WCG 2023 Annual Report : simplebooklet.com

WCG is celebrating 35 years of serving the greater Piedmont neighborhoods and we are gratefulto have achieved this milestone with our residents! Over the past 35 years WCG has completed174 units of rental housing, 30 first-time homeownership properties and the preservation of 7green spaces including two greenhouses, community gardens and a tot lot. Community building requires persistence, patience, inclusion, diversity, economic empowermentand passion. WCG’s Board of Directors and its team have possessed these qualities sinceinception. We are a resident driven organization and strive to meet the needs of our communityas is requested by the community. In two thousand and twenty three WCG celebrated the completion of two first-timehomeownership properties located at 31-33 Merrick Street. The ribbon cutting held in April was acelebration of the community and our new homeowners, Mallory Shelly and Oscar DeSoto andtheir families. Our WCG team helped them through the mortgage process to ensure a smoothprocess to closing. We were grateful to celebrate the day with our funding partners who helped tomake this possible and our hard working students from YouthBuild Worcester. WCG is working towards the refinancing of our 16 buildings on 10 sites (73 units). We hope tobegin construction of this project in 2024. We propose to complete energy retrofits, solarinstallations and utilize electric heating systems, removing gas wherever possible. We know inthese times when utility bills are at an all time high the financial impact it has to our residents. Wehope these highly energy efficient renovations will improve the lives of our residents. WCG is finalizing plans for three new home ownership opportunities set to break ground in Spring2024. These homes will fall under the umbrella of our WCG Community Land Trust protectingthem to be affordable in perpetuity. In 2022 a Transformative Design Initiative (TDI) was awarded to the City of Worcester anddedicated to Pleasant Street from Mass Development. TDI is led by a fellow and works to helpempower small businesses, enhance the streetscape and improve the overall quality of life in thisdesignated area. WCG’s Community Organizer has been working with the TDI fellow to help carryout the goals derived from community input. WCG also agreed to be the fiscal conduit for theproject. Many events, movie night, halloween at The Cage, zumba/yoga at Peace Park, Earth Dayclean up, mural installation planning, planter box installations and more have resulted in thiscommunity effort. We look forward to the planned projects in 2024. WCG reinvigorated the Trinity Lutheran Basketball Teams in 2023 which ended when thepandemic hit. Every Saturday morning for eight weeks players and their families attended games,created friendships and had breakfast supplied by the Trinity Lutheran volunteers. We celebratedour players providing dinner and a day at the Hanover Deck at Polar Park.All the work that WCG accomplishes year in, and year out is due to our incredible partnerships. Wecollaborate with City and State agencies for funding critical affordable housing projects, individualdonors, foundations, and corporate sponsors who believe in our mission and our committedresidential led Board of Directors and dedicated staff. It takes all of us to build a better communityand we are grateful for the support.Sincerely,Yvette Dyson Executive Director26Ramon Borges-MendezResident & Board Chair Jono O’SullivanResident & ClerkJanet FrazierHomeownerAmie Cox HomeownerMallory ShellyHomeownerSam SmithCommunity MemberEddie JimenezTreasurer &Business Owner Ramon Borges-MendezBoard Chair A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR ANDBOARD CHAIRBeing a part of the Worcester Common Ground Board is a way tomeaningfully engage in thoughtful dialogue and action on ourcommunity development practices. If you are interested in exploring an opportunity with our Board ofDirectors, please contact Yvette Dyson at 508-754-0908 orydyson@wcg-cdc.com.Growing our BoardBOARD OF DIRECTORSOur Board, comprised of 70% neighborhood residents,promotes grassroots community action through leadershipopportunities and capacity building.

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Amanda Dye is a student at Clark University, majoring inGlobal Environmental Studies with a minor in Studio Art.She is passionate about making science more accessibleand bringing the natural world and sustainability intoeveryone’s lives through art and design. She is working onseveral sustainable projects at our greenspaces, fromadding edible fungus cultivation and vermicomposting tohosting Community Farm Days and agricultural workshopsat the 7 Jaques Ave Bioshelter. In addition to greenspaces, she also works closely with our CommunityOrganizer to write grants, plan community meetings andcreate empowering social programs.Amanda DyeIntern Rhea HarriganIntern25Rhea joined us during the Spring semester of 2023 as partof her Health Plan and Promotion class at Worcester StateUniversity. She graduated that Spring with a bachelor’sdegree in public health and Spanish for healthprofessionals. With WCG, Rhea assisted our CommunityOrganizer with events such as the Trinity LutheranBasketball League, as well as helping to get our greenspaces and community gardens up and running for thegrowing season. Rhea has experience learning about foodsystems and sustainable farming practices during hersemester abroad in Chile and was excited to shift gears tourban farming/gardening in Worcester.Chloe TomblinInternChloe interned with us during Spring 2023 from ClarkUniversity where she graduated with her B.A. in PoliticalScience with a Pre-Law Concentration. Her previous workexperience included interning at a law office. Shecontinued her education at Clark by attending graduateschool for a Master’s in Community Development andPlanning. At WCG she spent time working closely with ourProject Manager and Community Organizing assisting ingrant writing, real estate planning, and redesigning theWCG website. Target Area & CDCs..........................................3Community Land Trust....................................5DEI & Strategic Planning..................................7Housing Projects..............................................8Sustainability & Green Spaces......................11Community Engagement..............................13Financials.......................................................19CITCs & 2022 Funders.....................................21Staff.................................................................23Board of Directors.........................................26TABLE OFCONTENTS

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3Annessia joined us in January 2022. She is responsible forconducting outreach and creating strong relationships with WCGtenants and homeowners as well as residents and the localbusinesses within the Greater Piedmont area. Her work will alsofocus on collaborating with residents to generate and implementideas to improve the neighborhood and identify any challenges towork toward solutions. She has previously volunteered at othernonprofits that similarly focus on helping underserved populationsand communities. Her past work also involves advocating forlabor rights and safety. Annessia has a B.A. in English fromSuffolk University. Annessia JimenezCommunityOrganizerGiovanni Ayala Asset ManagerGiovanni joined us in May 2022. He oversees managing each ofour properties, including the rehabilitation of our existingproperties, and monitoring our vacant lots and greenspaces. Hesupervises our property and facilities manager, working closelytogether to ensure all units are operating at their best. He alsoassists our real estate manager in acquiring new properties andcompleting first time home ownership opportunities. Giovanni is alocal entrepreneur, he started his own business in creditconsulting, and has previously worked in banking and sales. Hemakes a great addition to our team as he grew up in Worcester, inthe Piedmont neighborhood, and is bilingual in English andSpanish. 24Our target area, which we refer to as the Greater Piedmont Area, encompasses threecensus tracts, 7314, 7315 and 7316, within the City of Worcester (see map). These tractsare generally bound by Salisbury Street on the north, Main Street on the east, May Streeton the south and Park Avenue on the west. The Greater Piedmont neighborhoodsconsist of several neighborhoods with distinct identities that abut and, at times, overlapeach other. The most organized neighborhoods are Piedmont, Castle Street, Crown Hill,and Elm Park. TARGET AREAThe concentration of WCGdevelopment activity is in tracts7314 and 7315. Theseneighborhoods extendsouthward from Pleasant Streetto May Street and present themost severe conditions ofdisinvestment, blight, andurban decay. An owner-occupancy rate of 10% and thehigh level of absentee landlordsreinforce these conditions.Walter TorresFacilities ManagerWalter joined us in June 2023. He is responsible for themaintenance of WCG apartment units, buildings, and greenspacesto ensure they are operating at their best. He also manages allinspections, as well as move ins, and move outs. Walter has livedin Worcester his whole life and currently resides in Main South. Heis bilingual in English and Spanish, making it easier to connectwith both residents and vendors. His work experience includesmaintenance, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, with a specializationin horticultural cultivation through maintaining growing systemsand climates for plants.

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Jeshenia LuyandoResident ServicesCoordinator (RSC)Jeshenia joined us in Spring 2006 and served as our propertymanager for 16 years. In Fall 2022, she transitioned into the newlydeveloped position of Resident Services Coordinator (RSC). Thisposition will serve as a liaison between our residents and our propertymanagement team. She will meet with residents to create serviceplans that effectively meet their needs as well as developingeducational and service programing in tandem with our communityorganizer. Jeshenia has experience working in social services and asa legal secretary, before becoming an integral part of WCG. Over her16 years with WCG she has developed strong relationships with eachof our tenants making her the perfect person for this newly establishedposition. Yvette joined us in April of 2001; her work here has beendescribed by our funders as among the best in the state. Shehandles construction management, project development andeverything involved in getting our projects from conception tocompletion. After graduation from Simmons College, shecontinued her training as an architect at the Boston ArchitecturalCenter and as a licensed construction manager. Her attention todetail and broad understanding of construction and financing hasresulted in the outstanding projects we have completed and areplanning. Yvette was the Director of Development until becomingWorcester Common Ground's Interim Executive Director in 2012.She was formally appointed Executive Director in July 2013.Tim GilbertProject ManagerTim has been with WCG since August 2020. As the projectmanager, he is responsible for a variety of real estatedevelopment projects, from smaller projects, such as theconstruction of a single-family home at 24 Merrick Street, to largermixed-use, multi-unit developments, such as 126 ChandlerStreet. Tim comes to WCG with a background in urban planning,community development, and affordable housing, havingpreviously worked for the City of Worcester’s Planning Division,as well as served two terms as an AmeriCorps volunteer withNeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley. Tim has an M.A. inCommunity Development & Planning and an M.B.A. from ClarkUniversity, in addition to a B.S. in Sociology from Worcester StateUniversity.Yvette DysonExecutive Director23DID YOU KNOW? Community Development Corporations are 501(c)(3) registerednon-profit organizations. These organizations work to revitalizeneighborhoods, address complex and systemic issues, andstrengthen the community through access to affordable housing,community programming, and opportunities for economicdevelopment. Worcester Common Ground focuses on the impactthat affordable housing can make on rebuilding a community, fromtraditional rental units to retail spaces, as well as first-time homeownerships. In addition to housing, we preserve and maintaingreenspaces for both resident and public use to bring neighborstogether, produce healthy food for the community and provideopportunities for agricultural education and business.There are more than 60 CDCs in Massachusetts whom are allpart of a larger association under the MassachusettsAssociation of Community Development Corporations(MACDC). This association offers opportunities for networkingamong other CDCs, provides resources, and advocates forracial equity and stronger community development legislativebills throughout the state. MEET OUR TEAMWhat is a CDC? 4

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5One of the primary financial tools used to implement our CommunityInvestment Plan, is the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC). Createdin 2012, the Community Investment Tax Credit is designed to supporthigh-impact, community-led economic development initiatives through astrategic, market-based approach that leverages private contributionsand builds strong local partnerships.Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC)Increase and Improve Community Driven PropertyDevelopment and Preservation ActivitiesIncrease and Improve Community Leadership CapacityImprove Economic Health of Catchment Area Residents andBusinessesFrom dollars to development: mission-drivenfundraisingFundraising through the Community Investment Tax Credit Program is criticalto Worcester Common Ground’s financial success.In 2021, WCG received an allocation of $150,000 in CITCs.CITCs are a mission-driven, mutually beneficial way to support to communitydevelopment work. YOUR contribution of $1,000 or more will provide you with a 50% credit onyour state tax returns. WE receive the total donation and have more autonomy over how thosedollars are invested into our neighborhood. As outlined above in the Community Investment Plan, your CITC contributionssupport structural improvements in neighborhood housing stability, personalfinancial health, wealth generation, and quality of life. Worcester Common Ground's Community Investment Plan includes these3 crucial elements as to how the organization will meet its strategic goals.22116 Piedmont St. Affordable housing and the emergence of land trusthousing.In the early 1960s, the United States embarked on, at the time, an ambitious "war onpoverty." One part of that “war” was the creation of privately developed, publiclysubsidized affordable housing, mostly within the rental market. Private developers weregiven tax credits for their development of large rental properties that had a certainpercentage of affordable housing units for households that met certain incomerestrictions. Those affordable units were required to meet affordability restrictions for aspecified amount of time, often 20 years, at which point those affordable units wouldre-enter the open market allowing developers to charge whatever rent the marketwould sustain. To this day, cities have relied primarily on this form of affordable housing development,referred to as “expiring use affordable housing”, to provide some level of affordablehousing in their communities. Predictably, when the 1980s came, a large percentage ofaffordable housing disappeared off the market and the country was hit with a majoraffordable housing crisis. In response to this crisis, and with the support of the Institute for CommunityEconomics (ICE), Worcester Common Ground was founded to embark on a new modelof affordable housing called community land trust housing. This model was alsoemployed in other parts of the country, including Boston at the Dudley StreetNeighborhood Initiative, Burlington, Vermont, and numerous other areas around thecountry. In short, the land trust movement separates the land from the building with amunicipality or community organization maintaining ownership of the land. The land-owner attaches resale and use restrictions to the land, and therefore ensuring that theuse of the buildings meets community needs for as long as the organization species. Because of the land lease deed restrictions, Worcester Common Ground'shomeownership properties will remain owner-occupied by first time homeowners andaffordable to households at 30-80% of median income for 198 years. This allows theorganization, and the City, who funds many of our projects, to expand and build on thestock of affordable housing, instead of continually struggling to replace expiring useaffordable housing. As is the case with any new attempt to address an age-old problem, there comes atime when it is important to look at what the new solution is really accomplishing. AsWorcester Common Ground approaches the end of our fourth decade, we arecurrently evaluating our land trust housing model to see what it is accomplishing, andwhat problems have surfaced over time. Stay tuned for the results of that process...

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21 62022 DONORS &FUNDERSWyatt & Erika WadeWilliam BelcherBradley BuitenhuysMichele DysonJonathan WilsonMargaret & Richard RushlowShari & Bob FrigonESM Property Group - Elisha LynchWorcester Housing Authority: LandlordIncentive United Way of Merrimack Valley The Health Foundation of Central MassEastern Bank Foundation Davis Square ArchitectsCurtis Construction Co.The Wallace Family George Alden TrustSandra Rose and Joseph BearakBlue Hub CapitalWillow Tree Fund People's United Community Foundation Plourde Family Charitable TrustRockland Trust FoundationCommonwealth Green Low-IncomeHousing CoalitionDigital Federal Credit UnionUMass Memorial Health Care, Inc.Santander Charitable Foundation Greater Worcester Community FoundationLiberty Compassion Inc.Individual Gifts&MembershipsCorporate ContributionsCommunityInvestmentTax CreditsGrantsInclusionary ZoningInclusionary Zoning (IZ) is a method of integrating affordable housing options into newhousing development within communities. By implementing IZ, a percentage of each newhousing building is set aside as affordable housing, protecting residents from running out ofaffordable housing opportunities. In May of this year, the City of Worcester passed aninclusionary zoning ordinance that requires that new developments of 12 or more units willhave to set aside 10-15% of the units as affordable. 10% of the units are to be rented at 60%area median income (AMI), (a family of 4 earning at or below 56,000 per year), and 15% newunits rented at 80% AMI (a family of 4 earning at or below 76,000 per year). The Worcester Together Affordable Housing Coalition, which included our very own YvetteDyson, worked on the IZ ordinance tirelessly. Advocating for a higher percentage of units andfor those units to be rented at or lower than 60% AMI and to include ADA units for handicapaccessibility. An amazing turnout of over 100 residents raised their heartfelt concerns with theneed for affordable housing and urged the City Council to consider the proposal as outlinedby the Worcester Together Housing Coalition for a stronger IZ law. Ultimately, the original, lessstringent ordinance as written by the City is what was adopted. This process did, however,encourage a crucial residential effort and this work will continue. As new residents begin to move into Worcester and the city welcomes the economicprosperity derived from additional housing and construction projects, we also must accountfor the city’s residents that are already in need of affordable options and have lived inWorcester for generations. IZ protects Worcester’s restaurant workers, personal careassistants, educators, hospitality workers and more - each person vital to the community anddeserving of housing in the city in which they work. It is vital that the implementation of IZ is monitored to determine the efficacy of theordinance. In particular, it is important to understand if, instead of building new affordableunits, developers are opting out by paying the in-lieu fee that will help to bolster theAffordable Housing Trust Fund. Our housing crisis continues to grow at a rapid rate. IZ may not answer theimmediate need, but it will help to plan for future generations and ensure that theresidents who make up the backbone of our city can still call Worcester their home.

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147116 Piedmont St. 7 20116 Piedmont St. Changes in net assets without donor restrictions: Revenues, Supports & Gains: Rental income 629,834 Program service fees 43,757 Grants & contributions 1,886,732* Interest & miscellaneous 269,089 Developer & overhead fees 485,000 Net Assets Released from Restrictions 00,000Total revenues, support & gains without donor restrictions $ 3,314,912 *Reflects WCG as a pass through for state tax credits.WORCESTER COMMON GROUND, INC. CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIESFOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022Expenses: Salary & Wages 387,048 Other Personnel & Related Costs 114,169 Depreciation & Amortization 175,775 Repairs, Maintenance, Rent & Insurance 363,721 Other Occupancy Costs 188,184 Liability Insurance 46,652 Other Office Costs 126,306 Total $ 1,401,855In 2021, with the support of One Worcester, a nonprofit that provides consulting to other non-profits in Worcester, WCG hired Dr. Isaac Tesfay to consult on how we could better achieve ourgoals in diversity, equity, and inclusion. He developed trainings, programs, and policies to help usstrengthen our organization. This generated deep, thoughtful, and often challenging conversationsabout who we are as an organization and how we serve our community.Moving forward into 2023 and continuing our relationship with Dr. Isaac Tesfay, the WCG team hasdug deeper both personally and professionally into our DEI methods. In the past year, each teammember has created a DEI plan. Including goals such as seeking to eliminate bias in decisionmaking, identifying daily practices to address inequities, WCG Team building, develop hiringpractices for minority and women owned business, learn to speak Spanish, overcome barriers topublic speaking and the list goes on. This list will continue to grow as we learn how to betterintegrate DEI principles into WCG operations. We have had some successes in breaking down institutional racism, beginning with addressingInclusionary Zoning in a meaningful way as discussed on page six, as well as working with otherWorcester residents and organizations to create an Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the passingof Community Preservation Act. These are topics that have been in discussion for years and, finally,action was taken. There are more issues that WCG will need to face at the podium for our residentsand it is our promise to provide equitable requests to the decision makers. As we near the final quarter of 2023 we are again working with Dr. Tesfay to integrate DEI principlesinto the creation of our 2024-2027 strategic plan to ensure we better address the PiedmontCommunity needs. He will be conducting interviews with a myriad of people to ensure we hear ourcommunity needs and structure a strategic plan that aligns with current and future communityneeds. This is the first time we are systemically embedding DEI practices into our operations anddoing so strategically and methodically. This will better prepare us to serve our communities,operate more inclusively, and further enhance our community engagement efforts, creating astrategic planning team with residents to further our diversity, equity and inclusion principles so thatit is embedded in our work into the future.DEI Training & Strategic Planning

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8 WCG HOMES - Refinancing our Properties WCG has reached the point in which we need to renovate 16 buildings onten sites (73 Units). The project is a mix of 21 one-bedroom, 13 two-bedroom, 33 three-bedroom, and 6 four-bedroom units.While we have worked hard to maintain the buildings in good conditionwhile inhabited and at turnover, many of the units need more substantialrenovations in order to keep them habitable and comfortable for ourresidents. At a minimum, units will undergo renovations in the kitchens andbathrooms. Several buildings will undergo what is called a “deep energyretrofit,” where they will undergo re-siding with additional insulation and airsealing, and conversion of the gas mechanical systems to electric. We arealso working on a plan to install solar panels at these buildings. Undergoing this refinance and renovation will have an immensely beneficialimpact on the community, as it will help to maintain affordable housingwithin the city, as well as support the social, economic, health, andenvironmental stability. Such work is particularly important at a time wherethe cost of living, including housing, has risen so sharply.8Prepared by Davis Sq. Architects57%19%15%8%1%28%26%13%13%9%8%3%UNDERSTANDING THE NUMBERSThere are a couple key points to keep in mind when looking at financial statements fromnon-profit organizations such as Worcester Common Ground. First, our rental properties have long term contingent liabilities attached to them.However, as a non-profit, much of that debt is forgiven in the future as long asWorcester Common Ground continues to meet these loans’ requirements. When thesecontingent liabilities pass the affordability period, they are then booked as income toour financial statement.Second, as a provider of housing to low income families who often need subsidies fromvarious agencies to meet their rent obligations, WCG is subject to rental rates set byHUD. Furthermore, WCG is monitored by federal agencies to confirm that our familiesmeet particular income qualifications. While we strive to minimize operating costs,maintaining quality properties while subject to rental rate caps sometimes meansaccepting losses.ExpensesOfficeSalary & Wages Other Personnel Related Costs Repairs, Maintenance, Rent,and InsuranceOther Occupancy ExpensesDepreciation & AmorizationLiability Insurance19Interest and MiscellaneousRental IncomeProgram Service FeesGrants and ContributionsDeveloper & Overhead Fees IncomeFINANCIAL STATEMENT

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1831-33 Merrick Street 9Expanding HomeownershipIn the spring, we finished our newest homeownership project at 31-33 Merrick Street. This was a vacant lot that we were able to turn intotwo beautiful homes for two deserving families. These homes weresold at or below 80% of the area median income, giving thesefamilies an opportunity to own their own home. 31-33 Merrickinvolved the construction of an energy-efficient, all electric duplex,each side consisting of three bedrooms and two full bathrooms.In March, we held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate thismilestone for the two new first-time homebuyers, Oscar and Mallory,where the homeowners and other project participants shared storiesand kind words about the journey of creating 31-33 Merrick Street. Ahuge thank you to UMass Memorial Anchor Mission, MassHousing, FirstUnitarian Church Worcester, Worcester Area Mission Society, TrainingResources of America, YouthBuild Worcester, Perro Construction, HaleyDesign Building, Saint Gobain, Charlesbank Homes Foundation,Santander, W yman-Gordan Foundation, and The Fletcher Foundationfor their contributions to this project. DISMAS FAMILY FARM CSADismas Family Farm and WCG have had a long partnership thathelps to provide our residents with fresh fruits and vegetablesfrom June to October at no cost. Dismas Family Farm’s missionis to help reintegrate previously incarcerated individuals byhousing them and teaching them valuable skills on the farm.The residents and staff tend to the farm together to be able togrow delicious fruits and vegetables that we then get todistribute to our community. Each year, more than 15 residentsbenefit from this program.

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17 10Thanks to our partnership with the UMass Memorial AnchorMission, WCG was able to purchase 116 Piedmont, a lot that hasbeen vacant for more than 20 years. The goal of the AnchorMission is to improve the quality of life in more vulnerablecommunities by investing in employment, education, and housing.To do so, the Anchor Mission provides WCG low interest rate loansto support the acquisition of properties that will become twohomeownerships. Building a Pipeline - 116 PiedmontThis lot will be transformed into three first-time homeownershipopportunities for families, as part of our Community Land Trustmission to ensure access to homeownership for income-qualified residents in perpetuity. Furthermore, the first floor unitwill be fully accessible. Community Spotlight: TLK Sports - Luis Ojeda & Teju RichardsonThe mission of TLK Sports is to teach student-athletes core skills andtechniques to foster high-level sports competition in a variety of sports. Their programs and services teach youth the importance of teamwork,relationship building, and focus on individualized player development.They run programming year long but in the Summer and Fall seasonstheir programming takes place at The “Fatty Jenkins” Cage basketballcourt in the heart of the Piedmont neighborhood. Programming ranges from basketball clinics, volleyball, bike safetyworkshops, and an annual Halloween Trick or Treat event also held atThe Cage. Each of these programs enhance their mission by supportingpersonal growth and create pathways for urban youth and young adultsto achieve success. TLK believes in creating programs that support community engagementand provide youth opportunities to engage in positive, fun activities inan environment where all are welcome.

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1116Our Community Gardens continued to thrive this season thanks to our caringresident gardeners. Our greenspaces include both tilled and no-till plots, as wellas raised beds, for growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. This year,gardeners grew peppers, jalapenos, collards, squash and much more to be ableto have healthy food to eat at home and share with friends. As always, we wantto thank our partner the Regional Environmental Council for helping ourgardens run at their best and providing our gardeners with a variety of seedlingsevery year! The Pleasant Street area was chosen by Mass Development for aTransformative Development Initiative (TDI) grant. This is a three yearlong process that will activate the area through economic development,community initiatives, and small business support. The first year of TDIwrapped up this fall and the partnership was able to achieve manyactivities and programs to stimulate growth within the area. Theseprograms included an Art Market in the Fall at Winslow Peace Park, TDIsupported TLK Sports Trick or Treat at The Cage and hosted a festivescreening of Hocus Pocus at Peace Park. The partnership awardedmore than ten local businesses with small business grants to helpsupport them in daily operations or beautification projects. In thesummer, TDI hosted a Health Fair which kicked off a weekly fitnessseries with yoga, zumba, and dance classes that were taught byteachers from the local studios. We are excited to see what the secondyear of TDI brings! At the Jaques Ave Bioshelter, our intern Amanda led a fungi project usingrecycled cardboard and paper products to grow mushrooms indoors andoutdoors. They cultivated various types, including Oyster, Wine Caps, Shiitake, andplan to add specialty mushrooms. WCG organized a Community Farm Day in April,featuring workshops on Shiitake log creation, free seeds and seed potatoes weredistributed. Everyone worked together to kick-start the growing season, bypreparing their raised beds while enjoying some hot dogs. Amanda also introducedvermicomposting, reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Soon, they willoffer worm fertilizer products to gardeners for free, enhancing yields andimproving soil ecology.GREENSPACESTransformative Development Initiative

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15Rooftop Greenhouse | 126 ChandlerAtop our 31-unit affordable housing complex at 126 Chandler Street, is arooftop greenhouse. It features a hydroponic growing system whichuses water and added nutrients, rather than soil, as the growingmedium. This can be a healthier way of growing food as it avoids the useof pesticides, which then keeps the food cleaner. The process alsoallows for year round growing so residents and community memberscan enjoy fresh vegetables all year long. Tom Haffly from Central Mass,CEA LLC brought his expertise to the site and ensured that each systemand mechanism required for climate control was properly installed. Inthe Spring, employees from Worcester Common Ground joined togetherfor a clean-up day at the greenhouse, kick-starting the space for asuccessful year of growing.SUSTAINABILITYTrinity BasketballIn February and March, students from Chandler Elementary,Woodland Academy, and the Pleasant Street NeighborhoodNetwork Center were finally able to come together to reinstateour Trinity Basketball League to play basketball at the TrinityLutheran Church after three years without the tournament, dueto the COVID-19 pandemic.With help from volunteers, the church, local colleges, and nearbyhigh schools, we held a successful league! We cannot wait fornext year and for more teams to participate for maximumcompetition and fun!The greenhouse will be accessibleto all residents in the building andwill be utilized as an educationalspace for our community at large,which includes a variety ofelementary schools, high schools,colleges and universities. 12

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13 14This summer, we hosted two WooSox days to celebrate the endof a great basketball season with the Trinity Basketball Leagueand bring all of the Worcester Common Ground tenants andhomeowners together for an end-of-summer celebration atPolar Park.WooSox Games PACT This year, we began to cofacilitate our monthly PACT meetings withthe Neighborhood Network Center to expand our reach. PACTmeetings are a crucial way for neighborhood residents to have directcontact with City staff, discuss neighborhood concerns, and to stayinformed about community engagement opportunities, problemproperties, and crime. Earth Day Clean-UpDuring the Regional Environmental Council Annual Earth Day Clean up, we organized twoevents. The first, at Tot Lot Playground on Austin Street, involved volunteers from UMassMemorial Medical Center who planted flowers, painted benches, and power washedequipment. In the second clean-up, with Pleasant Street Transformative DevelopmentInitiative and Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center, we cleaned 15 streets in thePleasant Street Area, thanks to community support and participation from organizationslike Bay State Savings Bank and Levenson Smile.Community Engagement Art in the Community In the winter, we had two beautiful murals painted in ourKing Community Center: one in the entrance hallway bySharinna Travieso (pictured right) and the other in thecommunity room through a collaboration with thenonprofit Main Idea and their resident artist JennessaBurks (pictured below). Main Idea uses a “paint by number”technique so youth are able to directly contribute bypainting a piece of the mural themselves. WCG staff and sixyouth residents participated in the project to bring themural to life. MACDC Lobby Day In May, MACDC held a Lobby Day atthe Massachusetts state house for allCDCs to come together to advocatefor the extension and expansion ofCommunity Investment Tax Credits(CITCs). Our community organizerspoke passionately about the positiveimpact these tax credits have had on our organization and how necessary their extension is. CITCs help toprovide funding; allowing us to continue our work by building affordablerental units, first time homeownerships, and tend to our communitygardens.

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WCG 2023 Annual Report

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