Slavic Village Development

SLAVIC VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT WORKS WITH AND FOR ITS RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND INSTITUTIONS TO PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, AND NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT.

SLAVIC VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT (SVD) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO WORK WITH AND FOR ITS RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND INSTITUTIONS TO PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, AND NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THREE GOALS:1.SVD IS AN ENGAGED, INCLUSIVE, AND PROACTIVE CHAMPION EMPOWERING ITS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.2.SVD PARTNERS WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO IMPROVE THE SLAVIC VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH ADVOCACY AND PROMOTION.3.SVD BUILDS SLAVIC VILLAGE AS A WELCOMING PLACE WHERE FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES CAN THRIVE.IN ADDITION, SVD WORKS TO CREATE JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ALLEVIATE PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC DETERIORATION, STIMULATE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION, IMPROVE SAFETY AND PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES LOCATED IN THE BROADWAY SLAVIC VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE VOLUNTEER BOARD PROVIDES FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT AND GUIDANCE TO ORGANIZATION SO THAT IT CAN ACCOMPLISH ITS MISSION.AN ADDITIONAL 170 VOLUNTEERS HAVE ASSISTED WITH TUTORING CHILDREN, DISTRIBUTING PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SCHEDULED RESIDENTS FOR VACCINATIONS, PLANTED TREES, CLEANED UP PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES, AND PROVIDED LEAD-SAFE HOME RESOURCES TO RESIDENTS.SVD IS A LEAD PARTNER FOR THE THIRD FEDERAL FOUNDATION-FUNDED SLAVIC VILLAGE P-16. DURING THE PAST YEAR, SVD MOBILIZED RESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS TO PUT ESTABLISH SIX ACADEMIC LEARNING PODS. IN THESE SAFE LEARNING SPACES, OVER 165 GRADE-SCHOOL STUDENTS RECEIVED ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE PARTICIPATED IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND WERE FED WHILE SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO RECEIVED VITAL SERVICES THAT ENSURED THAT THEIR FAMILIES STAYED IN THEIR HOMES, HAD FOOD, AND KEPT THEIR HEAT AND WATER.

HOUSING STABILITY WAS A CORE FUNCTION OF SVD THROUGHOUT 2021. SVD STAFF FIELDED OVER 500 CALLS FOR SERVICE TO HELP KEEP OUR RESIDENTS IN HOMES THAT ARE SAFE, WARM, AND DRY. OVER $200,000 IN DIRECT AID WAS PROVIDED BY SVD TO REPAIR FURNACES, BUILD WHEELCHAIR RAMPS, PAY RENT FOR FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR JOBS AND INCOME, AND COVERED UTILITY COSTS.OVER TWO HUNDRED HOMES RECEIVED CLEANING KIT BUCKETS AND GUIDANCE ON HOW TO KEEP THEIR HOMES LEAD SAFE WHILE IMPROVING INDOOR AIR QUALITY. THIS NEW PROGRAM WILL BE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN AN ONGOING EFFORT TO DECREASE THE RATES OF LEAD POISONING AND ASTHMA.SVDS COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TRAINED 21 RESIDENT COMMUNITY STEWARDS TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND OUTREACH THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE COMMUNITY STEWARDS ORGANIZED SEVERAL EVENTS TO BRING NEIGHBORS SAFELY TOGETHER, STARTED COMMUNITY GARDENS, AND CONNECTED NEIGHBORS TO EACH OTHER IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE WAS SAFE AND HAD ACCESS TO RESOURCES.

BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WERE ALSO ASSISTED BY SVD. FIFTEEN BUSINESSES EITHER RECEIVED DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM SVD OR WERE CONNECTED TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDED GRANTS TO KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES PAID AND THEIR BUSINESSES OPEN. AS A RESULT, FEWER THAN THREE BUSINESSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLOSES DURING THE PANDEMIC (OUT OF OVER 200 BUSINESSES).