Well Community Development Corporation

THE WELL CDC INVESTS IN PEOPLE THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

RESTORING HOUSING: VACANCIES ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY A FOURTH (21.9%) OF ALL HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. ONLY 25% OF MIDDLEBURY HOMES ARE OWNER OCCUPIED, WHEREAS, A HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET DISPLAYS A 60-70% HOME OWNERSHIP RATE. THE WELL CDC'S RESTORING HOUSING INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON DEVELOPING A HEALTHY HOUSING PIPELINE THAT PROVIDES RESIDENTS THE POWER TO CHOOSE THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT FITS THEIR CURRENT CONTEXT AND FUTURE ASPIRATIONS. THE WELL CDC'S GOAL IS TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF HOUSING NEEDS WITHIN THE MIDDLEBURY COMMUNITY INCLUDING BOTH REHABS AND "MISSING MIDDLE" HOUSING (DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES, QUADS). THE WELL SEEKS TO MAINTAIN LONG TERM AFFORDABILITY AND INFLUENCE THE HOUSING MARKET BY OWNING 15% OF RENTALS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE WELL PLANS TO ACQUIRE 270 HOUSES OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND REHAB THEM IN ADDITION TO BUILDING 125 NEW BUILD UNITS. CURRENTLY THE WELL OWNS 43 PROPERTIES AND THE FIRST NEW BUILD DUPLEX IS UNDERWAY AT 764 EXCELSIOR STREET.

CREATING ECONOMY:LESS THAN 1% OF MIDDLEBURY RESIDENTS LIVE AND WORK INSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE 11,000+ JOBS EXIST AT LOCAL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THE MIDDLEBURY COMMUNITY HAS A 15.1% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, ALMOST DOUBLE THE RATE OF GREATER AKRON, AND TRIPLE THE RATE OF SUMMIT COUNTY. TO COMBAT THIS REALITY, OUR CREATING ECONOMY INITIATIVE ENCOURAGES THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF OUR CURRENT ASSETS TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, CAREER PATHWAYS, AND ENGAGEMENT WITH ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS. THE WELL CDC HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND FOCUSES TO AID IN THIS: AKRON FOOD WORKS, COMPASS, MIDDLEBURY WORKFORCE COALITION AND COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT. AKRON FOOD WORKS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH HILL CDC, WILL LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE GREATER AKRON AREA BY OFFERING LOWRISK ACCESS TO START OR GROW A FOOD BUSINESS. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS BY OFFERING EDUCATION, A PHYSICAL SHAREUSE KITCHEN TO CREATE THEIR PRODUCTS AND ACCESS TO BUSINESS RESOURCES AS WELL AS RETAIL OUTLETS TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. THE COMPASS CAF SEEKS TO OPERATE AS A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE FOR NEIGHBORS AND SERVING AS THE "FRONT PORCH" TO THE WELL CDC AND GREATER MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD.LESS THAN 1% OF MIDDLEBURY RESIDENTS LIVE AND WORK INSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE 11,000+ JOBS EXIST AT LOCAL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THE MIDDLEBURY COMMUNITY HAS A 15.1% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, ALMOST DOUBLE THE RATE OF GREATER AKRON, AND TRIPLE THE RATE OF SUMMIT COUNTY. TO COMBAT THIS REALITY, OUR CREATING ECONOMY INITIATIVE ENCOURAGES THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF OUR CURRENT ASSETS TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, CAREER PATHWAYS, AND ENGAGEMENT WITH ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS. THE WELL CDC HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND FOCUSES TO AID IN THIS: AKRON FOOD WORKS, COMPASS, MIDDLEBURY WORKFORCE COALITION AND COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT. AKRON FOOD WORKS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH HILL CDC, WILL LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE GREATER AKRON AREA BY OFFERING LOWRISK ACCESS TO START OR GROW A FOOD BUSINESS. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS BY OFFERING EDUCATION, A PHYSICAL SHAREUSE KITCHEN TO CREATE THEIR PRODUCTS AND ACCESS TO BUSINESS RESOURCES AS WELL AS RETAIL OUTLETS TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. THE COMPASS CAF SEEKS TO OPERATE AS A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE FOR NEIGHBORS AND SERVING AS THE "FRONT PORCH" TO THE WELL CDC AND GREATER MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD.THE LONGTERM GOAL OF THE WELL'S CREATING ECONOMY INITIATIVE IS TO DECREASE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FROM 15% TO 5%. TO DATE, THE WELL CDC HAS ENGAGED 54 AKRON FOOD WORKS KITCHEN USERS, HOSTED 4 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COHORTS SINCE ITS CREATION IN 2020, AND CONTINUED SERVING AS A SOURCE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY THROUGH OUR COMPASS CAFE, FACILITIES, AND PROGRAMMING.COMPASS COFFEE SHOP HAS EXPERIENCED INTERMITTANT CLOSURES DUE TO COVID-19 SPIKES AND STAFFING ISSUES THIS CONTINUED TO OCCUR 2021. SALES HAVE NOT INCREASED TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. DESPITE THIS, COMPASS HAD NET OPERATING REVENUE OF $3.5K IN 2021.

SUPPORTING PLACE:MASON CLC, THE K-6 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCATED IN THE MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD, HAS A 32% STUDENT MOBILITY RATE. TO COMBAT THIS REALITY, THE WELL CDC SEEKS TO DEVELOP DEEPER SOCIAL COHESION WITHIN MIDDLEBURY TO NOT ONLY DECREASE THE STUDENT TRANSIENCY RATE, BUT TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE PLACE THEY LIVE AND EACH OTHER THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. THE WELL CDC'S AKRON HOPE PROGRAM BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS AND INVESTS RESOURCES INTO STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND FAMILY STABILITY, CREATING ACCESS TO QUALITY HOMES AND LIVABLE WAGES. AKRON HOPE PARTNERS WITH MASON CLC AND HELEN ARNOLD CLC TO PROVIDE CLASSROOM TUTORING, COMMUNITY CONNECTION EVENTS AND HOLIDAY OUTREACH EVENTS. THE WELL CDC HELD 13 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS EVENS AND SUPPORTED 524 STUDENTS THROUGH ADOPT-A-CLASSROOM'S.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES - OPERATIONS