Media Advisory

Contact: David Beck, Self-Help, david.beck@self-help.org  or 919-956-4495

Greensboro, NC — Self-Help, the community development organization selected by the city to redevelop the Renaissance Center in Greensboro, is hosting a meet and greet for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) interested in learning more about Self-Help’s development work. The event is set for Tuesday April 1, 2014 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm at Revolution Mill, 1160 Revolution Mill Drive.

Self-Help’s Director of Real Estate Kim Cameron will lead an informal discussion about Self-Help’s projects in Greensboro and around the state and how MBEs might participate.  Self-Help has a Contractor Qualification Form available on its website here. The event is open to the public.

Please RSVP to Kim Cameron, at kim.cameron@self-help.org or 919-956-4476.

The MBE Meet and Greet follows the first meeting of the Renaissance Center Advisory Committee, which Self-Help hosted on March 22. The Advisory Committee, composed of the 19 community members who expressed written interest in participating, worked with professional facilitators to develop some common language around the Renaissance Center’s history and desired outcomes. The shopping center has been vacant for the last 15 years.

Advisory Committee member Cheryl Hopkins found the process healing. “There's been a rift in the community because of all the different proposals,” she said. “Every neighborhood in Greensboro needs to equally prosper and have an opportunity to do so. I'm very impressed with the resources Self-Help has brought to the table thus far.”

Another committee member, Ralph Johnson, said that he found Saturday’s meeting very helpful. “There was a time that I didn't think this (type of meeting) would happen. I wasn't even sure the Advisory Committee would happen. If we all have the will then we can make anything happen. Thanks to Self-Help for this process and I look forward to working with Self-Help on the shopping center's future.”

Self-Help owns and has developed 20 commercial properties in North Carolina, including the Self-Help Center in downtown Greensboro. Self-Help also owns, operates and is continuing the redevelopment of Greensboro’s Revolution Mill. Also in Greensboro, Self-Help’s Choice Community Credit Union at 3400 Battleground Ave in has been serving the greater Triad area since 1974. Choice Community CU has operated as a division of Self-Help Credit Union since 2010 and serves 9,000 members locally.

Through its lending work, Self-Help has provided over $6 billion in financing through almost 75,000 loans to families of modest means, small businesses and nonprofit organizations across the country. Self Help Credit Union serves over 50,000 members through 16 branches across North Carolina. In Guilford County alone, Self-Help has made home and commercial loans totaling $90 million. These loans have created or maintained an estimated 2,700 jobs and 72% of the loans have been to minorities, 66% to low-income families.

The 19 members of the Renaissance Center Advisory Committee (listed alphabetically by first name) are: Ann Davies, Cheryl Hopkins, Chuck Byrd, Connie Shuler, Donald Blackstock, Donald Brandon, Eleanor Graves, Elmer Chisholm, Georgeanna Womack, Goldie Frinks Wells, Ph. D., Karen Garraputa, Kay Brandon, Kevin Webb, Linda Bennett, Michael Joseph Roberto, Ph. D., Ralph Johnson, Shalonda Matthews, Talma Kee, and Vanessa Martin.

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About Self-Help

Founded in Durham in 1980, Self-Help is a nonprofit community development lender, real estate developer, and credit union that works with people traditionally underserved by conventional markets. Self-Help owns 20 commercial properties in North Carolina and Washington, DC. Most of the properties historic redevelopments and are located in downtown districts. Self-Help manages over 1.3 million square feet of leasable office and retail space in these buildings. Over the past 33 years, Self-Help’s combined affiliates have provided more than $6 billion in financing to nearly 75,000 families, individuals and businesses underserved by traditional financial institutions. It strengthens communities by financing hundreds of homebuyers each year, as well as nonprofits, child care centers, community health facilities, public charter schools and residential and commercial real estate projects. More information is available at www.self-help.org.