DETROIT, Oct. 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) today announced that Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation (CDC), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering and developing the city's North End, is the awardee for this year's Justice Grant.
For many years, Detroit's North End has suffered from severe poverty and disinvestment; almost 40 percent of the land in the neighborhood is vacant, and the population shrank 31.3 percent from 2000-2010, according to U.S. Census data.
Central Detroit Christian CDC's goal is to instill hope, faith and values in the community through education, employment and economic development. The organization helps to meet the real needs of the neighborhood in several ways, including:
- Education – The Center provides programs for school children to encourage them to be active participants in the classroom, continue on with education through college and help engage their parents in the student's overall education experience.
- Business Development – Central Detroit Christian CDC has helped build new businesses in the community to provide access to more goods and services while also opening the door to different career paths.
- Employment – In addition to creating more companies, the nonprofit also focuses on teaching young adults positive work ethic and important job skills through its Youth Work Development program, READY. More than 250 students have completed this program.
- Housing – The CDC provides safe, affordable housing and housing counseling to over 1,800 residents in the neighborhood annually. The organization is working to renovate and reconstruct 100+ local units to give quality housing to residents in the community.
Ian Wiesner, business development manager for Capital Impact Partners, which along with fellow CDFI, IFF, nominated Central Detroit Christian CDC for this year's Justice Grant, said the nonprofit deserves recognition for its hard work and dedication to creating positive change in the North End.
"Central Detroit Christian CDC serves one of Detroit's most impoverished neighborhoods through creating positive change and providing the resources necessary for growth," Wiesner said. "The CDC has truly made such a powerful, beneficial impact on the North End. I am so happy to see this grant be awarded to such a deserving organization."
OFN will present this year's Justice Grant Award to Central Detroit Christian CDC on Wednesday, November 11, during OFN's annual Conference taking place in Detroit.
About Central Detroit Christian CDC
The Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation (CDC) is a non-profit, faith-based organization committed to empowering people and creating positive opportunities for the central Detroit community. Our mission is that through Education, Employment and Economic Development, Central Detroit Christian CDC strives to transform individuals to reach their highest potential while transforming the community to be a place of Shalom.
About OFN
Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), the leading national network of private financial institutions, creates growth that is good for communities, investors, individuals, and the economy. Members of OFN are community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that deliver responsible lending to help low-wealth and low-income communities join the economic mainstream. Through 2013 OFN's network originated $34 billion in financing in urban, rural, and Native American communities. This financing has helped to create or maintain more than 720,000 jobs, start or expand nearly 120,000 businesses and microenterprises, and support the development or rehabilitation of nearly 1.5 million housing units and 9,500 community facility projects. For more information, visit ofn.org.