"BEWCAkron | Wellness, Education & Community Support"

Initiatives

Housing / Community Development

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Housing: Provide funding to our Coalition Partners to redress the disparities in African American communities caused by the inequitable distribution of funds, redlining, urban renewal and other such discriminatory practices.

Special consideration is given to collaboration projects that address affordable housing, alternative housing, major and minor rehab construction projects, energy efficiency, neighborhood and community redevelopment, and educational programs for first time home owners, elders and veterans.

Priorities:

● Affordable Housing
● Home Ownership
● Alternative Housing
● Major & Minor Home Repair
● Financial Literacy
● Construction Projects
● Energy Efficiency
● Neighborhood & Community Redevelopment
● Educational programs for first time home owners, elders and veterans

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Health and Wellness

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Provide funding to our Coalition Partner programs and projects focused on impacting the social determinants of health in the African American community.

Special emphasis will be given to collaborative projects/programs that seek to significantly improve issues of drug abuse, use & addictions, pandemics such as COVID-19, top 3 health issues in the African American community, infant mortality, education, community awareness and

Priorities:

● Increase Infant Vitality
● Healthy Neighborhoods and Families
● Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment and Prevention
● AIDs Prevention and Education
● Allopathic & Homeopathic Practices
● Pandemics such as COVID-19
● Research Infant Mortality
● Education, Prevention, Community Awareness & Support
● Top 5 health issues in the African American community

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Youth Empowerment

Provide funding to our Coalition Partners to address issues in the African American community that has led to youth homicide, suicide, drug abuse and use, juvenile recidivism and purpose.

Special consideration is given to collaboration projects that empower youth in areas of career development, financial literacy, civic responsibility, trades and entrepreneurship.

Priorities:

● Community Support Systems
● Violence Prevention
● Mentorship, tutoring and coaching
● Leadership development
● Career Development
● Financial literacy
● Civic Responsibility
● Trades & Apprenticeships
● Business Development & Entrepreneurship

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Workforce Development

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The goal to provide funding to our Coalition Partners that are willing to develop and implement collective projects and programs whose focus is to assist individuals in entering or returning to the workforce.

Special emphasis is given to collaborations that serve those who have been previously incarcerated, and those who have little or no connection to the job market. Job readiness training, record expungement, transportation, and skill-specific training/placement, including soft skill development, are among the services that will be considered for support.

Priorities:

● Entrepreneurship
● Job Creation
● Job Readiness Training
● Business Ownership
● Trades & Apprenticeships
● Reentry
● Record Expungement Assistance
● Transportation
● Skill-specific training/placement, including soft skill development

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Our First Projects

Housing Initiative

BEWCA’s first project and introduction in the City of Akron is our Housing Initiative in Akron’s westside in Ward 4.

BEWCA’s unique collaborative approach to neighborhood and community development provides a best practice solution for long term growth and sustainability.

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Through BEWCA’s deliberative dialogue process, the Coalition Partners identified (3) housing priorities for Ward 4:

Priority 1 - To eliminate vacancy and blight through repairing and building homes, and increasing the availability of decent, safe and affordable housing.

Priority 2 - Creating and providing alternative housing options.

Priority 3 - Provide housing counseling to address / prevent evictions and

Collective Plan Priorities

● Affordable Housing

● Home Ownership
● Alternative Housing
● Major & Minor Home Repair
● Financial Literacy
● Construction Projects
● Energy Efficiency
● Neighborhood & Community Redevelopment
● Educational programs for first time home owners, elders and veterans

Housing Initiative Coalition Partners

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Health and Wellness Pilot Initiative

The impact of opioid use and abuse has reached epidemic proportions. This initiative utilizes the BEWCA Way, the community and our Network of trustworthy service providers to create a collective plan to positively impact opioid use and abuse in greater Akron/Summit County. Our strategic alliance with the national collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE) and Leveraging Hope Community of Practice initiatives supports our mission to use data to create best practice narrative to inform decisions and make equitable funding requests and outcomes.

Collective Plan Priorities

Create opportunities for community engagement, share the impact of opioid use and abuse and how to abate it.
Share data for future decision making.
Initiate BEWCA pre-pilot activities and community Harambee Circles.
Identify community service providers interested in becoming Coalition Partners who will use the “BEWCA Way” to develop a comprehensive Collective Plan, focused on creating a System of Care to abate opioid use and abuse in greater Akron