Land Bank Leads Revitalization Tour Across Youngstown

YSU Nonprofit Leadership Interns Witness Program Impact

The Mahoning County Land Bank recently organized a tour of Youngstown revitalization projects to show a group of Youngstown State University interns the impact of the Land Bank’s work.

Watch the virtual tour here:

Arranged by Jasmine Bailey, a YSU student interning this summer at the Land Bank, the tour was part of the YSU 2019 Nonprofit Leadership Summer Honors Internship Program, funded by The Raymond John Wean Foundation. 

“This tour is so powerful because we’re able to witness these land revitalization projects first-hand,” said Jasmine. “And it’s been such a major part of my internship experience, getting to meet these people.

“I grew up in this area and had no idea these kinds of projects were happening,” she said. “So it’s really awesome to see it all.”

In addition to Jasmine and Land Bank representatives, the tour included interns supporting Youngstown Area Goodwill, City Club of the Mahoning Valley, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation and the Youngstown Jewish Federation.

They all packed into a YSU bus and stopped at the following locations:

• Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 420 Clearmont Drive – The church has been working with the County Land Bank for years, purchasing land for its community garden, Hope for Newport Community.

• YNDC New Home Construction at 4212 Helena Avenue – YNDC is building new houses on lots that it purchased from the County Land Bank after vacant, abandoned, blighted houses were demolished.

• Know Your Neighbor Block Watch Butterfly Habitat, Ohio and West Dennick Avenues – The Land Bank leases property to the neighborhood block watch, which has turned it into a butterfly habitat garden, used to engage youth in neighborhood revitalization through enriching summertime programming.

• GROW Urban Farm by Flying High, 77 Bissell Ave. – GROW has been cultivating organic produce for years, but with the County Land Bank’s help it recently doubled its planting space.

• Side Lot Revitalization on Chalmers Avenue – William and Esther Johnson garden on vacant lots they picked up from the County Land Bank. William built an aquaponics system in his backyard, is renovating nearby vacant houses, which he also acquired from the County Land Bank, and is formulating plans to open a store around the corner.

The community partners spoke to the importance of strategic planning, grant-writing, securing funding and most importantly, collaborating with a variety of entities.

“Can people change Youngstown?” asked Debora Flora, Land Bank executive director. “They already are.”

As part of the nonprofit internship, the YSU students attend weekly seminars to learn about the work of 10 local nonprofit agencies. Each intern plans the seminar for his or her employer. Laura Dewberry, director of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, oversees the program.

Jasmine suggested the tour of the revitalization sites as an extension of the seminar.

“I was thrilled to hear Jasmine’s idea,” said Debora. “It really shows what the Land Bank is all about. We provided these entities with something necessary, which is land control, but it doesn’t end there. What they have achieved with their time, energy and passion is impressive.”

Read the Vindicator story about how nonprofits have built success through collaboration on these projects.