Success #1

JANUARY 2021 Start of Revitalizing Auburn Gresham: One Organization Changes a Community’ Landscape

Director of Special Initiatives and Neighborhood Business Development Center Norma Sanders, remembers a vibrant economy and the service-lined streets of their childhood, and know it’s possible to return the community to that same vibrancy. “I grew up just across the border of Auburn Gresham in Englewood, at a time when the corridors were vibrant and black owned businesses along our main business corridor in Auburn Gresham were the norm. This is the vision our collective business support teams on the Southside look forward to working towards.” GAGDCs team is leading the way, following and partnering with great collaborative partners, who have the same goals for our local businesses.

Khayeem Anderson, manager of two special service areas and a 10-year-long employee, witnessed a rise in crime in the early 90’s and identified GAGDC as the major force combating it. “I’ve seen major disinvestment,” Anderson said. “I joined GAGDC because I saw this storefront making economic changes along the business corridors, and I wanted to participate.”

The pandemic’s consequences solidified GAGDC’s role as Auburn Gresham’s economic support system. In 2020 alone, the neighborhood lost big-box-stores, and mom-and-pop shops. In response, GAGDC referred businesses to city and state resources and created a COVID-relief-grant to prevent further business shutdowns, and it had impactful results.

Nearly every daycare in the community sustained themselves utilizing technical assistance consultations and even grants from GAGDC, according to Sanders and we are carrying this consultation support into 2021.