Meet Black leaders who are working at the intersection of race, health and poverty. This new video series aims to elevate Black leaders in community development through storytelling, showcasing their leadership style and contributions to the field as members of the Purpose Built Communities Network. … Continue Reading →
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The Community Quarterback in the Purpose Built Model
At Purpose Built Communities, we believe that everyone deserves to live in a healthy neighborhood. This video explains why the community quarterback is an essential part of a holistic neighborhood revitalization effort. … Continue Reading →
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Why is early learning a central element of neighborhood revitalization?
An essential component of the Purpose Built approach to ending intergenerational poverty is a focus on early childhood education. Most of the resources and formal interventions dedicated to preparing children for school don’t start until age four. And while pre-kindergarten is critical, the science is clear: life outcomes are best for children when education starts as close to birth as possible. … Continue Reading →
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Purpose Built Communities Statement on the Derek Chauvin Verdict
Purpose Built Communities believes that we cannot address the root causes of poverty without directly addressing race and the continuing impacts of systemic racism. As a result, racial equity is one of the main lenses through which we view and do our work. Yesterday’s guilty verdict for George Floyd’s murderer was a long overdue step … Continue Reading →
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Purpose Built Communities Featured on CBS 60 Minutes
As the United States attempts to recover from the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, CBS 60 Minutes spoke with Harvard University scholar, Dr. David Williams, to discuss a different but related public health crisis: the connection between race, socioeconomic status and health. … Continue Reading →
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Jill Biden visits Woodlawn in Birmingham, Alabama
On April 9, 2021, Dr. Jill Biden visited the James Rushton Early Learning Center and a YWCA in Birmingham, hosted by Purpose Built Network Member Woodlawn Foundation. Biden spoke about how the administration’s $1.9 trillion stimulus law can help address child poverty. Both centers she visited run Head Start programs that benefit from the law. “This pandemic will not break us,” Biden said in her remarks. “I know that you would do anything for your child. You want to give them the world. Every parent does.” … Continue Reading →
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Build Healthy Places Case Study Looks at How LIFT Orlando is Bridging the Gap Between Housing and Health
The relationship between health and housing is a frequent discussion when looking at building healthy and sustainable communities. Our partner, Build Healthy Places Network, is working with communities in the Purpose Built Communities network to improve health inequity across the U.S. A recent case study series published by Build Healthy Places Network highlighted our Network … Continue Reading →
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Purpose Built Communities Welcomes Two New Board Members
Lynette Bell is currently the president of the Truist Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Truist, the nation’s sixth-largest financial institution. In this role, she is responsible for strategic philanthropy, building strong partnerships with nonprofits, and strengthening local communities in the areas of leadership development, economic mobility, thriving communities, and educational equity. Before stepping into her … Continue Reading →
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KIPP Woodson Park Academy and new YMCA Early Learning Center open in Grove Park
The new KIPP Woodson Park Academy school welcomed its first students back to in-person learning in a brand-new building that was the result of a community-driven partnership that includes some of Atlanta’s premiere organizations. The completion of the revitalized campus of educational and health services facilities in the Grove Park neighborhood is the culmination of … Continue Reading →
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How a National Network of Local Leaders is Centering Racial Equity in Neighborhood Revitalization
In America, neighborhoods determine destiny. But unjust, racist policies and actions have created segregated and distressed neighborhoods. To revitalize these places, we must recognize how race—not family income, family structure, education level, or accumulated wealth—functions as the main determinant of life outcomes. And we must directly address racism through tangible, equity-focused action at the neighborhood … Continue Reading →
