It was 2019, and the demolition permit had been issued. 220 Sunset Avenue — the apartment building developed by Rev. Maynard Jackson Sr. and where his family lived — appeared destined for the scrap heap. There was such history in the red brick building. The Jackson family lived on the top floor of the building, […]
Tag: John Ahmann
Posted inColumns
Open Hand settling into its new home, seeking to build community
The words in the front lobby of Open Hand’s new headquarters says it all: “We Cook. We Deliver. We Teach. We care.”
Posted inLatest News
Blank Foundation makes record $22.4 million in grants to Atlanta’s Westside
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation announced Sept. 21 that it is deepening its investment in Atlanta’s Westside.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Westside Future Fund offers lessons on building communities from the ground up
The Westside Future Fund has a delicate balancing act. How can one revitalize a community without displacing legacy residents because neighborhoods have become unaffordable?
Posted inColumns
Atlanta Committee for Progress reflecting on its role under new mayor
The Atlanta Committee for Progress – the high-powered blue-ribbon group that advises the mayor of Atlanta – is at a crossroads.
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
A Philanthropic Lift for Deep Affordability for Residents of Historic Westside Neighborhoods
By John Ahmann, Westside Future Fund, Inc. Last week, WFF celebrated three big wins: a milestone $5M gift from the SunTrust Foundation, Invest Atlanta’s award of 4 multi-family properties to WFF, and the extraordinary success of the Beloved Benefit fundraiser, which raised more than $5M for Westside community partners. These wins show that we can […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
Grove Park Foundation’s Executive Director Talks About the Importance of Resident-Centered Community Engagement
Note from John Ahmann, President and CEO, Westside Future Fund Our last column was posted on December 10th, 2018 by Kathy Colbenson, President & CEO of Chris 180, on Building Community Through Partnership. We took a break from our weekly columns to celebrate the holidays, the New Year and the Super Bowl, wonderfully hosted by […]
Posted inATL Business Chronicle
Column: Beverly Tatum to become chair of Westside Future Fund in 2020
A change in volunteer leadership is in the works for the Westside Future Fund, the civic organization that is coordinating the revitalization of the communities west of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Building-the-Block to achieve affordable, sustainable homeownership and neighborhoods
Intro by John Ahmann: Thanks to Lisa Gordon, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity’s President and CEO, for this week’s column. Habitat for Humanity’s model is a great proof point of the “the more we, the more I can do,” from their engagement of the homeowner, to their volunteers, to their donors and sponsors. The proof is in the results: Atlanta Habitat […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
A First Step Toward a Mixed-Income Community
Intro by John Ahmann, Westside Future Fund: Thanks to the Jaren Abedania, the Westside Future Fund’s (WFF) Vice President of Real Estate, for this week’s column. In my October 2, 2018 column, Two Years of Westside Future Fund, I spoke to our commitment to increase the supply of high-quality affordable rental housing and in this […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Building Strong Foundations for the Westside’s Next Generation
Intro by John Ahmann: Thanks to Justin Carr, Director of Partnerships, Westside Future Fund (WFF), for this week’s column. In the spirt of “the more we, the more I can get done,” “We” have no more urgent call to action than ensuring access to highly quality, affordable early learning (birth to age 5) for families […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Creating Sustainable Change, and a Beloved Community, on Atlanta’s Westside
Column By Rodney Bullard Intro by John Ahmann, Executive Director of Westside Future Fund “Thanks to Rodney Bullard, Vice President of Community Affairs for Chick-fil-A, Inc. and Executive Director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation, for this week’s column. In the spirt of “the more we, the more I can do,” the Chick-fil-A Foundation has been a […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Two years of Westside Future Fund
By John Ahmann, Westside Future Fund The Friday before last, September 21, 2018, I was honored to give the second annual update on behalf of the Westside Future Fund (WFF). Just over a year after expanding our board and team, WFF has made significant strides as an “accelerator” of the revitalization of Atlanta’s historic Westside […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
“A Westside Story,” by Rev. Howard Beckham
We are delighted that Westside native and community leader Rev. Howard Beckham is the author of this week’s column. Rev. Beckham wears many hats but is probably best known as the founder and CEO of Integrity Transformations CDC, the managing partner of the workforce development program Westside Works, which has already transformed the lives of many […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
Building Atlanta Together
A first look at The Home Depot Backyard By John Ahmann On Friday, August 17, for our 15th Transform Westside Summit of 2018, WFF had the honor of hosting more than 150 attendees, ranging from Westside residents to members from across the city’s public, private and nonprofit sectors. What they witnessed was yet another […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
The More We, The More I Can Do
By John Ahmann, Executive Director, Westside Future Fund Last Saturday, as I visited the different booths of the At-Promise Block Party, sponsored by the Atlanta Police Department (APD), the phrase “the more we, the more I can do,” sprung into my mind. As I walked the block of Cameron Alexander, closed for the celebration, I was […]
Posted inATL Business Chronicle
City adopts land-use vision for Westside communities
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Dec. 8, 2017
A far-reaching land-use plan for the Westside received an important boost when it was unanimously adopted by the Atlanta City Council on Dec. 4.
The Westside Land Use Framework Plan — more than two years in the making — emerged after an unprecedented number of community meetings with more than a thousand participants.
