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When the letter arrived informing Margaret McWhorter that her house was about to be sold because of delinquent property taxes, she took immediate action.

First, she visited The Atlanta Project's (TAP's) Fulton Cluster office. Then she contacted several resources, which the cluster office gave her, to take steps to resolve the issue. While her ordeal is not over, TAP; SouthTrust Bank, the Fulton Cluster's corporate partner; Legal Aid; and the Fulton County Tax Commissioner's Office have come together to help Mrs. McWhorter resolve her tax problems.

"I am very grateful that the Fulton Cluster is able to help TAP residents with this sort of thing," Mrs. McWhorter said.

The program that helped her is called "Tax Deliquency in The Atlanta Project Clusters." In October 1995, TAP received the Outstanding Planning Implementation Award from the Georgia Planning Association for its efforts in matching addresses of tax-delinquent properties with the Fulton County property owners' name, zoning information, and amount of taxes owed. Since April 1995, TAP has been sharing the information with property owners during neighborhood meetings where advisers are available to help.

Such programs are the cornerstone of TAP, The Carter Center's program to tackle the problems associated with urban poverty. Announced in late 1991, TAP seeks to empower community residents by asking them to identify their neighborhoods' needs and pairing them with the resources to address them. During TAP's first five-year phase, residents in 20 neighborhoods called clusters have created avenues for change through more than 400 activities focusing on children and families, education, housing, economic development, public safety, health, and the arts.

In November 1995, TAP's Policy Advisory Board approved a set of recommendations that call for moving into Phase II with a focus on children and families. Instead of operating 20 separate cluster offices, TAP staff, corporate and academic partners, and neighborhood volunteers will work out of several community collaboration centers that supersede current cluster geographic boundaries. TAP starts its second phase in October 1996.

The committee that made the recommendations found TAP needed a more flexible structure so that volunteers and resources could flow more easily across community lines. "TAP needs to be unbound from all the rules that are confining it," said Mark O'Connell, chairman of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, who headed the six-month study.

Although its structure is changing, TAP's emphasis on partnership and collaboration--which includes support from 30 corporate and 23 academic partners--will continue. TAP also will work more closely with social service groups.

"TAP will continue to play a prominent role in Atlanta," said Jane Smith, program director. "The enthusiasm is for TAP to serve as a catalyst for change, working to bring service providers together to solve problems."

"The Carter Center took a risk in establishing an innovative program to help disenfranchised citizens solve some of their own problems," former President Jimmy Carter said. "Some of the initial expectations for alleviating serious social ills within five years were unrealistic. But we have made significant progress. One message we have heard loud and clear is that TAP must go on. And indeed it will."

TAP's First Four Years
Success stories large and small abound in TAP neighborhoods. Here are some examples:

Students Win Olympic Art Contest
Than Thi Thu Van, 11, and David Yehudah, 15, are among five "Gold Medal" winners in the Paint Pals international Olympic art contest. More than 3,500 children from nine international cities took part, creating art in the spirit of peace and world friendship. The winning designs are being reproduced on T-shirts by Terry Manufacturing, an Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games licensee, to be sold as official Olympic merchandise. Proceeds from sales of the T-shirts and the original artwork will fund youth-oriented programs for TAP.

Brown Village Battles Code Violations
Tired of abandoned cars and other eyesores in their neighborhoods, TAP's Brown Village has implemented a pilot code enforcement program that has been the catalyst for neighborhood revitalization. Brown Village residents began their effort by distributing more than 3,000 booklets in the community about code violations, prepared by TAP and the City of Atlanta. Within a few weeks, nearly 300 code violations had been reported to the city.

Law Firm Provides Low-Cost Services
For some residents of the Southside Cluster whose incomes are too large to make them eligible for Legal Aid and too small to hire a private attorney, the new Southside Legal Center is bridging a gap. With support from the law firm of Hunton and Williams, the center offers legal services for a flat fee of $50, plus any required court filing fees. The firm provides counsel in family matters, housing, real estate, business law, and guardianship.

P.L.A.Y. Day Has Serious Side
Prior to entering the Georgia Dome for two hours of fun-filled activities, the 15,000 children who attended Nike's P.L.A.Y. Day in August 1995 were required to get an "America's Youth Passport," an innovative new booklet developed by TAP for parents and guardians to record vital information about their children. The Passport, which included a photograph, an immunization record chart, and optional fingerprints, was one of many resources provided to TAP families. Youth then were treated to an array of games and activities on the floor of the Dome to encourage fitness and sports programs.