My father grew up in the Sharon Woods neighborhood and graduated from Beechcroft High School. When we drive through the Northland Area, he often tells me stories about the places where he used to hang out: The Continent and the Northland Mall were some of his favorites and were the “Easton” of his day. He described 161 as “restaurant row.” Unfortunately, many of these landmarks have shuttered their doors due to a decline in the Northland community over the last 20 years. That’s where Elevate Northland comes in!
Elevate Northland is a local nonprofit organization working to bring the Northland area back to its former glory. Labeled a community development corporation, it’s on a mission to “uplift people of diverse backgrounds and create opportunities,” and it does this by bringing together groups working on business development and building community bonds. The organization maintains multiple partnerships locally, including with the Northland Area Business Association, the Northland Community Council, the Northland Alliance, and more.
The Northland Area is home to a diverse population. We have the largest Bhutanese-Nepali population in the nation, as well as the second-largest Somali population. Elevate Northland helps strengthen this local social fabric by promoting the awareness of and interaction among many cultures, thus increasing Northland’s desirability for various people groups. Elevate Northland also hosts classes and facilitates community events, all designed to foster economic development for Northland residents and cover a wide variety of topics such as entrepreneurship, building small businesses, and much more.
For example, the organization hosts the Northland Unity Festival each fall at the North YMCA, giving people the opportunity to come and support local businesses and learn more about and engage with their community. During this event, Elevate Northland sets up games, hosts food trucks, and invites local businesses to open booths to sell their products and market their services.
Judith Cockrell, Executive Director, grew up in Sharon Woods and lives here currently. After graduating from The Ohio State University, she worked in the nonprofit sector before assuming her current role at Elevate Northland in 2021. Recently, Judith shared with us some exciting things to come…the work of revitalizing our community is just getting started!
Elevate Northland has recently launched a comprehensive campaign with the goal of opening a local community gathering place that will combine business incubation, an international district, and a nonprofit hub. Current plans call for the renovation of a 43,000-square-foot vacant warehouse on Evanswood Drive near I-71 and Morse Road. The total campaign target is $4 Million.
The ultimate vision of this new center is to transform the lives of residents who strive for more by supporting their growth while helping them realize their dreams. It will house resources for entrepreneurs, host business coaching classes, make room for a food truck hub, offer food business storage, and more. It will be a place where nonprofits can build partnerships and where the community will gather for bazaars, festivals, and other cultural gatherings.
Consider getting involved in small or big ways. Obviously, donations to help fund day-to-day operations and the capital campaign are much appreciated. There are also plenty of ways to get involved as a volunteer — helping with the Unity Festival and cleaning the 161 corridor are just two examples. To learn more about Elevate Northland, find volunteer opportunities, or make a donation, visit ElevateNorthland.org.
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