman of the operations committee. In this capacity, he coordinates the operations of NHS's nine neighborhood offices. He also served as a member of the NHS Redevelopment Corporation board for one year.

Both Floyd and Myrtis Minor are advocates for decent housing, and passionate representatives of NHS. They regularly open doors to marketing opportunities for NHS, such as providing an introduction to St. Sabina Church and its 4,000-member congregation. They frequently man information booths and serve as spokespeople on behalf of NHS. They have been volunteer coordinators for NeighborWorks ® Week events since 1989.

The Minors also were lead organizers of another important community group, the Grand Boulevard Residents United to Create Action, now known as the Community Renaissance Corporation. This public/private partnership built and manages a 101-unit single-room occupancy building on the site of an abandoned YMCA. Floyd Minor has been a member of the corporation's board for 10 years.

Myrtis Minor leads beautification projects in the Garfield Boulevard neighborhood. She developed a community garden in a vacant lot on her block and maintains it throughout the year. She donates plants to neighbors and assists in maintaining them. In return, her neighbors donate their time to support other beautification efforts, in particular helping to keep the block clean.

A registered nurse practitioner, Myrtis Minor also volunteers her time to provide free diabetes screenings at neighborhood churches, schools, community centers and libraries. She is a volunteer nurse at Whitney Young High School and St. Sabina Church and a volunteer for Women with a Mission, providing breast cancer therapy.

Beyond all this, the Minors also invest financially in their community. Currently, they own and manage three neighborhood buildings that provide decent, affordable housing.

Clearly, it is resident leaders like Floyd and Myrtis Minor who are the backbone of strong, stable neighborhoods.