Binghampton Development Corporation

The BDC addresses the severe poverty and lack of economic assets in the Binghampton community. The strategy consists of four interwoven elements, including: 1) rebuilding healthy residential options , 2) facilitating economic redevelopment, 3) enhancing employment prospects through literacy and job training and 4) empowering residents through a “bottom up” community building program. The primary goal is to facilitate this strategy in partnership with public, private, and faith-based partners.

To improve the quality of life in the Binghampton community. The primary goal of the Community Building Program is to build the residents' capacity to survive, thrive, adapt, and, in so doing, improve their community. Neighborhood groups are the core of the strategy. Resident leaders enhance community empowerment and self-sufficiency. In 2010, the program began outreach to the Latino residents and in 2015 the agency began a collaboration with the Refugee Empowerment Program. The community building manager is a one person office position that manages community building efforts-- publishing a quarterly newspaper in English and Spanish as well as a quarterly safety newsletter; coordinating senior health seminar series; providing support for the senior group at the community center; l; establishing and convening of neighborhood groups; coordinating parent seminars at Brewster School; providing activities and services to the Latino community; developing preschool class for immigrant and refugee children; establishing parenting training and writing curriculum for refugees and families; establishing a summer youth employment program; partnering with The Works for cooking classes; and providing information and referral to residents . Binghampton is a community of low to moderate income residents, low to moderate performing schools, a growing immigrant and refugee population, few resources, and seniors- all of which precipitates an environment with various challenges that BDC attempts to addresses through its programs.