"It was very tough," says association board member Ames, who initiated the project. "We didn't have a mechanism to apply for grant money."

WGNA members realized they were not alone in their problem when they met representatives from adjacent neighborhood associations in a 1993 workshop.

Sharing similar concerns, the neighborhood associations decided to form an umbrella organization that would help them apply for grants, provide insurance coverage, and create networking opportunities. After careful planning, United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County (UNSCC) was incorporated in 1995.

"Our mission is to promote the creation, enhancement and preservation of healthy neighborhoods through education, resources, and outreach," says Jacqui Carr Gouveia, executive director of the coalition.

With no steady financial assistance from the government, the Willow Glen­based UNSCC has been struggling with funding. But with the devotion of volunteers, it now boasts 62 neighborhood associations from 10 cities of Santa Clara County as its members. Six of them were established in Gilroy this year with the organization's help.

The coalition has organized more than 20 workshops—with topics ranging from emergency preparedness to park maintenance—to address the neighborhoods' different concerns. Gouveia says an increasingly popular topic is cultural diversity, as more neighborhood associations feel a strong need to engage and interact with residents of different ethnic groups.

Newly established neighborhood associations need more guidance about how to plan events, make bylaws, recruit volunteers and educate their officers about their jobs, while well-established ones are more concerned about how to keep their volunteers motivated and how to transition their leadership, according to Gouveia.

In addition to workshops, the organization's bimonthly membership meetings and annual conference provide an opportunity for members to meet other neighborhood activists and exchange ideas.

Ames, who spoke at the organization's annual conference a few years ago about the WGNA's experience restoring the Los Gatos Creek trails, has inspired residents of San Jose's Mayfair neighborhood, who have been planning to build trails along Silver Creek for two years.

This year, the UNSCC held its annual conference on Oct. 12 at San José State University. This year's theme was "Building our Nation with Strong Neighborhoods." More than 250 people joined the meeting and participated in the 31 workshops provided that day. It was the largest gathering since the coalition's first meeting in 1993.

"We realized after the Sept. 11 tragedy that individuals are looking for a stronger sense of community," Gouveia says. "Only when communities come together can we build a healthier nation."

For more information, call 408.286.8661 or visit www.unscc.org.