“The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go and not be questioned.” – Maya Angelou
This issue highlights a recent wrap up with the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund and ribbon cuttings for the Salvation Army shelter renovations and the Sankofa Sanctuary at Chickasaw Park.
Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund
The Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund (LAHTF) celebrated the completion of the final housing projects funded through ARP on June 17. This highlighted the successes in Louisville's goal to provide more affordable housing to its citizens.
The mayor, along with Christie McCravy, LAHTF and Elizabeth Strojan, Louisville Metro Housing Authority, and other leaders from around Louisville and Kentucky, gathered to honor the developments that were made possible by the $40 million investment from ARP funds. These funds have afforded some of Louisville’s most vulnerable residents new opportunities and have shown Louisville's commitment to equitable growth and stability.
“The LAHTF has a proven track record for deploying public funds into the hands of developers who meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable populations in our community,” said Christie McCravy, Executive Director of LAHTF. “The stories shared by residents now living in these homes are a powerful reminder of why this work matters.”
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The collaborations between these partners have completed the following seven projects: The Eclipse in Russell (pictured above), Gateway on Broadway (pictured at right), New Life Directions Ministries, Monarch Station, Portshaw, Iroquois Senior Living, and Wellspring.
“This work to make housing more affordable for Louisville families is changing lives,” said Mayor Craig Greenberg. “I want to thank the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Louisville Metro Housing Authority, and every developer and community partner who helped move these seven projects forward. We will continue our work and our investments so that every neighborhood has access to safe, quality, affordable places to call home.”
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"The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others." Albert Einstein
Salvation Army
Coming to Louisville in April 1883 then evolving with various locations throughout the city, in June of 2012, The Salvation Army purchased the "old" Male High School Building on Brook Street in downtown.
They moved the existing seven different locations, that included all of the programs, services, and administrative offices, to the Brook Street location in response to a growing need for their human services to be centrally located to help maximize their efficiency.
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For many years, the current shelter in the old Male High School, has been in need of repair and modernization. Thanks to several funding sources, including the American Rescue Plan and the BlueSky Foundation, the revitalization of the overnight shelter makes it a more modern, safe, and welcoming emergency shelter space. These changes will help support the growing homeless population.
The Salvation Army of Louisville hosted an official ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of these renovations on June 17. The ceremony featured remarks from project stakeholders and guided media tours of the newly opened space.
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Sankofa Sanctuary
On Juneteenth, Play Cousins Collective celebrated the opening of their Sankofa Sanctuary in Chickasaw Park. They invited their partners and members of the community to help honor their vision and planning.
Sankofa Sanctuary, funded in part by the American Rescue Plan via Metro United Way, received additional funding and support from Olmsted Parks Conservancy, MSD and Louisville Parks & Recreation Natural Areas Division, Bernheim Forest, and the Ready for K Alliance.
The playground is designed to help children explore, discover their environment, and play while learning about place-based Black history, storytelling, and culture.
Play Cousins Collective believes that such places like Sankofa Sanctuary, acts as a prevention and not a reaction. It reduces stress, connects families and community members, and focuses on family dignity.
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Play Cousins Collective says, "Play is liberation in practice."
They want the children of today to know more than technology and be able to lean into their creativity, sense of wonder, imagination, and be able to discover themselves.
Play Cousins Collective believes the problems of tomorrow will be solved by teaching our children about the well being of the community, environmental stewardship, civic engagement, and knowing they are part of something bigger.
Ashley Brandt, Director, Thriving Kids, Metro United Way, said, "Play Cousins Collective is a valuable resource to children and families in our community. Metro United Way was thrilled to partner with them to grow the programing they offer families by building a unique outdoor play space that fits not only their physical needs but aligns with their mission. We can’t wait to see all the impactful programming Play Cousins is able to bring to our community though Sankofa Sanctuary."
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"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning." Diane Ackerman
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