Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC) Recognizes 25 Years of Revitalization Efforts in Polk County
When the Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC) formed as a 501c3 nonprofit 25 years ago, little did its leaders realize just how big of an impact it would have in Polk County.
Since May 4, 1990, the NFC has originated more than $222 million loans and grants that have helped revitalize more than 4,000 housing units in 27 designated neighborhoods in both Des Moines and West Des Moines, as well as in low- to moderate-income areas in those cities.
To acknowledge the group’s efforts with key players across the county and to help others learn what they can do to revitalize their communities and neighborhoods, the NFC will be hosting the Leaders of Thought Luncheon: Planning for Vibrant Neighborhoods on Thursday, May 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Dr., Des Moines, in the DuPont Room. The cost is $15 per person. Please RSVP by May 18 at neighborhoodfinance.org.
The luncheon is the first in a series of events planned to commemorate the NFC’s 25th anniversary this year. The guest speaker at the luncheon will be University of Iowa graduate Bruce Knight, who is past president of the American Planning Association and an adjunct lecturer in urban and regional planning at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Knight also serves as the City of Champaign’s planning and development director.
Knight will address the best practices for neighborhood planning, how NFC’s programs and services have contributed to these best practices and the questions Des Moines leaders should be posing pertaining to the topic of neighborhood revitalizations, particularly within the current comprehensive plan now being developed by the City of Des Moines.
Des Moines city councilwoman Christine Hensley, a NFC board member, will serve as master of ceremonies for the event. “Over its 25 year history, the Neighborhood Finance Corporation has had a tremendously positive impact on our neighborhoods, which is why the City continues to invest $1,000,000 annually in the program,” said Hensley. “It has become a model that communities all over the U.S. are working to replicate.”
“We are pleased to host the Leaders of Thought Luncheon where community leaders, government representatives, non-profit leaders and others will be given ideas and information to help expand their vision for the future of the area,” said Stephanie Preusch, executive director of the NFC.
Also during the Leaders of Thought Luncheon, two individuals will be recognized as Neighborhood Revitalization Leaders. The award honors a community leader who has demonstrated a passion for neighborhood revitalization and the mission of Neighborhood Finance Corporation.
For more information or to speak with Stephanie Preusch about the NFC’s anniversary or the luncheon, call (515) 246-0010 or email her at spreusch@neighborhoodfinance.org.
About Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC)
NFC, a 501(c)(3) organization, provides unique lending programs and other services to facilitate targeted neighborhood revitalization in Polk County through partnerships with residents, governments, community based organizations and the business community.