Cherry Hill Strong in Baltimore and LIFT JAX in Jacksonville join Purpose Built Communities, A National Network that Catalyzes Community-Driven Transformation

ATLANTA, Apr. 24, 2024 – Today, Purpose Built Communities, a pioneer with over 15 years of impact in community-driven transformation, unveiled that Cherry Hill Strong of Baltimore, Maryland, and LIFT JAX of Jacksonville, Florida, are joining as the newest Purpose Built Network Members. Network Members are independent nonprofit organizations solely dedicated to the holistic revitalization of a defined neighborhood, serving as “community quarterbacks” to partner with the local community to implement the Purpose Built model.

This announcement comes during day one of Purpose Built Communities’ National Conference in Birmingham, Alabama. The conference brings together experts, community leaders, and organizations dedicated to advancing holistic approaches to creating healthy, sustainable neighborhoods across the United States. The Purpose Built Communities model has been catalytic for neighborhoods from Atlanta to Birmingham and Omaha to Wilmington, where decades of racial and economic disparities have contributed to adverse outcomes for community members.

“We applaud the leadership of Cherry Hill Strong and LIFT JAX for the transformative work they are doing within Baltimore’s Cherry Hill and Jacksonville’s Eastside neighborhoods,” says Carol Naughton, Chief Executive Officer of Purpose Built Communities. “We know that neighborhoods are the single most critical point of opportunity for closing racial and economic gaps, and the Purpose Built Communities model is powered by the role that community organizations play in creating pathways to long-term, sustainable change designed with and for community residents.”

Since 2017, Cherry Hill Strong has been working in the community to shift the trajectory by employing the Purpose Built model to coordinate holistic neighborhood change. Cherry Hill, a historic Black community in South Baltimore, is one of the first and most longstanding examples of designed residential racial segregation in the United States. It is home to over 8,000 residents and one of Baltimore’s largest public housing projects, Cherry Hill Homes. It comprises over 1000 units, private homes, and several other low-income apartments throughout the community.

“We are writing a new story for Cherry Hill, one that celebrates and centers residents to ensure every community member has a pathway to thrive,” says Zeevelle “Z.” Nottingham-Lemon, Founding Executive Director of Cherry Hill Strong. “The support and capacity-building that being a Purpose Built Network Member provides will allow us to tackle intergenerational poverty and issues of racial and social justice through the power of community. We could not be prouder to be officially welcomed into the Purpose Built Network.”

In Jacksonville, LIFT JAX is bringing the Purpose Built Communities model to the Eastside, a neighborhood designated on the national register of historic places dating back to the Civil War era and one of Florida’s largest intact Black neighborhoods. Since 2018, they have worked tirelessly to address the conditions that contribute to and reinforce intergenerational poverty in ”out East”, collaborating with community leaders already driving change.

“The Purpose Built Communities model has guided our vision for revitalizing Jacksonville’s Eastside and we are eager to accelerate this vision as a Network Member,” says David Garfunkel, President and CEO of LIFT JAX. “When we come together with the residents of the neighborhood at the center, working alongside local organizations and partners with the resources and capabilities of a national network like Purpose Built Communities to bring about lasting change, we can uplift entire communities.”

Network Members like Cherry Hill Strong and LIFT JAX collaborate directly with residents, local leaders, and partners to coordinate capital and programmatic investments into neighborhoods across four pillars of focus: mixed-income housing, a cradle-to-college education pipeline, community health and wellness, and economic vitality. The Purpose Built vision is that every neighborhood will be a pathway to opportunity and prosperity for all who call it home.

The additions of Cherry Hill Strong and LIFT JAX bring the Purpose Built Communities Network to 27 community quarterback organizations. Joining the Purpose Built Network is a proven method for driving community-led neighborhood transformation – the East Lake neighborhood in Atlanta has been a testament to this power. East Lake’s holistic approach targeted revitalization efforts that furthered education, mixed-income housing, and health and wellness programs, becoming the blueprint that Purpose Built has been able to replicate across the country. In Birmingham, AL, where in the 14 years since Woodlawn United joined as a Purpose Built Community Network Member, the community has transformed into a vibrant hub of new businesses, affordable housing, and accessible learning institutions. Network Members receive coaching on community revitalization best practices from Purpose Built experts, counseling around financeable strategies for delivering mixed-income housing at scale, and opportunities to collaborate with other practitioners who have successfully executed transformational neighborhood development. Together, the Purpose Built Network forms a robust community of practice to exchange knowledge and experiences and aims to strengthen the overall field of place-based initiatives.

To learn more about Purpose Built Communities Network Members, visit here.