Harambee Community Center Case Statement

South Linden: Improving from the Inside Out

It takes dedicated leadership to turn an economically depressed community around. In South Linden, that leadership is emerging through the tireless work of the people at Urban Concern. For fifteen years, Urban Concern has been building leadership among the youth and families of South Linden through strong education, family support and employment preparation. Our work has been so effective that it has been recognized with numerous national and local awards, including a George H.W. Bush ‘Point of Light Award.

We call it ‘work,’ but Urban Concern’s commitment to the South Linden community runs much deeper than 9 to 5. No less than eight (8) of our staff members have relocated their families to South Linden from outlying suburban neighborhoods. More importantly, these families have remained here for more than a decade. We are neighbors and home owners. And we are fiercely dedicated to improving the quality of life for all the people who live here.

At the core of improved quality of life lies the need for quality education. Urban Concern addresses this critical need by operating the Harambee Christian School.

Since opening in 1998, Harambee Christian School has established a distinguished record of academic achievement. Our students routinely outpace achievement levels of area public schools. For example, while local public schools achieve an average student performance at the 20th percentile on the Metropolitan Achievement Test (graphed in gold at left) low-income students at Harambee School achieve well above the 50th percentile (as graphed in blue) and this performance has been increasing steadily since Harambee’s inception.

But the great need in South Linden only begins with education. From there, the people and the community require a comprehensive support system that encourages economic, spiritual and personal growth. To these ends, Urban Concern operates an After School Program, Youth Bible Studies, the Parent Partnership Program and Summer Job Club for teens. Together and with the families of South Linden, Urban Concern will continue to improve the future of this vital community from the inside out.

The Need

In order to sustain and expand our efforts to transform South Linden at a grassroots level, Urban Concern and Harambee Christian School are proposing a $3 million capital campaign that will provide a multi-use community center and school facility.

Urban Concern needs a single, expandable base of operation to replace its current inadequate, scattered buildings. A new facility will allow for better coordination of efforts within the school and between Urban Concern programs. It will further allow more efficient delivery of services and provide a safer learning environment for Harambee students. With such a facility, we could more effectively prepare students for leadership in South Linden, which is our primary mission.

In the fall of 2005, Columbus City Council unanimously approved the sale of an abandoned police substation on Bonham Avenue to Urban Concern (the site is shown to the right). The property has been vacant for several years, creating an eyesore for local residents. While its primary use would be for the school, the Harambee Community Center would be a multi-use facility. It will provide office space for Urban Concern, as well as program space and a resource center for families of the community. Such a facility will support the holistic approach of Urban Concern to meet student and community needs.

Presently, Urban Concern programs and the Harambee Christian School are scattered in several buildings around the community (see map below). The primary educational facility is housed in a renovated laundry. The laundry building is undersized and ill equipped as an educational facility. Half of the classrooms have no windows. There is no library inside the K-3 building or space for physical education classes inside or nearby either building. The 4th-5th grade classrooms located in a renovated home sits several blocks away from the K-3 building, physical education classes, and the principal’s office.

Students attend physical education classes at the city recreation center, requiring transportation by car; and they must walk to another renovated house to use the library. Clearly such an arrangement is most inconvenient and inefficient, negatively impacting academics and safety. Furthermore, a lack of adequate parking causes congestion and dangerous conditions when parents are picking up and dropping off children.

Despite these conditions, students continue to advance in their performance compared to neighborhood peers, and parents welcome the opportunity to enroll their children at HCS. A permanent home under one roof will greatly enhance the learning environment in which older students can mentor the younger, and the hard-working, committed staff can support one another.

Finally, Harambee would be a visible life center for South Linden. Its presence would inspire hope and community pride, as well as enthusiasm about community involvement and leadership. All of the programs housed in this great facility would give the people of South Linden a vision for the future, sparking a new generation of leadership and a spirit of cooperation and volunteerism.

Project Budget

Our goal is to raise $3.25 million and to relocate Urban Concern programs and the school to Bonham Avenue.

We have received a commitment of $2 million to date. Thus, we are seeking an additional $1.25 million. A detailed budget for the project is included on the last page of this document.

The Board of Trustees, staff and volunteers at Urban Concern and the Harambee Christian School firmly believe that an investment in the South Linden neighborhood is key to a revitalized community and a better future. We invite your candid input to allow us to shape this vision into a workable reality.

Capital Needs Breakdown

Acquisition of Site at Bonham & St. Clair Avenues
	Abandoned Police Department Sub-Station	$83,000
	CMHA owned parcel west of Sub-Station property	$35,000
	Legal and professional fees	$15,000
	Subtotal Initial Site Acquisition	$133,000
Plans & Drawings
	Architectural and site plans	$75,000
	Civil Engineering	$20,000
	Mechanical and fire plans	$6,000
	Subtotal Plans & Engineering	$ 101,000
Site Preparation & Demolition:
	Utility permits and water/sewer tap fees	$95,000
	Soils testing and EPA Certification	$6,000
	Demolition of existing Police Sub-Station	$12,000
	Subtotal Site Preparation	$113,000
Construction Costs - Base School & Community Center:
	Six classrooms at $150,000 each	$900,000
	School and Urban Concern offices	$200,000
	School library	$200,000
	Common spaces: lobby, hallways, bathrooms, storage and utility	$300,000
	Multi-purpose gym and community meeting space	$600,000
	Subtotal Required Construction	$2,200,000
Contingencies		$100,000
Additional Critical Construction:
	Cost for Art/Music and Computer Center classrooms	$300,000
Outside Community Space:
	Community gathering courtyard: deck/patio and grill	$35,000
	Base landscaping: grass and minimal plants	$4,000
	Additional landscaping: trees, other ornamentals	$6,000
	Subtotal Community Program Elements	$45,000
School & Community Playground:
	Move and refurbish existing playground equipment	$4,000
	Additional community playground equipment	$15,000
	Playground mulch and fencing	$6,000
	Subtotal Site Community Play Area Elements	$25,000
Furniture & Equipment Basic Requirements:
	Classroom furniture and equipment	$12,000
	Library shelving, furniture and equipment	$5,000
	Office and workroom furniture and equipment	$10,000
	Multi-Purpose room seating	$5,000
	Multi-Purpose room multi-media equipment and curtains	$20,000
	Phone system and computer networking	$10,000
	Subtotal Required School Use Costs	$62,000
Total Capital Required		$3,079,000
Endowment		$150,000
Total Capital & Endowment Goal		$3,229,000

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