Purpose Built Communities is a nonprofit organization that works with local leaders across the country to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by producing better health outcomes, racial equity, and economic mobility. A new charter school, a YMCA and other amenities soon appeared. The Villages of East Lake is a mixed-income housing community about 10 minutes from downtown Atlanta. Zenith is an experienced, results-oriented thought leader with advanced knowledge and experience in diversity and inclusion strategic planning and program implementation with a stellar record of success developing and operationalizing strategies and programs that engage and unite diverse missions and organizations. We did a lot of field trips. The course used to be a neglected landscape of dry patches, where golfers might have to dodge the occasional stray bullet. Their goal? The success of the East Lake Initiative has served as a blueprint for a national model of holistic community redevelopment through Purpose Built Communities, established in 2009.Today, there are 19 additional Purpose Built Communities across the country successfully creating opportunities for residents, and building strong economically diverse communities that thrive. "So everything you see today you can do, and we are doing in public school systems. Cousins is the man behind some of Atlanta's most prominent buildings, and when the city began tearing down public housing in the '90s, he says, he wanted to try something different with East Lake. Build your community by keeping your purpose in mind and reminding yourself of how your contribution matters. Prior to this role, Ben served as a principal in Denver, CO, where he led a high school to improve two tiers on the states school accountability system. Can Five Generations Coexist In The Workplace? Yet despite the sweeping effects of the pandemic, we can strengthen and sustain community. When people within communities are continually developing, the communities themselves progress as well. We welcome inquiries about our work and resources. ", The Villages of East Lake is a mixed-income housing community about 10 minutes from downtown Atlanta. Alexandra Wiggins supports current Network Members and assists new prospects as Vice President for Purpose Built Communities. 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. DAVIDSON: There were lots of people coming to East Lake and saying, "Wow, this is terrific." When President Eisenhower created the U.S. Interstate Highway System in 1956, transportation planners tore through the nation's urban areas with freeways that . She then pursued a Masters from Kennesaw State University in Accountancy and obtained her CPA license in 2007. During her time at FrameWorks, April co-led a project to reframe intergenerational poverty and race to support Purpose Builts narrative change strategies. The working class neighborhood experienced ups and downs in the ensuing decades. 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. Our Solution Tackling such complex, deeply-rooted issues as intergenerational poverty, unsafe environments, high crime, and failing schools presents many challenges. He is the former Deputy Executive Director for Development for the Atlanta Housing Authority, where he helped lead the team that planned Centennial Place and Villages at East Lake, the mixed-income, mixed-use communities that became national models for urban housing development and affordable housing revitalization. This work includes direct consultation with schools,Read More, Vice President of Educational Initiatives. With her varied background, Amy brings unique perspective andRead More. She also provided housing-related technical assistance to non-profit, community-based housing developers and Community Development Corporations. But the model in Atlanta. April Callen is the Director, Racial Equity Programs at Purpose Built Communities. Born and raised in LaBelle, Florida, Evan loves outdoor adventures. People appreciate being welcomed and valued. For seven years leading up to the creation of Purpose Built Communities, she served as the Executive Director of the East Lake Foundation, the innovative nonprofit organization that serves as the community quarterback organization for the East Lake neighborhood. The foundation will research the 27 Purpose Built communities to better understand the determining factors that turn distressed areas into healthy communities. The work is informed by three key strategies: Collective Impact, Place-Based and Asset Based Community Development. As a teacher, he led his students to achieve significant academic progress. Prior to joining the East Lake Foundation, Carol was the General Counsel for Atlanta Housing Authority where she played an instrumental role in the revitalization of traditional public housing communities into economically viable, self-sustaining, mixed-income communities and was a key member of the leadership team that transformed AHA from a failing bureaucracy to a national leader in community development. The Purpose Built newsletter offers insights into the many facets of community development, news from Network Member, the latest research and information on best practices for removing barriers to racial equity, and much more. James Jim Brooks, AICP, is Vice President of Housing and Community Development. This has included leading professional development programs in aspiring leaders and support for new teachers and principals. While working as a manager in the Teach For America Rio Grande Valley office, he created and championed an alternative goal-setting methodology that was adopted by the other Texas regions. 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. Transform one of the city's worst housing projects into a neighborhood where people actually want to live. Ms. Naughton is a graduate of the Emory University School of Law and Colgate University. 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. "It's been turned completely around," Taylor says. Youre missing your people, your network and your community. 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. Purpose Built Communities helps local leaders create greater racial equity, economic mobility, and improved health outcomes for families and children. Truist Foundation Racial Equity Ambassadors. Catalinaleads the instructional team at Purpose Built Communities working toward a comprehensive cradle-to-college education strategy for each Purpose Built Communities Network Member. Its supporters also call it a clear demonstration of the link between quality housing and public health. Also, demonstrate compassion and help others feel a sense of belonging. 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. In the early 1960s, a new highway, University Parkway, essentially bisected the neighborhood, disrupting healthy neighborhood growth. The second piece is the cradle-through-college education pipeline starting with high-quality early learning that prepares every little genius to be successful in elementary, middle and high school, and beyond. Michelles guidance has enabled nonprofit organizations, such as Families First, the Task Force for Global Health, and Communities in Schools of Atlanta; educational institutions, such as Spelman College and Atlanta Public Schools; and numerous Fortune 500 companies, such as Delta Air Lines, Kimberly Clark and Georgia Pacific to implement strategic change and improve individual, team and organizational performance. In her current role as Human Resources and Office Manager, Linda plays a critical role in attracting, retaining, and developing top talent within our organization. Nov. 11, 2021 3 AM PT. She provides critical leadership to and project management of all aspects of Purpose Built and the networks racial equity and justice work, including the TruistRead More. "It's still benefiting the people that were here prior to the gentrification.". The Atlanta Housing Authority says about 13 percent of families were not allowed back. This work includes supporting schools in the replication of the instructional model originated at Charles R. Drew Charter school in the East Lake community. New findings published in the Journal of Neuroscience found people made better decisions when they considered others. Innovation often comes from the edges previously untested, untried or unpopular ideas. Jim manages housing and neighborhood development strategies that ensure Purpose Built and its Network Members leverage industry best practices and innovative approaches that change neighborhoods and lives. Even everyday contributions matter to the community as a whole. U.S. hide caption. Or youre processing payments at a university where students will get their start toward their life goals. Previously, she served as Development Director for Hands On Atlanta where she launched the organizations individual giving efforts. At the time, East Lake was known as "little Vietnam' by local police because of its high drug and crime rates. Build your community by staying in touch with peopleeven if you have to accomplish it virtually. You can have impact as an individual, and as a leader. 'Chief Storytellers': The Newest City Trend? She led the GSGATLs finance and information technology departments, working to ensure that the Council staff received the resources necessary to fulfill GSGATLs mission. 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. So East Lake became a success story new homes, lower crime rate, people wanting to apply for apartments. Prior to relocating, she served on the Board of the Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School and The Odyssey Family Counseling Center. Residents of the Northend of West Palm Beach are resilient and diverse, with a desire for a great neighborhood that works for all. When we are part of a thriving community, we feel a sense of kinship, camaraderie and connectedness. It became one of the top schools in Atlanta, and that's when it started attracting a more economically and racially diverse population. 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. Classification ( NTEE ) Community Foundations (Philanthropy, Voluntarism and Grantmaking Foundations) Nonprofit Tax Code Designation: 501 (c) (3) Defined as: Organizations for any of the following purposes: religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international . She resides in the East Bay area of California with her husband and two children. In going from an unhealthy environment to a nurturing one, has Purpose Built Communities noticed that link? Research has connected housing to health. We've got to have partners on the ground who buy into the idea that the school is kind of the epicenter of the neighborhood. 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