NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF MCDC ACTIVITY

 

  1. What is the activity?

The Meadow Community Development Corporation, (MCDC) located in the Turner Station a subdivision of Dundalk, Maryland began as a fiscal development committee of past and present concerned citizens of Turner Station whose intentions are to help address the community’s physical, cultural and social needs and to assist in restoring the community’s past pride and vitality that was once so prevalent.

The community of Turner Station, a segregated community within Dundalk, Maryland emerged from a small settlement to a full-blown community in the early 20th century.  Due to racial segregation and isolation of the community, residents became self -reliant and self-sufficient.    MCDC’s plans for the revitalization are as follows; 1.) acquiring and rehabilitating vacant and deteriorating properties within the community and converting them into available affordable housing, 2.) helping to lower high unemployment by offering job opportunities to unemployed people to work in the rehabilitation of vacant/abandoned properties. 3.) increase the availability of cultural and educational enrichment opportunities for the Turner Station and the Greater Dundalk Community.

MCDC is a nonprofit corporation whose goal is to develop strategies to meet the needs of the community. It intends to develop community partnerships with such organizations as the Turner Station Conservation Committee, Turner Station Recreation Center, The Turner Station Senior Center, The Baltimore County Police Department and other organizations within the region who share like-minded community goals.

MCDC is committed to improving the quality of lives for the families in the Turner Station and the Greater Dundalk community by providing affordable housing for seniors and young families, providing an enriched cultural environment, enhancing educational opportunities and stimulating job creation. Our goal is to revitalize the Community.

The vision of MCDC is a fivefold strategy;

  1. Community Revitalization and Conservation
  2. Education
  3. Social and Cultural Enrichment
  4. Economic Development, and
  5. Affordable Housing

To further its mission MCDC has decided that there must be knowledgeable residents; economic stability. That is why economic stability becomes the focus lines of the organization.  Its intention is to provide;

  1. Resident support service
  2. Social sustainability and Development
  3. Affordable Housing Development
  4. Economic Vitality
  5. Home Repair Assistance

2. Who conducts the activity?

MCDC is governed by a diverse and professional 4-member Executive staff  who also serve on the  5-member board that provides guidance in planning and achieving its organizational goals. Besides the staff and board, MCDC will enlist additional paid staff and volunteers to manage and implement their programs after start up.  MCDC will strive to develop partnerships with local businesses and other civic organizations who agree with MCDC goals.

3. When is the activity conducted?

Affordable Housing:

MCDC will strive to provide affordable housing for Senior Citizens, young families and underserved people within the community. This will be a continuous activity. MCDC will provide these services daily, MCDC’s supplemental service will include custodial care, resident repair assistance and resident support, which will provide employment opportunities within the community. An example of employment opportunities will be a set-aside program to help with revitalization of structures.  The set-aside would state that at least 15% of the work be done by done by residents of Turner Station.

Social and Cultural Enrichment:

MCDC will establish social and cultural enrichment programs that will expose the community to a diverse and wide range of activities.  The arts programs will be available to a broad spectrum of our constituents.  We will provide venues for music, graphic arts, dance. Literature and poetry.  We will introduce the following clubs: chess, investment, sports clubs and book clubs for further enrichment.

 

MCDC will also provide support to community youth programs such as; Men Under Construction (a mentoring group for males between 12-18 years), Boy and Girl Scouts of America and the Turner Station Recreation Council.

MCDC will help and recruit social and cultural programs that are senior friendly.

MCDC will endeavor to present interactive programs, encouraging to get participants to fully engage themselves in each activity.

 

Economic Development Vitality:

African American urban communities today typically lack the economic vitality that encourages the prosperity that are evident in other communities.  Due to the lack of this vitality in the Turner Station and Greater Dundalk area, MCDC will create partnerships with banking institutions and local governments to create venues of information guiding aspirants for economic opportunity and entrepreneurship creation.

 

Education

An uninformed community is one destined for destruction. One of MCDC’s mission is to make available an educational support program for the community youth and lifelong learners.  The educational support center will make available tutors to assist students who are facing academic challenges. Along with the tutoring services, MCDC will also provide educational presentations that will introduce “STEM,” music education, robotics, computer coding, book club and theater presentation.

 

4. Where is the activity conducted? Turner Station offers several venues for these activities so most activities can be held locally.  The added convenience of close proximity should assist

  

  1. What percentage of your total time is allocated to the activity? Sixty percent should be spent on activities; the other forty on administrative duties.

 

  1. How is the activity funded? Through grants, donations and fund raising.

 

  1. List any alternative names under which you operated. N/A