A Decades-Old Vacant Lot Is Now a Vital Neighborhood Health Hub

Community development is key for a neighborhood to thrive. In low-income communities like Auburn Gresham, community development is scarce, 导致居民缺乏增长和维持财富的机会. 奥本格雷沙姆是芝加哥南部以黑人为主的社区. In the 1920s, it was a bustling metropolitan community with schools, churches, and locally owned and operated grocery stores and businesses. In the late 1960s, 在限制性住房政策被宣布为非法，黑人在奥本格雷沙姆定居之后, white residents left the neighborhood. Businesses and other resources followed.

Auburn Gresham is 95 percent Black. The community is proud and grounded in its history; its sidewalks are lined with West African Adinkra symbols. 但社区资源短缺:居民必须到社区以外的地方去就医和社区中心. 可用服务的缺乏降低了奥本格雷沙姆的价值和生活质量, creating obstacles to wealth generation and stability.

In 2017, the community published the Auburn Gresham quality-of-life plan, guided by three simple questions: What did Auburn Gresham used to be? What is it today? What might it be tomorrow? The report called for the construction of a wide range of amenities, such as banks, coffee shops, pharmacies, and fresh-produce markets.

走进第79街一栋空无一人的建筑，卡洛斯·纳尔逊(Carlos Nelson)的脸上露出了微笑. 这是奥本格雷沙姆健康生活方式中心(HLH)的未来之家, a project Carlos, CEO of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC), has been dreaming of since 2016. GAGDC, founded in 2001 in response to rapid disinvestment in the area, is at the forefront of the HLH. 该组织致力于培育和促进中低收入社区的振兴.

One of the Adinkra symbols found in Auburn Gresham is Mmere dane, meaning “time changes.尼尔森和GAGDC期待在一座空置了25年的建筑中开放HLH, the phrase rings true. The HLH will house medical facilities, a sit-down restaurant, a Black-owned pharmacy, a teaching kitchen, and plenty of open space for community members to convene. 预计这些医疗设施每年将治疗3万多名患者.

Nelson hopes the hub is the beginning of a new chapter, 对于奥本格雷沙姆(他称之为“南区皇冠上的宝石”)和他一生都在发展的组织来说都是如此. Once a two-person operation, 该组织已发展成为一个综合性社区发展组织，雇用40名专职和兼职工作人员，重点关注保健问题, education, youth development, housing, and seniors services.

The HLH, an $18 million project, was made possible, in part, by a $14.5 million equity investment from JPMorgan Chase, a longtime supporter of GAGDC, via the New Markets Tax Credit initiative, 通过向投资者提供联邦税收抵免，帮助陷入经济困境的社区吸引私人资本. 这是该公司支持的战略项目的一个例子，作为其300亿美元的种族平等承诺的一部分, more inclusive economy.

纳尔逊感到自豪的是，他的个人银行也是他雄心勃勃的社区发展努力的投资者. 他第一次接触该机构是通过参加由“现在繁荣”主办的领导力研讨会, an organization focused on creating a more equitable economy. 12bet官方是“今日繁荣”种族贫富分化倡议的种子资助者, aiming to address the resource and capacity disparities 有色人种领导的非营利组织和白人领导的非营利组织之间存在差异.

Since connecting with JPMorgan Chase through the program, 尼尔森表示，该公司进一步推动了GAGDC的整体工作，并使他成为更好的领导者. 世行为纳尔逊和GAGDC提供了建立关系网和筹款的机会，以及管理技能培训. 他表示，该公司在推动GAGDC的“大胆愿景和大胆抱负”方面发挥了重要作用.”

Standing in the 60,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by a furniture store, 纳尔逊幻想着从宽敞的窗户倾泻入HLH的光线. The space is a testament to the possibilities of public, private, 和慈善合作:除了12bet官方的承诺, HLH得到了许多城市赠款和捐赠的支持(惠而浦和科勒捐赠了浴室和办公室的电器), and the teaching kitchen is funded by the Chicago Bears).

GAGDC投入了无数的时间和金钱来刺激蓬勃发展的当地经济，优先考虑社区所有权和参与-该中心本身预计将为当地居民创造150多个就业机会. HLH还启动了奥本格雷沙姆(Auburn Gresham)新地铁站的建设进程, 为当地居民提供了更多的交通选择，并让更大的地区有机会光顾社区新兴的企业.

GAGDC相信，当社区的人赢了，奥本·格雷沙姆就赢了. 12bet官方对社区发展的承诺正在帮助提高奥本格雷沙姆社区的房屋价值和生活质量.

But a self-sustaining community also requires a thriving local economy, fueled by resident-owned, well-resourced small businesses. Just three miles northwest of Auburn Gresham, in the Englewood neighborhood在美国，12bet官方(JPMorgan Chase)正在投资有远见的企业家.

了解我们如何支持奥本格雷沙姆及其他地区的小企业发展.

这个故事的一个版本最初出现在大西洋Re:think，一个创意营销工作室.