Newtowne Community Development Corporation: From Surviving to Thriving

The mission of Newtowne Community Development Corporation isto connect low-income households with opportunities to achieve economic and self-sufficiency. The Resident Services program of Woodside Garden Apartments, through interactions facilitated by a community-based food pantry and gardening program, identified female heads-of-households demonstrating behaviors resulting from unaddressed generational trauma and mental health needs. This project was designed to focus on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and “Effectiveness Training” to help these women move from Level I (basic physiological needs) to Level IV (achievement and accomplishment). This project focused on transforming the lives of ten (10) women from a “mind-set of hopelessness” to demonstrating, through their behaviors, “self-esteem,” which is expected to impact their total household. The continuous provision of trauma-informed services through intensive case management, mental health resources and personal development trainings facilitate this transformation. On behalf of all the participants, we thank AAWGT for allowing the program to extend its operations through December 31st of this year.