Westside Future Fund (WFF) is excited to celebrate a significant achievement with the groundbreaking of its latest affordable multifamily housing development at 646 Echo Street. This event marks a pivotal moment in the organization’s ongoing mission to revitalize and restore the historic Westside. The 646 Echo Street development represents a significant milestone in WFF’s next chapter, […]
Category: Thought Leadership
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Promoting Health and Togetherness: The Atlanta Beltline Partnership’s Free Family Fitness
By Tamia Goodman, Associate Director of Engage Programs In the heart of Atlanta, a movement is growing. It’s not just about getting fit; it’s about families coming together, communities bonding, and neighborhoods that have long awaited their share of attention finally receiving it. The Atlanta Beltline Partnership’s Free Family Fitness program is bringing new opportunities […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
The Stories Behind the 2024 Early Childhood Checkup
Last year, GEEARS launched the Annual Early Childhood Checkup, a quick, digestible reference to help policymakers, community leaders, and others measure statewide progress on key early childhood indicators. The Checkup considers three broad categories that touch upon a young child’s life: Early Learning, Health, and Family Supports. And since no little ones exist outside of […]
Posted inSmall Business
Georgia Legislators to Host DEI Hearings
One of the hot topics on today’s political landscape is the concept of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, commonly referred to as DEI, an umbrella term for programs and initiatives designed to create opportunities for minorities and other historically disadvantaged segments of the population. For nearly 100 years, civic leaders, elected officials, community leaders, non-profits and […]
Posted inHistoric Westside
Celebrating 100 Years: Westside Future Fund’s Volunteer Event at Booker T. Washington High School
The historic Westside of Atlanta recently witnessed an inspiring collaboration between the Westside Future Fund (WFF) and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), as over 400 volunteers gathered to celebrate and give back to Booker T. Washington High School. This volunteer event was not only a testament to community spirit but also a tribute to the school’s 100th anniversary. […]
Posted inAtlanta Housing
Atlanta Housing Board Approves $105 Million In Affordable Housing and Resources
To address Atlanta’s critical affordable housing needs, the Atlanta Housing (AH) Board of Commissioners approved key resolutions to finance and construct 1,039 new housing units, of which 903 will be affordable, and preserve 140 affordable housing units across the city. These resolutions represent an AH investment of approximately $105 million in housing opportunities and resources, […]
Posted inPhilanthropy
Closing the homeownership gap in metro Atlanta
Ever wonder why homeownership seems increasingly unattainable in metro Atlanta? Once reason is that over the past five years in Georgia, home sales prices have increased by 57% while wages have only grown by 17%. Natallie Keiser, executive director of HouseATL, discusses other reasons for the homeownership gap and the policy actions that could help […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
‘Would You like to Round Up to Support …?’ Cause Marketing: A Win-Win Strategy for Businesses and Nonprofits
By David Jernigan, CEO & President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta Imagine yourself at your neighborhood department store, shopping for a few essentials. You find a couple of great deals on clothes and home items, and with your basket full, you head to the register. The cashier rings up your purchases and then […]
Posted inHigher Education
Celebrating Jan Love’s tenure as dean at Emory’s Candler School of Theology
When Jan Love, the Mary Lee Hardin Willard Dean of Candler School of Theology, recalls her first big challenge as dean, you might guess she would point to some of the “firsts” she navigated in coming to Emory in 2006. After all, Love is the first woman dean of Candler, the first unordained leader of the […]
Posted inSustainable Communities, Thought Leadership
Reinvestment Fund and the USDA Invest $3 Million to Enhance Healthy Food Access Across Atlanta
The Atlanta Food Access Investment Initiative among 16 Grantees Nationwide In April 2024, Reinvestment Fund awarded $40,336,270 in grant funding for the Local and Regional Healthy Food Financing Partnerships Program (HFFI Partnerships Program) to support food financing programs in rural, urban, and Tribal communities across 20 states and Washington D.C. Among the awardees […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion
JHB American Aspiration Tour Invitation
On behalf of Mayor Andre Dickens and John Hope Bryant, we invite you to join us on this Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 11:00 am in the City Hall Atrium for a discussion between Mayor Dickens and Operation HOPE CEO John Hope Bryant on the importance of financial literacy as outlined in Mr. Bryant’s bestselling book, Financial Literacy for All, and how […]
Posted inHistoric Westside
Westside Future Fund Celebrates Spelman College Professor Purchasing A Home In English Avenue
Westside Future Fund (WFF) is proud to celebrate another member of our community finding a home on the Westside. Last month, Dr. Alix Pierre purchased a home in the English Avenue neighborhood. As a professor at Spelman College, Dr. Pierre meets WFF’s community retention guidelines for its signature high-quality, affordable housing program, Home on the […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Reaping the Rewards of Plant Rescue
By Nikki Belmonte Most of us have heard of an animal rescue, but have you ever heard of a plant rescue? Picture this: A tract of land slated for the next local development project is infiltrated by a team clad in fluorescent vests and gloves, shovels in hand. After consulting a map and reviewing the […]
Posted inHistoric Westside
Finding Home on the Westside: The Story of Nedra Louis
In the latest installment of our Finding Home on the Westside series, meet Nedra Louis. Nedra has been a resident of the Westside her entire life, living on Ashby Terrace for 20 years. Several years ago, she experienced health challenges, including being diagnosed with COPD, a chronic inflammatory lung disease. Due to being hospitalized and […]
Posted inAtlanta Housing
Atlanta Housing Nears $2M Fundraising Milestone for Sustainability Initiatives
Atlanta Housing (AH), in partnership with Southface Energy Institute (Southface), one of the country’s leading nonprofits in sustainability, nears a key target of its 5-Year Strategic Plan with the recent receipt of a $2 million federal grant to Southface, of which of $1.9 million will be utilized to improve energy efficiency in Atlanta Housing units. […]
Posted inHigher Education
Emory receives $5 million grant to improve geriatric care and education
Emory University has been awarded a $5 million cooperative agreement by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to enhance geriatric care and education for health care workers in Georgia’s urban and rural areas. This five-year funding will support Georgia Gear (Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program), operated through the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine […]
Posted inHistoric Westside
Housing is Health
Community members and business leaders gathered at the June 21 Transform Westside Summit centered around the topic “Housing is Health.” The Summit emphasized the interconnection between housing stability and overall health outcomes, and featured insightful discussions from key representatives of Kaiser Permanente, including Stefanie Hurst, Senior Director of Community Health, and Dr. Sylvia Morris, MD, MPH, Hospitalist and Area Physician […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
The Critical Role of Early Childhood Education in Fostering Lifelong Success: An Update from YWCA Greater Atlanta’s Early Learning Academy
The 2023-2024 school year has finished, and YWCA Greater Atlanta celebrates the achievements and advancements of our Early Learning Academy. At the heart of YWCA Atlanta’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women is ensuring children have access to quality education and childcare while also empowering teachers in our Early Learning Program through professional development […]
Posted inDesign and Our City
Is the BeltLine Atlanta’s Town Square?
This is the second in a three-post series on the role of civic space and parks in Atlanta. We want to hear from you! What’s your neighborhood park? Why do you love it? Comment below or email us at designandourcity@perkinswill.com. Hello, July. What a time to be talking about civic space and parks! And there […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
The Power of Parks: Park Pride announces next class of park-leaders-in-training for its Park Stewardship Academy
By Hannah E. Jones, Park Pride’s Marketing & Communications Manager “Being part of PSA gave me the strength to not be afraid to do the big things for my park.” That’s how a 2023 grad described her experience with Park Pride’s Park Stewardship Academy (PSA). This summer, our Education Team is excitedly preparing for the […]
