MISSION: TO PROMOTE A COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY CENTERED ON QUALITY HOUSING, EDUCATION, HEALTH, WELLNESS AND OPPORTUNITY.
Homes are the essence of a healthy, vibrant community. Many people living in concentrated poverty lack affordable, quality housing options. Our model of mixed-income housing offers the environments and amenities to help residents thrive by elevating the standard of living for the lowest-income residents, while providing affordable housing opportunities for residents in higher income brackets.
In August of 2017, Building Uplifted Families (BUF), a community collaboration between Renaissance West Community Initiative, Novant Health, Carolinas HealthCare System, UNC Charlotte, and Mecklenburg County Public Health, has been awarded a $250,000 BUILD Health Challenge grant to improve the health and overall well-being of Renaissance West residents and neighbors along Charlotte’s West Boulevard corridor. BUF focuses on improving mobility by addressing disparities, enhancing local capacity, advancing partnerships, and improving preventative healthcare access.
Breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty needs to start early in life, at the foundation of our upbringing. We can help contribute to a great future by providing high quality educational options for everyone, regardless of income. We can accomplish this through an early childhood education center as well as a pre-K – 8 school.
Rather than focus on a single component of community change, holistic initiatives like RWCI typically include mixed-income housing, radically improved cradle-to-career educational opportunities, youth and adult development programs, jobs and job training, health and wellness programs, transportation access and recreational opportunities.
