Bristol County Savings Bank Commits $100,000 Grant To Community Economic Development Center
The Capitol Resilience Hub is designed for the residents of New Bedford’s North End, a neighborhood with a high concentration of immigrant and low- to moderate-income families. These residents often face barriers to housing, education, healthcare and financial stability. The Hub will provide a welcoming, one-stop resource that addresses these challenges holistically. The project will provide affordable housing to six families, support several small businesses, deliver ESOL and workforce classes to hundreds of residents and provide community members with access to healthcare, legal and financial services. These resources will, in turn, expand economic mobility for neighborhood residents while revitalizing a neglected area of Acushnet Avenue.
“We’re grateful to Bristol County Savings Bank for this investment in a project that reflects both the history and the future of New Bedford's Near North End neighborhood,” said Corinn Williams, Executive Director of the CEDC. “The Capitol Resilience Hub is about more than restoring a building, it is about creating a place where residents can access the resources they need to build opportunity, all in one location. This support helps ensure that hard-working people in New Bedford have better access to affordable and safe housing, health care in the neighborhood, and community programs that strengthen economic mobility.”
“We are so proud to support this nexus of community activity and to do our part to help break down barriers to economic mobility for area residents,” said John Silva, President and CEO of Bristol County Savings Bank and President of the Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation. “With all its essential services and programs available under one roof, we look forward to the Hub becoming a sustainable and transformative resource for generations to come.”
The CRH’s housing and retail spaces will foster small business growth and local job creation, as well as a long-term revenue stream for the CEDC, ensuring sustainability for its programs. Through the CEDC offices, residents will access ESOL classes, VITA free tax preparation, workforce training, financial literacy, healthcare and legal services, ensuring that education and critical needs are met in one central, accessible location. By strengthening the economic infrastructure of New Bedford’s North End, the Hub will be a lasting resource that expands opportunity for the neighborhood’s largely immigrant families and the broader community.
The Community Economic Development Center (CEDC) of Southeastern Massachusetts provides immigrant services, workforce development and economic revitalization in New Bedford. Through integrated, community-driven programs, CEDC helps low- to moderate income residents access stable housing, build financial security, grow small businesses and gain skills for long-term employment in the community. CEDC seeks to mitigate language, literacy and technology barriers that inhibit access to benefits, services and economic opportunity. The organization’s programs include the Immigrant Support Network, which helps newcomers navigate essential aspects of daily life, from housing to job applications to health insurance, and public school enrollment.
Bristol County Savings Bank is an active supporter in the communities in which it serves. The Foundation was established in 1996 as part of the Bank’s 150th Anniversary celebration. Its purpose is to fund needs that contribute to the economic and the social well-being of the people and institutions located in the greater Taunton/Attleboro region, the greater New Bedford/Dartmouth region, the greater Fall River region and greater Providence, Rhode Island region, with particular emphasis in the areas of education and literacy, economic development and housing for the low- to moderate-income population.