In her groundbreaking work on community well-being, Dr. Anita Chandra highlights the value of looking beyond economic measures to other factors that protect communities against despair and promote resilience.

We heard many of these factors reflected when we asked residents across the Greater Birmingham region what was important to them: a sense of connection, engagement, and purpose; a feeling of security and belonging where they live; pride in the assets of their neighborhoods, communities, and environment. Together, these and other factors help create a thriving community, where quality of life and the well-being of everyone is valued.

What We Believe

We believe that a community only thrives if every member has the opportunity to thrive. Most residents want their communities to be diverse, accessible, safe, attractive, and engaged. To nurture a thriving community, we should support enhancement and conservation of the built and natural environment, ensure community improvements are available and accessible to all members of the community, foster opportunities for residents to unite around shared priorities, and advocate for quality services and facilities. We must recognize, connect, and strengthen the assets inherent to communities to improve quality of life for all.

The Impact We Seek

We will help improve the health and quality of life of all residents and neighborhoods, with a focus on the most under-served and dis-invested, by:

1. Promoting a social environment that supports health and lifelong learning of residents and increases social cohesion and opportunities to participate in social and civic activities
2. Fostering a built environment that is safe, attractive, and supports equitable access and utilization of public spaces and facilities
3. Preserving a natural environment by supporting environmental health and sustainability.