Neighborhoods

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The city of Youngstown is the recipient of a $60,000 grant to help it take part in a new initiative to improve the health of people living in low-income neighborhoods.

Youngstown is one of 50 cities around the nation to be selected by The Reinvestment Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to take part in the new Invest Health initiative.

Invest Health has been created to change the way leaders from mid-size American cities work together to help low-income communities thrive, with specific attention to community features that drive health such as access to safe and affordable housing, places to play and exercise, and quality jobs.

Youngstown was selected from more than 180 teams from 170 communities that applied to the initiative.

Cities with populations between 50,000 and 400,000 were asked to form five-member teams including representatives from the public sector, community development, and an anchor institution, preferably academic or health-related.

The Youngstown team comprises representatives from Youngstown City Health District, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, Youngstown State University Regional Economic Development Initiative, Mercy Health Foundation - Mahoning Valley, and Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and will work to reduce obesity and other chronic health disparities through improving infrastructure and the built environment and reduce long term developmental disabilities among children caused by substandard housing conditions.

"Our cross sector team is excited to continue our work to improve Youngstown neighborhoods and further enhance our strategies to improve health outcomes by strengthening neighborhood housing quality and infrastructure conditions," Ian Beniston, Executive Director, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.

Mid-size American cities face some of the nation's deepest challenges with entrenched poverty, poor health and a lack of investment. But they also offer fertile ground for strategies that improve health and have the potential to boost local economies. The program has the potential to fundamentally transform the way Youngstown improves opportunities to live healthy lives by addressing the drivers of health including jobs, housing, education, community safety and environmental conditions.

"With a long history in community development finance, we are excited to help create a pipeline to channel capital into low-income communities through public and private investments," said Amanda High, Chief of Strategic Initiatives at Reinvestment Fund. "Our goal is to transform how cities approach tough challenges, share lessons learned and spur creative collaboration."

Over the next 18 months, Invest Health teams will take part in a vibrant learning community, have access to highly skilled faculty advisors and coaches who will guide their efforts toward improved health, and receive a $60,000 grant. Youngstown will also engage a broader group of local stakeholders to encourage local knowledge sharing. Learning from the program will be synthesized and disseminated through the project website.

"Public officials, community developers, and many others have been working in low-income neighborhoods for years, but they haven't always worked together," said Donald Schwarz, MD, MPH, MBA, RWJF Vice President, Program. "Invest Health aims to align their work and help neighborhoods thrive by intentionally incorporating health into community development."

Project teams will travel to Philadelphia for a kick-off meeting on June 7th and will meet regularly to share lessons learned throughout the 18-month project. A full list of awardees and more information is available at www.investhealth.org.

To read the full story on wfmj.com, click here.

Three Northeast Ohio cities are among 50 across the country to receive $60,000 grants to support city leaders' collaboration in improving health in low-income communities.

Akron, Canton and Youngstown were each awarded money from the Reinvestment Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

They announced Tuesday a total of $3 million in awards for the Invest Health initiative, which focuses on community features that drive health, such as access to safe and affordable housing, quality jobs and places to play and exercise.

"The intent is to pull individuals together from different sectors to see how we can partner to make neighborhood changes to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes, using a little different of an approach," said Terry Albanese, Akron's assistant to the mayor for education, health and families. "It's not common for diverse sectors to pull together to try to make changes in a neighborhood that are sustainable. So this is what Invest Health is all about: guiding us in that process."

Mid-size cities (with populations between 50,000 and 400,000) were eligible to apply for the grants. These cities face some of the nation's deepest challenges — such as poor health and entrenched poverty — but also offer a foundation for strategies to potentially boost local economies, according to a news release.

Applicants were required to form five-member teams including representatives from the public sector, community development, and an anchor institution, preferably academic or health-related.

The city of Akron teamed up with Summa Health, Testa Companies, East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation and Rev. Diana Swoope from Arlington Church of God to focus on Akron's Middbury neighborhood.

The money funds the teams' travel to four convenings between now and the end of 2017 and a couple other gatherings that focus more specifically on cities' areas of interest. The leftover money is used to support further collaboration.

These focus areas are subject to change as the teams further explore topics, but Akron's primary focus area is on safety and environment with a secondary focus on housing. Youngstown will focus on housing with a secondary look at transportation. And Canton has prioritized education and training with a secondary focus on food production and systems.

"It hasn't been in the past that cities paid that much attention to their impact on health," Albanese said. "We've recently passed a resolution to include health in all policies, so we're beginning to look at all the decisions that we make across the city. How we spend money everywhere from roads to community centers to schools and to parks and recreation — what is the impact of this decision on health?"

Amanda High, chief of strategic initiatives at Reinvestment Fund, said it is "really very rare" to see collaboration between the community development sector and the health care sector.

"It happens in an ad hoc way, but it does not happen strategically as often as it ought to if we are really going to move the needle on health outcomes for low income people and places," High said. "And the hypothesis is that if collaboration among city sector stakeholders around health outcomes was more deliberate that we would see some increased momentum in terms of improvement of health equity."

To read the full story on crainscleveland.com, click here.

Youngstown is one of 50 cities chosen as part of the new “Invest Health” initiative to improve the health outcomes of people living in mid-sized cities.

Through a $60,000 grant, provided through Reinvestment Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, programs will be created that address factors that drive health.

The Youngstown team comprises representatives from the Youngstown City Health District, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, Youngstown State University Regional Economic Development Initiative, Mercy Health Foundation – Mahoning Valley, and Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and will work to reduce obesity and other chronic health disparities through improving infrastructure and the built environment and reduce long term developmental disabilities among children caused by substandard housing conditions.

Ian Beniston, executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC), said chronic health issues such as asthma, triggered by mold, and lead exposure are just a couple examples of how poor housing can impact health.

“Our cross sector team is excited to continue our work to improve Youngstown neighborhoods and further enhance our strategies to improve health outcomes by strengthening neighborhood housing quality and infrastructure conditions,” Beniston said.

Another challenge on Beniston’s mind is the obesity rate in Youngstown. Right now, the numbers sit at 35 percent for men and 48 percent for women.

Playground and parks are a big part of attacking that problem for YNDC. The goal is to provide space for adults to exercise and for children to play. Recently, Homestead and Glenwood parks received a $75,000 grant from the William Swanston Charitable Fund for new gym equipment to promote physical activity, and with the ‘Invest Health’ initiative, Beniston is hoping to see improvements at other parks in the city.

Project teams will travel to Philadelphia for a kick-off meeting on June 7 and will meet regularly to share lessons learned throughout the 18-month project.

Akron and Canton were also selected to participate.

A full list of awardees and more information is available at www.investhealth.org.

To read the full story on wkbn.com. click here.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Five government and nonprofit organizations representing the city make up one of 50 teams selected to take part in Invest Health, an initiative funded by the Reinvestment Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and share $3 million in grants.

The initiative seeks to transform how leaders in mid-size cities work together to assist low-income communities in regards to health, safe and affordable housing, recreation and quality jobs.

Teams formed by the cities of Akron and Canton also were among those selected. Nationwide, 180 teams from 170 communities applied for the program. Each team will receive $60,000.

The Youngstown team includes representatives from the Youngstown City Health District, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., Youngstown State University Regional Economic Development Initiative, Mercy Health Foundation – Mahoning Valley and Eastgate Regional Council of Governments. Erin Bishop, city health commissioner, says the team “is committed to reducing high rates of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes due to inactive lifestyles and long-term developmental effects resulting from exposure to lead in power quality housing and property conditions.”

Project teams will travel to Philadelphia for a kick-off meeting June 7 and will meet regularly to share lessons learned throughout the 18-month project. Invest Health teams will have access to faculty advisers and coaches who will guide their efforts. Learning from the program will be synthesized and disseminated through the project website.

“Public officials, community developers, and many others have been working in low-income neighborhoods for years, but they haven’t always worked together,” says Donald Schwarz, vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Invest Health aims to align their work and help neighborhoods thrive by intentionally incorporating health into community development.”

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, N.J., is the nation’s largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health. It was established 40 years ago by the founder of Johnson & Johnson.

The Reinvestment Fund, based in Philadelphia, describes its mission as building wealth and opportunity for “low-wealth people and places through the promotion of socially and environmentally responsible development.”

To read the full story on businessjournaldaily.com, click here.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Taft Promise Neighborhood will launch a community redevelopment initiative Saturday with a neighborhood clean-up and a block party at Taft Elementary School on the South side.

The Taft Promise Neighborhood is a coalition of organizations working together to stabilize and revitalize the Taft School area. The event, sponsored by TPN partners Mercy Health and Compass Family & Community Services, will introduce the initiative to residents, parents, educators, faith institutions, businesses and community groups.

The day will begin with a volunteer workday at 9 a.m. to clean and beautify the neighborhood around Taft School and paint a mural at Cadman’s Appliance on South Avenue. Neighborhood volunteers also will paint the house of a homeowner in need through a partnership with Operation Paint Brush.

The free block party, which will run from noon to 4 p.m., will feature food, raffles and entertainment by DJ Stan the Man. Activities for children will include bouncy houses, face painting, a storyteller, a chalk walk and free haircuts for kids.

According to initiative organizers, poverty in the neighborhood has increased nearly threefold since 1990. In 2011, 64% of families with children lived below the poverty line. Other neighborhood challenges include vacant and blighted housing, outdated and inadequate infrastructure and safety concerns.

The goal is to turn Taft Elementary School into a community hub, which will coordinate the programs of more than 50 partner organizations to provide services and resources for students, parents and residents. These include pre-kindergarten readiness, after-school programming, health screenings, access to healthful foods, community gardens, job training, housing repair and civic engagement.

The initiative operates within four councils the separately focus on education, health and wellness, jobs and the economy, and neighborhood. The Taft neighborhood is defined as Indianola Avenue to the north, Midlothian Boulevard to the south, Rush Boulevard to the west and Shady Run road to the east.

Other partners in the initiative include Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, YMCA of Youngstown, YWCA of Youngstown, Corporation for National & Community Service, AmeriCorps Vista, Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County, Youngstown State University, the city of Youngstown and South Avenue Area Neighborhood Development Initiative.

To read the full story on businessjournaldaily.com, click here.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

On Tuesday, May 17, the Tom Hetrick, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation; T. Sharon Woodberry, City of Youngstown; Debora Flora, Mahoning County Land Bank; and Marguerite Douglas, Lincoln Knolls Community Watch presented on Neighborhood Action Plans and Assets Based Micro Planning.

A PDF of the presentation can be downloaded below.

Youngstown was selected as one of 50 midsize cities to receive funding for an “Invest Health” initiative to improve the health of those living in low-income communities.

The city will receive $60,000 from the Reinvestment Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, two organizations that focus on health issues. Youngstown is among 50 cities selected to receive grants from 170 that applied. Akron and Canton also were selected.

The grant, announced Tuesday, will focus on providing access to safe and affordable housing, and places to play and exercise.

The city team comprises representatives from Youngstown City Health District, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., Youngstown State University Regional Economic Development Initiative, Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley and Eastgate Regional Council of Governments.

“Our cross-sector team is excited to continue our work to improve Youngstown neighborhoods and further enhance our strategies to improve health outcomes by strengthening neighborhood housing quality and infrastructure conditions,” said Ian Beniston, YNDC executive director.

The Invest Health team will work to reduce the number of occupied homes in serious disrepair with lead-hazard issues; reduce the number of abandoned properties littered with trash, debris and criminal activity; improve the safety and condition of sidewalks and streetscapes connecting residents to neighborhood assets; and enhance the condition of infrastructure in city parks and other public spaces, said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat.

“Youngstown will address health disparities linked to poor-quality housing and infrastructure by decreasing lead hazards in homes, reducing abandoned properties and enhancing public spaces,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th. “I am proud that Akron and Youngstown are using these innovative techniques to ensure that those in our communities are able to lead healthy, vibrant and secure lives.”

To read the full story on vindy.com, click here.

As the Farm to Table movement is growing nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the popularity of farmers markets also continues to rise.

There are many ways to pick up locally-grown produce in the Valley, including at Iron Roots Urban Farm, a 1.7 acre farm on the south side of Youngstown which is having its first plant sale this year.

Iron Roots is a project of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.

The farm will have herb and flower starts, as well as a variety of fruit and vegetable starts — including heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, blue potatoes, beans, blueberries and strawberries for sale. All of plants are grown right at the Iron Roots Urban Farm.

“We are not certified organic, but we use all organic practices. We take pride in the fact that everything that we have available is organic and free of chemicals,” said Jodi Yencik, the Iron Roots Urban Farm manager.

The plant sale will be taking place every Saturday through the month of June. Flats will be sold for $20 apiece and individual plants will be sold for $2.

For current product lists and ordering information, contact Jodi Yencik at jyencik@yndc.org or in the office at 330-480-0423.

The Idora Neighborhood Farmers’ Market will also start June 7. Located on Glenwood Avenue, the market offers fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. The market will also feature other local vendors.

Ian Beniston, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation’s executive director, said the farm and these events all help support the YNDC’s mission of working to transform neighborhoods into meaningful places where people invest time, money and energy into their homes and neighborhoods

“It’s come a long way in developing some small scale entrepreneurs but also creating another access point,” Beniston said. “We do have the farmers market that we do sell our produce at that as well as other venues, and now we have the plant sale. Hopefully, people can take advantage of that and start their own gardens.”

The Iron Roots Urban Farm also offers free planting and cooking classes to the public.

To read the fully story on wkbn.com, click here.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Many thanks to the Home Depot Foundation for providing $2,500 in support to Operation Paint Brush. The support was used to purchase ladders, scrapers, paint brushes, and other materials for the project.

As the Farm to Table movement is growing nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the popularity of farmers markets also continues to rise.

There are many ways to pick up locally-grown produce in the Valley, including at Iron Roots Urban Farm, a 1.7 acre farm on the south side of Youngstown which is having its first plant sale this year.

Iron Roots is a project of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.

The farm will have herb and flower starts, as well as a variety of fruit and vegetable starts — including heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, blue potatoes, beans, blueberries and strawberries for sale. All of plants are grown right at the Iron Roots Urban Farm.

“We are not certified organic, but we use all organic practices. We take pride in the fact that everything that we have available is organic and free of chemicals,” said Jodi Yencik, the Iron Roots Urban Farm manager.

The plant sale will be taking place every Saturday through the month of June. Flats will be sold for $20 apiece and individual plants will be sold for $2.

For current product lists and ordering information, contact Jodi Yencik at jyencik@yndc.org or in the office at 330-480-0423.

The Idora Neighborhood Farmers’ Market will also start June 7. Located on Glenwood Avenue, the market offers fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. The market will also feature other local vendors.

Ian Beniston, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation’s executive director, said the farm and these events all help support the YNDC’s mission of working to transform neighborhoods into meaningful places where people invest time, money and energy into their homes and neighborhoods

“It’s come a long way in developing some small scale entrepreneurs but also creating another access point,” Beniston said. “We do have the farmers market that we do sell our produce at that as well as other venues, and now we have the plant sale. Hopefully, people can take advantage of that and start their own gardens.”

The Iron Roots Urban Farm also offers free planting and cooking classes to the public.

To read the full story on wytv.com, click here.