West Elmwood Housing Development Corp

WEST ELMWOOD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (WEHDC) IS A PRIVATE, NOT- FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED IN 1970. THE KEY COMPONENTS OF OUR MISSION ARE: ENABLING HOME OWNERSHIP, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE MISSION OF WEST ELMWOOD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES THROUGH HOUSING SERVICES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND NEIGHBORHOODS MEET THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS IN THE WEST END NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER PARTS OF PROVIDENCE AND RHODE ISLAND. WEHDC STRIVES TO FULFILL THIS MISSION BY BUILDING AND RENOVATING HOMES, ATTRACTING RESOURCES INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INVESTING IN THE DIVERSE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN, WORK IN AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY. WEHDC ACCOMPLISHES THESE GOALS BY OFFERING A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES RELATED TO REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING LENDING AND COMMUNITY BUILDING AND ORGANIZING AND THROUGH STRATEGIC ALLIANCES.

SANKOFA'S MISSION IS TO TRANSFORM BLIGHTED PROPERTIES, PROVIDES AFFORDABLE, CONVENIENT, CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE, FRESH, HEALTHY, AND LOCALLY PRODUCED FOOD, EXPANDS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENCOURAGES WEST END RESIDENTS TO MEANINGFULLY CONNECT BY FOSTERING CULTIVATION OF LAND, LIVES, AND COMMUNITY. THE PRINCIPLES OF SANKOFA HAVE GUIDED WEHDC AND ITS PARTNERS IN ITS WORK TO ADDRESS MODERN HEALTH, FINANCIAL AND COMMUNITY CHALLENGES THROUGH INCREASED ACCESS TO THE HEALTHY FOODS THAT ARE TRADITIONAL TO THE WEST ENDS ETHNICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY. IN 2011, RESIDENT DEMAND AROUND HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS IN THE WEST END, SPEARHEADED THE FORMATION OF WEHDCS SANKOFA INITIATIVE. MANY RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF AFRICAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN BACKGROUNDS, REPORTED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND FRESH, AFFORDABLE FOOD THAT WAS REFLECTIVE OF THEIR NATIVE DIETS. SANKOFA BUILDS COMMUNITY AROUND FOOD AND CULTURE IN PROVIDENCES DIVERSE WEST END COMMUNITY. THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECTS BELOW, THE SANKOFA INITIATIVE AIMS TO BUILD COMMUNITY AROUND FOOD AND CULTURE IN PROVIDENCES DIVERSE WEST END COMMUNITY. IS TRANSFORMING THE WEST END INTO AN INNOVATIVE CENTER FOR AGRICULTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING WITH A SPECIAL EYE TOWARDS PROMOTING, CELEBRATING AND SUPPORTING THE NEIGHBORHOODS RICH CULTURAL IDENTITY.SANKOFA BUILDS COMMUNITY AROUND FOOD AND CULTURE IN PROVIDENCES DIVERSE WEST END COMMUNITY.

DUNAMIS SYNERGY IS A 2 GENERATION INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT PARENTS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN ACQUIRE POSTSECONDARY CREDENTIALS AND CAREER TRACK EMPLOYMENT WHILE PREPARING THEIR CHILDREN FOR SUCCESSFUL FUTURES. DUNAMIS SYNERGY UTILIZES THE ASPEN INSTITUTES ASCEND FRAMEWORK, WHICH ESTABLISHES A TWO- GENERATION APPROACH FOCUSING ON CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS TOGETHER. THE FRAMEWORK SETS FORTH THAT POSTSECONDARY AND EARLY EDUCATION, ECONOMIC SUPPORTS, SOCIAL CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT, AND HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ARE THE CORE ELEMENTS REQUIRED TO CREATE AN INTERGENERATIONAL CYCLE OF OPPORTUNITY. DUNAMIS PROVIDES SUPPORT SERVICES FOR EDUCATION, HEALTH & WELLBEING, FINANCIAL ASSET BUILDING, SOCIAL CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

THE WEHDC EQUITY ZONE (HEZ) IS AN INNOVATIVE, PLACE-BASED APPROACH THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER TO BUILD HEALTHY, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES ACROSS RHODE ISLAND. THE INITIATIVE IS GROUNDED IN RESEARCH THAT SHOWS UP TO 80% OF HEALTH OUTCOMES ARE DETERMINED BY FACTORS OUTSIDE CLINICAL SETTINGS, SUCH AS ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOODS; HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION; EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES; AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WEHDC OTHER MAJOR SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT-THIS PROGRAM CONSISTS OF MULTIFAMILY, RENTAL, HOMEOWNERSHIP, REHAB, MIXED-USE AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, BROWNFIELDS REMEDIATION, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, GREEN CONSTRUCTION, AND HEALTHY HOMES. THE AGENCY HAS LEVERAGED OVER 75 MILLION FOR REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE WEST END OVER 40 YEARS. ASSET MANAGEMENT OF WEHDCS VARIOUS FOR-PROFIT HOLDINGS AND RELATED NON-PROFIT ENTITIES INCLUDING LENDING ACTIVITIES THRU ITS WEST ELMWOOD NEIGHBORWORKS HOME OWNERSHIP CENTER.