Woodlawn Foundation

Woodlawn Foundation is the lead organization or “community quarterback” of Woodlawn United – a comprehensive collaboration of partners committed to breaking the cycle of poverty in the Woodlawn community in Birmingham, Alabama.

By working with residents and local stakeholders in the community, Woodlawn Foundation identifies needs within the neighborhoods and leverages resources to fill those gaps with high quality services and programs.

The Foundation follows a holistic approach to community revitalization based on the Purpose Built Communities model. Purpose Built Communities is an organization that helps struggling communities across the country implement proven and effective revitalization strategies, including a cradle to college and career education pipeline, high-quality mixed income housing, and community wellness programs.

The Purpose Built Communities model for holistic community revitalization was crafted from the successful transformation of the East Lake community in Atlanta, Georgia from a poverty-stricken, crime-ridden public housing development into a thriving community with quality mixed income housing, a top-rated school, 95% reduction in crime rates and substantial investments in commercial and residential real estate.