Purpose Built Communities

Purpose Built Communities
Formation 2009
Legal status Non Profit
Purpose Community Revitalization
Headquarters Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Region served
United States of America
Website http://purposebuiltcommunities.org

Purpose Built Communities is a non profit organization founded by Tom Cousins, Warren Buffett and Julian Robertson to replicate Cousin's East Lake model of community redevelopment [1] within other cities and areas throughout the United States.[2] Purpose Built Communities is currently present in 13 cities throughout the United States.

Mission

Purpose Built Communities works to help struggling communities implement a proven model to end poverty, substandard education, unemployment, health disparities and other challenges threatening urban America. By partnering with local lead organizations that serve as the community quarterback, Purpose Built seeks to create vibrant and holistic communities.[3]

History

Purpose Built Communities is based on the East Lake Model. In 1995, Tom Cousins purchased historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia with the intent to restore it and give its profits to the East Lake Foundation, a foundation he established to help fight poverty within the East Lake Community. At the time, East Lake was known as "little Vietnam' by local police because of its high drug and crime rates.[4] Through the East Lake initiative, Cousins helped turn one of the nation's most violent public housing projects into a national model for community redevelopment.[5]

In 2009, Cousins sought to expand the East Lake Model and established Purpose Built Communities to help fight other areas of concentrated poverty throughout the United States.[6]

Communities

The following are communities that Purpose Built Communities has a presence in:[7]

Purpose Built Schools

Based on the model of Drew Charter Schools established by the East Lake Foundation, Purpose Built Schools is a segment of Purpose Built Communities which works to break the cycle of poverty in communities by establishing high performing schools.[8]

References

  1. ↑ http://purposebuiltcommunities.org/who-we-are/history/
  2. ↑ http://www.whatworksforamerica.org/ideas/it-takes-a-neighborhood-purpose-built-communities-and-neighborhood-transformation/#.VuLnLGeTWP8
  3. ↑ http://www.eastlakegolfclub.com/golf-with-a-purpose/purpose-built-communities/
  4. ↑ http://eastlakefoundation.org/the-east-lake-story
  5. ↑ http://eastlakefoundation.org/our-mission
  6. ↑ http://purposebuiltcommunities.org/who-we-are/history/
  7. ↑ http://purposebuiltcommunities.org/our-network/
  8. ↑ http://www.purposebuiltschools.org/
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