1. MAHONING VALLEY
COMMUNITY TOOLBOX
What is a Promise Neighborhood?
The purpose of Promise Neighborhoods is to significantly
improve the educational and developmental outcomes of
children in distressed communities, and to transform
those communities by:
identifying and leveraging the organizations
within the community that are invested in
supporting the children
developing supportive, school-centered,
cradle-to-career programming for children and
their families
addressing the infrastructure needs within the
neighborhood
assessing outcomes through a rigorous evalua-
tion of the program
Creating Youngstown’s First Promise Neighborhood
In August 2015, a Strong Cities, Strong Communities
Americorps VISTA team began working in the Taft School
Area (TSA), a fifteen-block area that surrounds the Taft
Elementary School on Youngstown’s South Side. The
SC2 team’s goal is to stabilize and revitalize the Taft
neighborhood while building a Community Toolbox that
will coordinate partnerships and programs that can be
replicated in neighborhoods throughout the city.
The SC2 Community Toolbox has teamed up with United
Way to convene an advisory committee consisting of
representatives from the identified partner organiza-
tions that work within the Taft School Area.
The aim is to address the unique needs of the
neighborhood using a coordinated, holistic and
layered approach within four identified categories
of needs for the TSA:
Education:
To deliver educational programs that support students
& families from cradle to career.
Health & Wellness:
To improve health and well-being and promote healthy
behaviors.
Jobs & Economy:
To encourage workforce development and create
employment opportunities for residents.
Neighborhood:
To support resident-led revitalization efforts through
neighborhood engagement with a focus on housing,
infrastructure, and safety concerns.
TAFT PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD
These four categories align with the goals of the
Promise Neighborhood wraparound model and will be
further developed through four councils lead by
partner organizations.

2. Council Members:
Casa Madre/The Ursuline Sisters
CIRV
City of Youngstown
Public Works Department
Health Department
Compass Family
& Community Services
Congressman Tim Ryan’s Office
Green Youngstown
Happy Campers Learning Center
IBEW Local 64 WRBCTC
Inspiring Minds
Mahoning County Landbank
MCESC
MCTA
Mercy Health
The Metro Assembly of God Church
MVOC
Oak Hill Collaborative
Public Library of Youngstown
and Mahoning County
Regional Chamber of Commerce
Senator Schiavoni's Office
7th Ward Council
South Avenue Area Neighborhood
Development Initiative (SAANDI)
Step It Up Rental
Taft Elementary School
Taft School Area (TSA) Block Watch
United Way of Youngstown & the
Mahoning Valley
Ursuline Sisters Ministry
Merici Center
Western Reserve Port Authority
Workforce Development Board
YMCA
YWCA
Youngstown Minority Health
Youngstown Neighborhood
Development Corporation (YNDC)
Youngstown State University
REDI
United Returning Citizens
Plus additional members as identified
by the community
United Way’s Promise
The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley’s vision is to create and
develop cross-sector partnerships in Youngstown and implement specialized
common agendas and program maps based on data, to provide model/evidence
based curriculums, expanded learning & positive youth development opportunities
that support academic, physical, civic, social and emotional success.
The United Way will become the “backbone support” to the Promise Neighborhood
initiative with the promise to assist partners and work alongside them to facilitate
partnerships, connect dots, use data, develop and implement plans and communi-
cate the work of the entire partnership.
Community Toolbox First Year Goals & Objectives
In its first quarter, the SC2 Community Toolbox team has researched a number of
models, theories, and planning documents related to community-centered, resident-
led neighborhood development, and participated in a variety of local community
outreach activities. These efforts have resulted in relationship building, identification
of key stakeholders, creation of strategic partnerships, and short-term, mid-range,
and long-term project planning.
Create an inventory of neighborhood resources & needs
Build capacity of area block watches through trainings,
canvassing, projects, etc.
Community playground build for Taft Elementary
4H Garden project
1
Increase neighborhood engagement/participation
Build relationships with key institutions and stakeholders
Identify neighborhood strengths and needs
Coordinate development of a needs survey for the Taft School Area
2
Identify key partners
Develop Promise Neighborhood working groups/committees
Create local grant-making website for non-profits
Coordinate neighborhood cleanups and land reuse with partners
Develop and coordinate community partnerships3
Taft Promise Neighborhood
Community Resource Center
Development of South Ave. Corridor
Complete a 3-5 year strategic plan for4
Contact Information
Deborah Cunningham
Americorps VISTA,
White House Council on
Strong Cities, Strong Communities
dec4014@gmail.com
330-980-0152
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Rebecca Soldan
Americorps VISTA,
White House Council on
Strong Cities, Strong Communities
rebecca.soldan@gmail.com
330-301-1100
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Laura Weymer
Director of Community Impact
United Way of Youngstown
& the Mahoning County
lweymer@ymvunitedway.org
330-746-8494
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