Neighborhoods

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation is in the process of planting more trees around the city. 

On Wednesday, we found them on Sherwood Avenue in the Idora neighborhood. They planted three trees on a lot where a house once stood. It’s part of YNDC’s TreeCorp program. A total of 250 trees will be planted — 138 now and another 112 in the fall.

To read the full story from WKBN, click here. 

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation is in the process of planting more trees around the city. 

On Wednesday, we found them on Sherwood Avenue in the Idora neighborhood. They planted three trees on a lot where a house once stood. It’s part of YNDC’s TreeCorp program. A total of 250 trees will be planted — 138 now and another 112 in the fall.

To read the full story from WYTV, click here. 

At the Youngstown Botanical Garden, Eric Jones took the things that he loves; landscaping, planning and design; and created a space where he can share his passions with the youth in the community.

Eric’s father is an avid gardener and the father and son duo have been partners in the project from the very beginning. Eric hopes to attract motivated young people to the garden, located on West Indianola Avenue in Youngstown. He plans to host classes, workshops, events, and parties.  

The garden has four priorities: to educate, motivate, congratulate, and celebrate. Through education, young people will become motivated. They can discover their passions, develop and achieve goals, experience success, and celebrate their successes. 

Purchased in 2010, the property has developed into an impressive garden, with significant meaning in every piece of the land. For Eric, family is his priority.  “This is all for my boys” he said. He wants to leave a lasting legacy for future generations. Each section of the garden holds personal meaning and has been intentionally crafted with plants that embody symbolism of connection to the community and connection to God. Every section of the garden has its own story. Each plant is thoughtfully chosen and placed in a specific area with intention. 

The entire project holds great spiritual significance for Eric. “This is my expression of God’s love.” Thyme is an overall theme throughout the garden, with abundant patches of of thyme varieties scattered throughout each section. “You have to take the time, you have to set aside the time, and sacrifice the time to create this space.” He hopes the garden will be a place of exploration, serenity, creativity, and connection. 

Officials with the City of Youngstown have been talking about their trees. 

City council created a new Climate Change, Environment and Sustainable Technology Committee, and a meeting was held earlier this month about removing the dead and unwanted one. 

On a recent sunny afternoon on Youngstown’s Sherwood Avenue, Lola Lewis was helping a crew of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation plant three American Beech trees on a vacant lot.

To read the full story from WKBN, click here. 

Monday, April 24, 2023.

On Thursday, April 20, YNDC hosted representatives from multiple Cleveland and Akron community development corporations including: Famicos Foundation, The Well CDC, Old Brooklyn CDC, Northwest Neighborhoods CDC, Lakewood Alive, Ohio City Inc., Slavic Village Development, and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress.

YNDC's partner organization Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership also participated, as well as the Ohio CDC Association. YNDC shared information on its organizational structure, planning, and programs and provided a project tour. The exchange provided the attendees with an opportunity to network and learn from one another. YNDC looks forward to more collaborative events and organizing in the future. 

Monday, April 24, 2023.

On Thursday, April 20, the Citizens Bank awarded YNDC with a $10,000 grant for Housing Counseling. 

The Housing Counseling Program empowers low- to moderate-income residents to identify and overcome barriers to homeownership, including inadequate savings, income, credit history, and understanding of the home buying process, and prepares them for future homeownership; and provides existing low- to moderate-income homeowners with resources to maximize their limited incomes and minimize repair costs so that they can avoid foreclosure and improve their living conditions.

Thank you to Citizens Bank for their support!

Monday, April 24, 2023.

Beginning on April 17, YNDC's TreeCorps program began planting trees throughout Youngstown.

To date, 138 two-inch caliper trees have been planted.

TreeCorps is a collaboration with the Healthy Community Partnership and multiple groups including: Common Wealth Inc., Youngstown CityScape, Youngstown Parks Department, Mahoning County Land Bank, Handel's Neighborhood Association, 7th Ward Citizens' Coalition, Idora Neighborhood Association, Lincoln Knolls Community Watch, Northeast Homeowners and Concerned Citizens Association, Know Your Neighbor Block Watch, Upper North Heights Neighborhood Association, Crandall Park South, Boulevard Park Block Watch, Treez Please, and Plant Ahead Ohio.

This work is funded by the Western Reserve Health Foundation. More plantings will be completed this fall!

Monday, April 24, 2023.

On Wednesday, April 19, the Glenwood Neighbors Business Association hosted its first meeting at YNDC's Neighborhood Action Center.

The business owners spent the first meeting introducing themselves, organizing around mutual concerns, and discussing and prioritizing issues for improvement along the greater Glenwood Avenue corridor. The group will continue meeting quarterly. 

The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and its three supporting foundations have awarded more than $693,000 in grant awards to 36 nonprofit organizations in the first round of funding for 2023. 

Through the CFMV’s general grant, fundholders awarded $179,300. The Trumbull Memorial Health Foundation awarded $175,000, the Western Reserve Health Foundation awarded $205,000, and the William Swanston Charitable Fund awarded $133,800.

“This is a great start to the year, with lots of exciting work being done across the Valley,” said Shari Harrell, president of the Community Foundation. “This work is much-needed and vital to building a Mahoning Valley that’s the best it can be for all of us.”

Remaining deadlines for the year are July 15 and October 15. Organizations can see grant opportunities and start their applications HERE.

Here are the grants that were awarded in the first quarter of 2023:

Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley

• Boardman Park: $5,000 for the addition of public restrooms at the Maag Outdoor Arts Theatre;
• Classroom 2 Capitol: $5,000 for civic engagement programs for Youngstown City Schools students;
• Community Legal Aid: $20,000 for legal services and advocacy for low-income residents of the Valley;
• Direction Home of Eastern Ohio: $10,000 for the Caring for Caregivers program;
• Diva Donations: $5,000 for operating support;
• Easter Seal Society of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties: $7,500 for their specialized preschool for children with disabilities;
• Eversight: $2,500 for surgeon education and support for surgeries and research;
• Finer Things Academy: $7,500 for the social skills program for local youths;
• God’s Warehouse: $10,000 for operating support;
• Leadership Mahoning Valley: $1,000 to support the relaunch of the program;
• Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past: $5,000 for student trips to civil rights movement sites;
• National Inventors Hall of Fame: $7,800 for the Camp Invention summer education program;
• Nikki’s House: $10,000 for operating support and rent assistance for women in recovery;
• OCCHA: $10,000 for operating support;
• Our Community Kitchen: $7,500 for kitchen support;
• Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County: $8,000 for the creation of a sensory space and outreach;
• Shepherds of All God’s Children Learning Center: $10,000 for building maintenance;
• Stambaugh Chorus: $2,500 for community outreach performances;
• The Needle’s Eye Christian Life Center: $10,000 for operating support and building upgrades;
• Tri-County Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates: $10,000 for academic interventions and career pathway program;
• TriYou Cares: $10,000 for its summer youth program;
• Youngstown Business Incubator: $10,000 for the Elevating Every Entrepreneur program;
• WYSU-FM: $5,000 to match listener gifts.

Trumbull Memorial Health Foundation

• ACTION: $25,000 for the Trumbull County Mobile Market initiative;
• Down Syndrome Association of the Valley: $5,000 for health and wellness initiatives;
• Easter Seal Society: $20,000 for integrated therapy services;
• Healthy Community Partnership: $50,000 for operating support;
• Kidney Foundation of Ohio: $5,000 for direct assistance to patients with kidney disease;
• Inspiring Minds: $25,000 for its health and wellness programs;
• Nikki’s House: $35,000 for operating support and rent assistance;
• The Salvation Army: $10,000 for its mental health drop-in center.

Western Reserve Health Foundation

• American Cancer Center: $10,000 for Hope Lodge Cleveland patient support;
• Full Spectrum Community Outreach: $20,000 to support its LGBT+ housing project;
• Easter Seal Society: $30,000 for its specialized preschool;
• Healthy Community Partnership: $50,000 for operating support;
• Kidney Foundation of Ohio: $5,000 for direct assistance;
• Our Community Kitchen: $5,000 for kitchen support;
• Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.: $60,000 for the creation of the Youngstown TreeCorps program.

To read the full story from The Business Journal, click here. 

Youngstown CityScape joined with TreeCorps, an initiative of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation as part of a more extensive planting project of 250 trees throughout Youngstown. 

To read the full story from Mahoning Matters, click here.