From the Director’s Chair

A message from the Executive Director, Tammy Forrest

May has been a month full of engaging activities across all of our programs – e.g., community baby showers, a Senior Spring Forward Event, a TRANSIT ARTS art exhibit at OSU’s new Healthy Community Center, adding Battelle
as a new funding partner to support expanding STEAM activities for Central
youth, and a successful community dinner despite the rain. We also were beyond excited to see one of our TRANSIT ARTS apprentice artists – Kendrell Mills – have his artwork highlighted in Wendy’s Corporate Responsibility report, marking over three years of this corporate partnership that brings great opportunities and support across all CCH departments.

We also co-hosted an event at the East Market with local real-estate and non-profit partners. This included a presentation on the impact of mega projects in Columbus communities. There was a lot to be excited about, including new transportation systems, certificate programs that can result in
high paying jobs through forthcoming Intel chip fab plants, and a newly
proposed symphony concert hall. The presentation also forced me to take pause. With all of this development there is the potential to see unprecedented urban sprawl, and housing prices that continue to rise, preventing the dream of home ownership for many, and blocking access to many rental properties. And there was not enough discussion about investment in communities like ours and the non-profits that serve them.

One thing is clear – whether we want it to happen or not, population
pressures exist in Columbus, and are only going to increase in the years ahead. We must jump on the train, but we also must work to guide its trajectory. Those we serve have been left behind for too long.