The looming decision of the New York State Department of Transportation to replace the current Interstate 81 viaduct presents a transformational opportunity for the community. This work includes direct consultation with schools,Read More, Vice President of Educational Initiatives. Also hold people accountable for performance, while also making room for team members to stretch. South City is a historic community in Tallahassee, Florida that borders a promising commercial district. Education, housing and a "community quarterback" organization are key to Purpose Built Communities' model for area transformation. Previously, Melissa spent the bulk of her career in Atlanta, where she served in a range of leadership roles in local nonprofit organizations. The course used to be a neglected landscape of dry patches, where golfers might have to dodge the occasional stray bullet. As Development Director for The Georgia Justice Project (GJP), Melissa was responsible for raising 100% of the organizations revenue and led an innovative and successful 25th anniversary campaign that capitalized GJPs five-year strategic growth plan. "Investing In What Works for America's Communities It Takes a Neighborhood: Purpose Built Communities and Neighborhood Transformation", "The East Lake Story | Community Redevelopment | Atlanta, Georgia | East Lake Foundation", "Mission | Community Redevelopment | Atlanta, Georgia | East Lake Foundation", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Purpose_Built_Communities&oldid=1082436661, Non-profit organizations based in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 April 2022, at 05:08. Her broad scope of experience supporting busy executives and skills in event planning and budget management skills ensure smooth day-to-day operations at Purpose Built Communities. Alex is a graduate of Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center where she received her Juris Doctor as well as a Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law. Prior to working for Michaels, Mikki served as Program Officer for Housing and Economic Development for the Steans Family Foundation, whose mission focused solely on the revitalization of the North Lawndale neighborhood on Chicagos West Side. Her professional experience also includes a post as Development Manager with The Habitat Company, a Chicago-based for-profit housing developer charged with serving as the court-appointed Receiver for the Chicago Housing Authority. Each neighborhood bears deep wounds from past practices rooted in structural racism, and consequently show symptoms of disinvestment and neglect. An authority on adapting to changing environments, Michelle has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Black Enterprise and Smart Money. After yoga, invite a new attendee to have a physically-distanced coffee with your core group, or ask for input from a colleague on your project. Nov. 11, 2021 3 AM PT. Forest Forward works with the community to combat the causes and effects of systemic inequities through neighborhood revitalization that centers efforts to accelerate the advancement and achievements of Black and marginalized people. Youre feeling the effects of the pandemic, quarantines and social isolation acutely. Cleveland / CLE Purpose Built Communities, Kansas City / Urban Neighborhood Initiative, Charlotte / Renaissance West Community Initiative, Spartanburg / Northside Development Group. He has led planning and development efforts for major projects across the United States, including such diverse cities as Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Birmingham and Charlotte, with a development value of over $2 billion. There is a place and a role for each person, and group members feel they can bring all of themselves to their work and their team. Today, the Northside Development Group leads a diverse coalition of people investing time and resources for a safe and strong Northside community. CEOs Share Their Views, How To Cope With The Constant Barrage Of Workday Microstressors, How To Cultivate A Culture Of BelongingAnd Why Its The Ultimate Competitive Edge. Dont let perfection get in the way of progress. Irans president has ordered authorities to investigate a series of incidents in which noxious fumes have sickened students at girls' schools, which some officials suspect are attacks targeting womens education, Health officials in Cambodia say recent cases of bird flu discovered in two villagers, one of them fatal, show no sign of human-to-human transmission. He is a graduate of Georgia State University. Melissa Devereaux brings over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, development and volunteer/partner engagement to her work with Purpose Built Communities. A former Atlanta housing project has become a model for neighborhood revitalization, and its architects are spreading their messageelsewhere. In addition to Historic South. Peoples roles have meaning in the bigger picture of the community and each member of the group understands how their work connects to others and adds value to the whole. In all of his work, he saw many students achieve great successes, but was struck by how a childs zip code remained a significant predictor of their life outcomes. Healthiest Communities is an interactive destination developed by U.S. News & World Report for consumers and policymakers. A just-published study by Ohio State University found people feel more supported when their networks are more tightly knit. 'Chief Storytellers': The Newest City Trend? Also, demonstrate compassion and help others feel a sense of belonging. Alex is a graduate of Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center where she received her Juris Doctor as wellRead More. The strength of our bonds matters too. [2] As of 2021, Purpose Built Communities is present in 15 states throughout the United States. Katie Delp has committed her career to developing communities into thriving socially, economically and racially equitable neighborhoods. The current, collective focus is to develop enough affordable housing stock to prevent displacement and allow families to remain in the neighborhood Ellen started her career with a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and spent several years with AT&T as a Capacity Planner/Manager. Linda Roberts joined Purpose Built Communities in its infancy in 2009. Marilyn Hack (middle) and her daughters Terez and Maliha have lived at the Villages of East Lake for 15 years. Amy Clear is a seasoned fundraising professional with years of experience in the nonprofitRead More. We were in the health outcomes business, even though we had not known it. She then pursued a Masters from Kennesaw State University in Accountancy and obtained her CPA license in 2007. We met every week and then there were lots of little subcommittee meetings, including tours of nice apartments all around Atlanta so residents could see what the market delivers. But Oakley says the success has benefited only a small group of people. Shoy says he understands why some residents pushed back at elements of East Lake's transformation. In 1997, Jim founded and for the next 25 years served as CEO of Boulevard Group, an award-winning national firm that specialized in planning and managing urban revitalization projects. When President Eisenhower created the U.S. Interstate Highway System in 1956, transportation planners tore through the nation's urban areas with freeways that . This was because the networks in cities were denserwith more people exchanging ideas and testing new thinking across social and professional groups. Our mental health and our physical health literally depend on being part of strong and capable communities. Through the middle of the 1900s in racially-segregated Columbus, well-known African-American entertainers, such as the likes of Sammy Davis, Jr. and Ella Fitzgerald, frequently performed to white audiences downtown, but they were not welcome as overnight guests in that part of the city. Purpose - Built Communities Racial equity, health outcomes, and economic mobility are central to the Purpose Built Communities approach. Remind yourself how much you matter, and take action to strengthen and sustain your community. For the past sixteen years we have had the privilege of coming alongside residents of Historic South Atlanta to create a flourishing community through mixed-income housing, economic development, neighborhood engagement, and training and consulting. Can Five Generations Coexist In The Workplace? It sounds really easy. Taking these actions will give individuals a better experience, and also strengthen the overall community. Our health and happiness are inextricably linked with our connections. She provides critical leadership to and project management of all aspects of Purpose Built and the networks racial equity and justice work, including the Truist Foundation Racial Equity Ambassadors program. Up until 1995, the neighborhood was home to East Lake Meadows, a 650-unit public housing complex. People were worried about guns and gun violence. Before relocating to Michaels Atlanta office in 2017, Mikki served as Vice President in Michaels Chicago office where she played an integral role in the development of more than 1,500 housing units under the Chicago Housing Authoritys Plan for Transformation. She helped to launch the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity and coordinated the publication of Investing in Americas Workforce: Improving Outcomes for Workers and Employers, an anthology of best practices in workforce development written by practitioners and policymakers around the country. In 2013-2014 Michelle was host of Growth Matters, a weekly radio show where she dialogued with executives and entrepreneurs about their insights into growing an organization in todays competitive environment. Community is critical to our health and wellbeing. The model was this: Create mixed-income housing, but pair it with quality schools and services like job counseling and child care to help existing residents. Ben is the Special Assistant to the CEO at Purpose Built Communities. The mills smokestack remains, along with the nearby railroad tracks, reminding the community of its industrial past. Since Purpose Built Communities was established by Warren Buffet, Tom Cousins and Julian Robertson in 2009, we have been dedicated to improving community health and addressing racial equity. He began his career as a 7th grade math teacher and soccer coach in Edcouch, Texas. Gulfton/Sharpstown is the most diverse neighborhood in the most diverse city in the country. In other words, when your own connections know each other, youre more likely to feel supported. Ashley Bozarth joined Purpose Built Communities as Knowledge Manager, a newly created role supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in early 2020. Back then, there was so much violent crime, it was known as "Little Vietnam" a war zone. As a teacher, he led his students to achieve significant academic progress. The goal of his program is to prepare leaders to have a systemic impact on the American education sector. Having a high-performing neighborhood school that's about the most important thing to sustain high-quality mixed-income housing. Send a quick note to someone you havent seen in a while or call a more distant acquaintance. Prior to joining Purpose Built Communities, she served as a manager at Coxe Curry & Associates. At the time, East Lake was known as "little Vietnam' by local police because of its high drug and crime rates. She began working with Purpose Built Communities in 2015 as a consultant in the California Bay Area, where she advised the Oakland Purpose Built Network Member, Castlemont Renaissance, and was an independent consultant with several other organizations. Research has connected housing to health. You're a great parent, aunt or uncle, and you're having a meaningful . East Lake led Cousins and other investors like Warren Buffett to create a nonprofit consulting group called Purpose Built Communities to take the idea national. Purpose Built Communities has 28 neighborhood revitalization projects underway and another 50 in development across 34 US states. As members of community, people dont just want to lay bricks, they want to build a cathedral. Ben is the Special Assistant to the CEO at Purpose Built Communities. Amplify GR works through partnership to identify and achieve shared goals that widen pathways for success in Boston Square, Cottage Grove, and the surrounding neighborhoods. As part of his role, Jim leads work around the organizations mixed-income housing program and urban planning efforts, critical components of Purpose BuiltRead More, Vice President of Housing and Community Development. Amy formerly spent 17 years working for Starbucks managing several stores and opening new stores in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Michelle Matthews joined Purpose Built Communities in 2016 as Senior Vice President after leading her own consulting company, Matthews Consulting Group (MCG), for more than a decade. As part of his role, Jim leads work around the organizations mixed-income housing program and urban planning efforts, critical components of Purpose Built Communities transformative model. April also led FrameWorks equity working group and external communications efforts. Before that he served as an assistant principal, English and social studies teacher, track coach, and community school coordinator in Philadelphia. Truist Foundation Racial Equity Ambassadors. Economy. Aventine, Hillsboro, Etowah Terrace, South Rome Commons, Coosa Country Club/Virginia Circle, and Darlington Village. The Purpose Built Communities model of holistic . One of these people is 66-year-old Carl Griffith, who was born and raised about a mile from here. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. A native of Columbia, SC, Zenith holds a bachelors in science and a masters degree from the University of South Carolina in Criminal Justice. He is serving at Purpose Built Communities as part of his doctoral program in educational leadership at the HarvardGraduate School of Education. A new charter school, a YMCA and other amenities soon appeared. Using the Purpose Built model, GPF is working with local partners, leaders and residents to create a healthy, equitable, sustainable and vibrant community. But the cost means that not everyone can play here. Prior to his tenure with AHA, he was a Senior Planning and Development Officer for the City of Atlanta/Fulton County. Ben Poston. Also give them a sense of business literacy so they understand context and know how they can be proactive and make an impact. She served as grade level chair and was selected as a national TFA first year corps member case study for excellence in teaching. Evan Smith is a Vice President at Purpose Built Communities, a non-profit, pro bono consulting firm that believes everyone deserves the opportunity to live and raise their children in communities where they can achieve their full potential. Her work has spanned sectors such as homelessness and housing, social services, and education. "I mean, it's not perfect now, but then, it was scary," he says. She holds a BA in communications and rhetoric studies from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta and an MA in media, culture, and society from DePaul University in Chicago. He is serving at Purpose Built Communities as part of his doctoral program in educational leadership at the HarvardGraduate School of Education. It served as the residential neighborhood for generations of families that worked in the areas textile mills. In 2007, they and many other longtime residents began to organize and in 2011, they helped create a new vision for the future that led to the founding of Growing Together. Hack says she thinks this can work elsewhere too, even if there isn't a fancy golf course to provide support. And I didn't understand why. As a leader, provide people with vision and line of sight so they are crystal clear about the broader purpose of the organization and how their work fits into the whole. In addition, a newly-published study by the University of Houston showed the mental health effects of the pandemic will be both long lasting and potentially devastating. Currently, Zenith serves on the board of AFS-USA, Veritas School of Social Science, Alliance Theatre, and the Marietta-Roswell Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She has received numerous recognitions for her leadership that includes the Atlanta Hawks Forever 404 Honoree, Atlanta Business Leagues Top 100 Black Women of Influence, 100 Black Men of North Atlanta Image Award, Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award, and Kenny Leons True Color Theatre Companys 52 Weeks of Women. Catalina has focused her work most recently inboth teacher and leadership development. Omaha / Seventy Five North Revitalization Corp. Purpose Built Communities Announces 2023 Truist Foundation Racial Equity Ambassadors Cohort, Senator Coons announces Logan Herring Sr. from REACH Riverside as State of the Union guest, 2022 A Year of Thinking Big, Diving Deeper and Creating Impact, Georgia Power Foundation Awards $3 Million Grant to Purpose Built Communities, Purpose Built Communities Convening Brings Together Network Leaders. Michelle brings passion, experience and integrity to her work. She founded The Friends of the Grant Park Pool. How did that come about? We work with local leaders to improve equity and opportunity in neighborhoods nationwide. Prior to Purpose Built Communities, Amy worked at Wesley International Academy in Atlanta as an executive assistant, front office manager, and human resources assistant. This work includes supporting schools in the replication of the instructional model originated at Charles R. Drew Charter school in the East Lake community. James Jim Brooks, AICP, is Vice President of Housing and Community Development. DAVIDSON: From what I've learned from the 10 years of our existence, we spent a lot of time convincing people to step out of their silos and to look beyond the walls of their building understand that they have a role to play within a neighborhood and the context in which they should be thinking about their work. Melissa is a creative fundraising strategist and loves inviting and engagingRead More. We are craving community and cannot live our best lives without it. When she isnt reflecting on communities of practice, Ashley enjoys exploring near and far places by foot, bike, and public transportation. Gov. [4] Through the East Lake initiative, Cousins helped turn one of the nation's most violent public housing projects into a national model for community redevelopment. Naughton, who worked for the Atlanta Housing Authority as the effort got underway, noticed residents seemed not only happier but healthier and, intriguingly, more fit. Michelle Matthews, senior vice president of Purpose Built Communities The forum on October 26 brought out several dozen brave souls (students and faculty) on the night of a powerful, early-season Nor'easter. Grove Park Foundation (GPF) has grown out of the efforts to restore several historic neighborhoods suffering from decades of disinvestment and environmental degradation on the Westside of Atlanta. But the model in Atlanta. A lot of that came from the East Lake Golf Club, which helps fund the foundation's programs. When we are part of a thriving community, we feel a sense of kinship, camaraderie and connectedness. Focused Community Strategies (FCS) has been partnering with under-resourced Atlanta neighborhoods for forty years starting with Grant Park, and then Ormewood Park, Summerhill, and East Lake. Most area residents had only experienced public housing or affordable housing or housing of last resort, and we wanted people to see something they hadn't seen before. For years, Kendall-Whittier was on a steady decline and was a place where opportunity was elusive until an influx of new immigrants began to move in and stabilize the neighborhood. They instead spent their evenings performing again and sleeping in the Near East Side a vibrant, predominately African-American residential area. In addition, the needs of each member and the needs of the whole organization are fully met. I write about happiness, work-life fulfillment and the future of work. The mission of Purpose Built Communities is to break the cycle of intergenerational urban poverty by creating the vibrant, thriving, neighborhoods needed to promote the healthy development of children and families. The community quarterback organization helps nurture those partnerships, sustain them and help everybody work toward the same goal. She is a trusted advisor with more than 30 years of experience in organizational development, change management and consulting. The most effective communities support members who take risks, try new things and go out on limbs to create and innovate. It became one of the top schools in Atlanta, and that's when it started attracting a more economically and racially diverse population. In her Executive Coordinator role, Amy Odle provides adminstrative support to the Purpose Built Network Member Services team, as well as leads tour logistics and event planning. Newer townhouses are seen in the East Lake Meadows community of Atlanta in 1998, with older apartments and an elderly center visible in the background. It is completely underwritten by three investors . The most important thing for people with choice, who think about where they're going to live, is where their kids are going to go to school. The club does fund things like a youth mentorship program at a nine-hole public course in the community. moment. "Had I been born there, I'd maybe be in jail somewhere also," he says of the old East Lake. Alexandra is a proud Georgia Bulldawg completing her undergraduate studies at The University of Georgia as both an NCAA Scholar Athlete dancer and HOPE Scholarship recipient. She has twenty-five years of experience working in urban public schools. She is also a board member for the Quality Care for Children. 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