Jessie Ball duPont Fund

Addressing the affordable housing needs in our city will only be possible when the public, private and philanthropic sector work together, which is exactly why we brought leaders from each to the table at The Jessie last week to discuss the work ahead:?

Great energy in the room at The Jessie last night as we continued the conversation to answer a question that will help push our city forward with a sustainable strategy for affordable housing: how can we use collaboration and bring together public, private and philanthropic leaders to make Jacksonville the gold standard in affordable housing development?

From Japan to Europe to America, from international development to crowdfunding to private funding, our President Mari Kuraishi has walked an incredibly interesting path in life and work. Listen or read along as she reflects on her journey with Shiori Okazaki in her podcast CrossWorld Puzzles:?

This week, we were excited to welcome planning and development experts from all over the country at The Jessie with our partners at the Reinvestment Fund. Through expert panels and a field trip around the city, participants learned from each other and shared best practices for using data to drive their community and economic development efforts.

Our impact investing stemmed from a desire to address systemic issues in our communities, just as the recession limited our assets. Going beyond grantmaking allowed us to not only amplify our impact but also diversify our portfolio to weather future storms. https://lnkd.in/gfjYvaXs

“This park ensures that the Johnson Brothers’ incredible legacy will be elevated beyond today. It honors the past, but it is a vessel for the future of the neighborhood that is coming into being, and this will be a place for new memories to be made.” - our President Mari Kuraishi captures the essence of Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Park.

“There are so many incredibly nationally significant people that came out of Jacksonville and we don’t really have a place to remember that. So I hope that the park is just the beginning.” - our President Mari Kuraishi stresses the significance of Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Park.

Together with partners, donors and friends of the park, we officially reopened Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Park today! In its new design, the park incorporates elements of the Johnson brothers’ and LaVilla’s cultural and built history while making space for a more inclusive future.

From small loans to businesses in under-resourced neighborhoods to working capital loans to institutions addressing affordable housing shortages,?our President Mari Kuraishi and Director of Impact Investing Chris Crothers explain how our impact investing focuses on equity and placemaking:

Great day joining our partners at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida for their Donors Forum alongside Mission Investors Exchange! Our Director of Impact Investing Chris Crothers discussed our collective work to strengthen the impact investing ecosystem for northeast Florida businesses and residents.