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October 2003
9
CDC Recognized for Exemplary Stewardship
BY MARK WINEKA
SALISBURY POST
October 9, 2003
The Salisbury Community Development Corporation received
today a prestigious statewide honor for nonprofits.
At a Winston-Salem luncheon, the Salisbury CDC accepted the
2003 Nonprofit Sector Stewards Award from the N.C. Center for Nonprofits.
It was one of three N.C. groups recognized for exemplary
stewardship. The Center announced the 2003 Awards at its annual conference in
Winston-Salem, with 900 community leaders from across the state participating.
A large contingent of Salisburians attended, including eight
of the CDC's 11 board members. The board includes Salisbury Mayor Susan Kluttz
and City Manager David Treme, both of whom made the trip.
"The CDC is one of the most important things that has
happened here," Kluttz told the Post prior to the conference. "... I think
they're very deserving of it. I'm just very proud."
Other board members attending were President David McCoy,
Karen Alexander, Steven Fisher, Shirley Johnson, A.L. Mitchell and the Rev.
Nilous Avery.
Executive Director Chanaka Yatawara leads the CDC with
Community Development Coordinator Lou Adkins and Administrative Assistant Angela
Hedrick. They also were on hand today at the awards presentation.
The center recognized the Salisbury CDC for demonstrating
three characteristics of excellent nonprofits:
-
A comprehensive approach to achieving its mission.
-
The creation of partnerships to leverage its resources for
more impact in the community.
-
Exemplary practices in managing and leading the
organization.
Kluttz said the CDC has been important in providing new,
affordable housing for first-time homeowners while also finding ways to
stabilize fragile areas in the city such as the Park Avenue, West End and Jersey
City areas.
Salisbury City Council feels strongly that the CDC's work is
making the city safer and stronger, neighborhood by neighborhood, Kluttz said.
Kluttz said the CDC's partnerships help to improve race
relations and build bridges across different economic backgrounds and
neighborhoods. The CDC's educational component also empowers families to become
self-sufficient.
The Salisbury CDC began operations in January 1999. The
Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation of Salisbury awarded a grant of
$125,000 for its initial operating costs. Yatawara was the first employee.
As a winner of the Stewards Award, the Salisbury CDC receives
$500 to invest in professional development for its board and staff. It also
receives a work of art by Durham artist Galia Goodman to commemorate the honor.
The Salisbury CDC's work goes beyond renovating and building
houses, as demonstrated by its winning the Stewards Award, according to the
center.
In its Jersey City efforts, for example, the CDC's Homebuyers
Education Program enabled participants to take charge of their lives first
before owning a home.
Consumer Credit, F&M Bank and Cloninger Ford/Toyota provided
classes on repairing credit histories, writing checks, balancing statements,
buying a car and saving money.
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College taught a 10-hour course on
the details of owning a home. Adkins Home Inspections trained participants on
home maintenance, and the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service taught them
landscaping and yard maintenance.
The CDC equipped each of its Jersey City homes with a
computer center. Local banks donated computers and printers, KKA Architecture
gave computer tables and the CDC paid for one year of Internet access at rates
discounted by Internet of Salisbury.
Computer-savvy Catawba College students also spent a semester
with the adults and children in each family, offering computer instruction. The
students received college credit for community service.
The CDC works closely with the City of Salisbury and shares
its strategic plan with the City Council.
It has engaged 17 other local organizations and companies to
provide services at no cost or with deep discounts.
For example, all the teachers in the Homebuyers Education
Program donated their time.
KKA Architecture designed the Jersey City homes at no cost to
CDC. The nonprofit provided assistance with down payments by securing a grant
from the N.C. Housing Finance Agency.
F&M Bank, Central Carolina Bank and Citizens South Bank
provided mortgage financing at discounted rates and waived the expense of
private mortgage insurance.
The CDC tries to avoid potential conflicts of interest for
its board and staff by rotating among banks, which compete with each other to
provide the lowest interest rates for mortgage financing, Yatawara said.
"And we bid out our line of credit to all the banks in the
city," he added.
Spear Construction and the HOME Consortium helped to keep
construction expenses near cost, and Robinson and Associates discounted its
appraisal fees.
The CDC board follows a strategic plan and regularly
evaluates its own performance and the executive director based on progress
toward its mission.
It also identifies the specific perspectives and skills
needed on the board and actively recruits members from all parts of the
community, according to the center. A third of board members are residents of
low- to moderate-income housing.
"Mayor Kluttz almost coerced me into joining the board,"
board member Steve Fisher said. " I said no at first, but she practically locked
me in a room and told me how important the CDC's mission is until I said yes.
Committing to serve on this board was one of the best decisions I ever made."
Founded in 1990, the N.C. Center for Nonprofits is a
coalition of more than 1,500 nonprofit organizations of all sizes and types in
all 100 counties.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263, or
mwineka@salisburypost.com.
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