PURPOSE BUILT COMMUNITIES

The Purpose Built Communities model for holistic community revitalization was crafted from the successful transformation of the East Lake community in Atlanta, Georgia, in the mid-1990’s. Led by local real estate developer and philanthropist Tom Cousins, Atlanta Housing Authority President and CEO Renee Glover, local resident Eva Davis and key business leaders, the partnership took the community from a poverty-stricken, crime-ridden public housing development into a thriving community with quality mixed-income housing, a top-rated school, 95% reduction in crime rates and substantial investments in commercial and residential real estate.

By utilizing their three-pronged approach to community change with high quality mixed-income housing, cradle-to-college education pipeline and community wellness programs, Purpose Built Communities is helping to make a positive impact in some the country’s most challenging neighborhoods through organizations such as Woodlawn Foundation. To date, their Network Members lead comprehensive redevelopment initiatives in more than a dozen communities across the country.

Click HERE to learn more about Purpose Built Communities

EDUCATION PIPELINE

In the Spring of 2013, several partners joined Woodlawn Foundation in a collaborative effort to create a model school feeder pattern …

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MIXED-INCOME HOUSING

Providing high quality, mixed-income and single family housing options to Woodlawn residents has been the primary real estate strategy for Woodlawn Foundation since its inception …

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COMMUNITY WELLNESS

We believe community wellness is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being …

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REVITALIZING A COMMUNITYTHROUGH A PROVEN MIXED-INCOME HOUSING STRATEGY

The Park at Wood Station

The Park at Wood Station is a townhouse-style development comprised of 64 homes designed to fill the need for high-quality affordable housing in the Woodlawn community. The homes are rent restricted and designated for families meeting the required income levels. These apartment homes are equipped with both two and three-bedroom floor plans to meet individual needs. The Park at Wood Station is currently operating at a 100% occupancy rate with a substantial waiting list.

The Cottages at Wood Station

The Cottages at Wood Station are twelve single-family homes designed after bungalows that are original to the area. Developed by Woodlawn Foundation, ARC Realty, Design Initiative, and Drake Homes, these three bedroom / two bath homes are offered in three different floorplans and include a common green space that will be maintained by a Homeowners Association. The community is located three blocks from the Woodlawn Business District and just minutes from downtown Birmingham.

The homeowner
rehabilitation program (HRP)

The Homeowner Rehabilitation Program provides much needed repairs to homes in the Woodlawn community. The program supports existing homeowners by providing renovations that address health and safety issues and enhance the quality of life for residents whom otherwise might not be able to afford the repairs. Typical repairs may include roof replacements and floor stabilizations as well as plumbing and electrical system upgrades. The program helps reduce foreclosure risk and protects the equity in residents’ homes. Thanks to several corporate, community and national funding partners, HRP has served a total of 88 families to date.

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CREATING ACRADLE-TO-COLLEGE
& CAREER PIPELINE

Woodlawn Innovation Network (WIN)

In the spring of 2013, Birmingham City Schools (BCS), A+ Education Partnership (A+) and the Woodlawn Foundation joined in a collaborative effort to create a model school feeder pattern to serve children living in the Woodlawn area of Birmingham. The result was the Woodlawn Innovation Network (WIN) and its vision is: that every child is college and career ready when leaving high school, that every child has an intentional path forward upon graduation, and that every child graduating from Woodlawn High School has the opportunity to earn up to 60 hours of college credit during their high school years. WIN impacts approximately 2,900 student in PK-12th grades, or 12% of the BCS population.

Schools included in WIN:

Woodlawn High School
Hayes K-8
Putnam Middle School
Avondale Elementary
Oliver Elementary

WIN SUCCESS STORIES

Managers of Community Partners (MCP)
Woodlawn Foundation provides a Manager of Community Partners (MCP) in each of the five schools in the Woodlawn network whose sole purpose is to connect families to support services and coordinate partners in six areas: youth development, health, mental health, family support, education and community engagement. These school-level quarterbacks serve as front line support for parents at each school.

Early College
Early College gives Woodlawn High students the opportunity to earn up to 60 hours of college credit in high school. Early College is a partnership between Birmingham City Schools, University of Alabama-Birmingham, and Jefferson State Community College that gives Woodlawn High students the opportunity to earn up to 60 hours of college credit in high school. To date, Woodlawn High School students have earned more than 840 college hours through Early College.

Professional Development
Greater Birmingham Math Partnership (GBMP) and WIN are working together to assist teachers in using inquiry-based instruction to increase student achievement. Teachers from Avondale and Oliver Elementary Schools began working with GBMP during the summer of 2017 when teachers took a 4-day inquiry-based mathematics course on “Equations and Expressions” which then modeled the instruction that teachers would implement with their students. During this school year, teachers have been participating in follow-up monthly Professional Learning Community meetings to plan and then observe in-the moment lessons with WIN students. GBMP’s research since 2004 has shown that when teachers implement inquiry-based curriculum, student achievement increases.

Academic Achievement

Our collaborative work led to:

James Rushton Early Learning and Family Success Center

As a result of 2015-2016’s $7.1 million capital campaign, The James Rushton Early Learning Center opened in Spring 2017. The 16,000 square-foot facility accommodates up to 100 students, ages six weeks to four years old, with enrollment priority given to Woodlawn families. Tuition is based on need, with scholarships available to those meeting the criteria.

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CULTIVATING PARTNERSTO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS

We believe community wellness is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. In order to cultivate the healthy and safe neighborhood that Woodlawn’s citizens deserve, we are working with residents and partners to provide access to health services, wellness programs in schools, more green space, walking trails, healthy food, quality retail amenities, and more.

Helping Families Initiatives

Helping Families Initiative (HFI) is a collaboration between Woodlawn Foundation, Birmingham City Schools / Tarrant City Schools and the Jefferson County District Attorney Office created to address the chronic truancy issues facing students. HFI connects the students and their families to a case officer who provides resources to meet the needs of the whole family through support service organizations.

Gateway

Gateway’s Go2U School-Based Counseling and its licensed therapists have provided more than 2,000 hours of onsite, evidence-based, mental-health therapy to Woodlawn students (Oliver Elementary and Hayes K-8). By utilizing proven methods and techniques, therapists help students and families address their needs so they may be more successful in the classroom and beyond. With 77% of teachers seeing improvements in classroom behavior and student learning abilities, the results are game changing.

Jones Valley Teaching Farm

In 2016, Jones Valley Teaching Farm implemented working farm labs at all five schools in the Woodlawn network, providing gardens that serve as outdoor classrooms. Students plant, tend and harvest the fruits and vegetables at each farm lab, then sell the produce at student-run markets. Not only do students learn the science of growing fruits and vegetables but also how to run a business.

Click HERE to learn more about Jones Valley Teaching Farm.

Citizens On Patrol (COP)

The partnership between Woodlawn Foundation and the City of Birmingham Community Policing and Revitalization Division resulted in a corps of trained volunteers who are assigned to be in patrol groups and be the eyes and ears of the neighborhood to help reduce crime.

Christ Health Center

Christ Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center, that provides high quality healthcare to families of Woodlawn and surrounding areas regardless of their insurance needs. Services include access to primary care, dental services, professional counseling as well as an onsite pharmacy.

Click HERE to learn more about Christ Health Center.

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