COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Promoting safer, healthier and more vibrant neighborhoods and creating avenues for financial security
All families need access to economic opportunities to succeed. When jobs are scarce, one of the few avenues to financial security available to struggling families is small business creation. WHEDco’s economic development programs empower families to become financially secure and promote safer and more economically vibrant communities by building local businesses.
- Home-based Childcare Microenterprise: WHEDco helps women to start and grow successful childcare businesses. These businesses provide children with nurturing environments in which to learn and grow, while enabling parents to seek and maintain employment.
- Food Business Incubation: WHEDco helps men and women grow successful businesses in the food industry by providing affordable commercial kitchen space in our Urban Horizons building to emerging food companies.
- Green Cart Businesses: WHEDco fosters entrepreneurship by assisting residents in opening Green Cart businesses, which in turn improves local access to healthy foods.
- Commercial Revitalization: WHEDco worked with local merchants and residents to develop the Southern Boulevard Merchant’s Association and continues in its efforts to revitalize the Southern Boulevard Commercial Corridor near our Intervale Green building.
Because the physical environment and community life have a profound effect on people, WHEDco works to improve conditions in the neighborhoods surrounding our housing. Beautiful, high-quality and healthy places enable residents to take pride in their communities and thrive. WHEDco’s community development work also includes:
- Advocating for improvements in street and subway safety
- Increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables, through Green Cart businesses and operating an urban farm
- Organizing community events and street fairs
- Promoting parks and green space improvements
