About WCDC
Who We Are
The Willingboro Community Development Corporation (WCDC), formerly the Community Development Corporation of the Greater Burlington Area, is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit, community-based organization. The new organization came to the surface as a result of the weekly meetings of the Willingboro Municipal Utility Authority Energy Task Force.
WCDC is involved in a range of initiatives critical to the Willingboro community. We will ensure our residents have a voice and seek to find solutions that help residents and the community to grow and thrive. The organization will also play a critical role in building community wealth. The WCDC will work to affect positive and sustainable change, enhance our community conditions and involvement, empowering residents to impact policy in all areas for the betterment of the entire community.
History
Beginning as the Community Development Corporation of the Greater Burlington Area (CDCGBA), the organization now titled The Willingboro Community Development Corporation has been around for 50 years. Seven ministers from seven African American churches in Burlington City, New Jersey, incorporated the organization in 1969 to address issues within the greater Burlington area. From 1971 to the early 2000s, the CDCGBA operated Depth Child and Family-Care Center, a program, designed to provide child-care, training, employment, and services for unemployed community residents.
In 2012 the organization discovered that the building in which it operated out of was set on land with contaminated soil and a historic flood that completely covered the floor with approximately two feet of creek water. The board determined that it could not continue to operate, closing its doors for the foreseeable future. One of the board members brought the CDC back to life in January of 2015 and relocated to Willingboro Township. Within the first year of coming to Willingboro, CDCGBA had affiliated with other grassroots organizations to collaborate in working towards similar goals. In 2017 the organization's newly formed board decided to focus its efforts on Willingboro, officially renaming the CDCGBA the Willingboro Community Development Corporation (WCDC) in 2018.
Today the WCDC works diligently to address neighborhood concerns. The organization has a proven track record of bringing different stakeholders together as well as collaborating with other local groups on events.
Our Mission
It is our mission to promote a variety of services to help achieve and maintain the highest quality of life in Willingboro.
Our Purpose
The purpose of Willingboro Community Development Corporation shall be:
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To educate, advocate and explore innovative solutions to impact change.
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To address points of distress or neglect by accessing what is and is not working.
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To act as a sounding board for the community while monitoring and influencing government entities.
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To discover and deliver quality programs to engage all aspects of the community.
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Strategic Plan
This plan is intended to guide WCDC. Each initiative contained herein offers direction and benchmarks for how we will advance our mission and achieve our vision.
Planned Growth
We will utilize marketing and branding methods that will promote our mission and the organization. This will be important as it will market our cause to encourage potential volunteers who will want to help; potential supporters who will want to be our champions and potential donors who will want to contribute.
Social Connectedness
We will focus on community awareness, connection collaboration, partnerships and engagement of residents.
We will work to increase the sense of belonging and responsibility in and to all areas of the community and develop support networks and building relationships.
Community Sustainability
We will focus on community infrastructure. We will work to advocate for SMART city concepts and the impact of climate change has on the township’s current infrastructure.
We will focus on economic development. We will work to identify employment, job trends and entrepreneurial opportunities and challenges for residents. This will be important as we work to
increase the positive image of Willingboro.
The Board Members
Patricia Lindsay-Harvey, President
Economic Development Chairperson
Kevin McIntosh, Vice President
WCDC Capacity Development Chairperson
Mellonae Mumford, Secretary
Resident Involvement Co-Chairperson
Johnson Kolawole, Treasurer
Finance Chairperson
Nolan Branch, Trustee
WCDC Branding Chairperson
Gerri Johnson, Trustee
Resident Involvement Co-Chairperson
Clayton Sils, Trustee
Township Infrastructure Chairperson