Westside Future Fund (WFF) is proud to celebrate Avona Bridges, the newest homeowner through our Home on the Westside program — a milestone rooted in family and love for community.

A proud mother of five, Avona serves the historic Westside through her work with Invest Atlanta, helping to shape the neighborhoods she now calls home. Her beautiful four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home in English Avenue marks a powerful continuation of her family’s legacy in the neighborhood.

Avona’s connection to the historic Westside runs deep. Her father and his siblings were raised in English Avenue, and the area has remained a meaningful part of her family’s story across generations. Now, Avona is raising her own children in the same community — planting new roots in a place that has long felt like home.

Her journey reflects the mission of Home on the Westside: to help residents who live, work, or learn in the historic Westside neighborhoods buy high-quality, affordable homes in the community they cherish. By eliminating common barriers to homeownership, the program empowers families like Avona’s to build stability and generational wealth right where they belong.

“We’re honored to walk alongside families like Avona’s — helping them stay in the communities they love and build toward long-term success,” said Tameka Askew, Director of Home on the Westside at WFF.

As the historic Westside experiences continued restoration, stories like Avona’s underscore what that progress is truly about: ensuring those with ties to the community have the opportunity not just to remain, but to thrive.

Learn more about Home on the Westside at homeonthewestside.com. 

The Beloved Benefit is a movement — one rooted in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a Beloved Community, where business, philanthropy, and neighbors come together to ensure opportunity and dignity for all.

This year, Westside Future Fund (WFF) was humbled to once again be named a beneficiary, joining a powerful coalition of organizations committed to building a more equitable Atlanta. Together, the event raised an extraordinary $8.2 million to advance community-driven solutions across the city.

For WFF, those resources will directly support our mission of helping legacy residents remain rooted in the historic Westside while creating pathways for families to live, learn, and thrive.

A Moment that Moved the Room

One of the most powerful moments of the evening came when Home on the Westside resident Destiny Motley shared her journey.

“Five years ago, I was sleeping in my car. Today, I’m a homeowner on the historic Westside. Because of Westside Future Fund, I found community, I found purpose, I found home.”

Destiny’s story is proof that transformation is not only possible — it’s happening. Her voice reminded us all why this work matters: when we lead with purpose and invest in people, we unlock the potential of entire communities.

Honoring Visionary Leaders

The evening also paid tribute to two giants in Atlanta’s philanthropic community: Arthur M. Blank and Dan T. Cathy. Their decades of investment in people and communities have reshaped the fabric of our city. Their recognition at the Beloved Benefit underscored the night’s message: when leadership, compassion, and community align, entire cities can change for the better.

Gratitude and Shared Purpose

We are deeply grateful to The Same House for hosting this extraordinary event, to our Board Member and community champion Rodney Bullard for his leadership, and to the entire Beloved Benefit family for shining a spotlight on the stories and organizations that define Atlanta at its best.

At Westside Future Fund, we know our mission cannot be accomplished alone. It takes neighbors, partners, and visionaries working together to restore the promise of the historic Westside. The Beloved Benefit is a reminder that Atlanta is strongest when we live into Dr. King’s call to create a Beloved Community — one where every family can find stability, every child can thrive, and every resident can take pride in calling this city home.

Carrying the Vision Forward

The work continues well beyond one night. Every story like Destiny’s, every family that stays rooted in the community they love, every child who walks into a classroom with the tools to succeed — these are the building blocks of the Beloved Community.

With the continued support of partners and neighbors, we remain steadfast in our mission: to restore the historic Westside into a community worthy of its proud legacy and its bright future, a community Dr. King would be proud to call home.

Watch to Hear Destiny’s Story

At Westside Future Fund, our work has always been about people — walking alongside neighbors, helping families stay rooted in the community they love, and building a future together. This August, we are grieving the heartbreaking and unexpected loss of one of the people who embodied that mission every day: our colleague and dear friend, Nicole Jones.

Nicole served as the Home on the Westside Program Coordinator, where she supported residents navigating the path to housing stability. For many neighbors, Nicole was the first face they saw and the steady hand guiding them through challenging times. She had a gift for meeting people with compassion, listening deeply, and offering encouragement that made burdens feel a little lighter.

Her impact extended far beyond her role. Within our small, close-knit team, Nicole was family. She filled our office with warmth, laughter, and genuine care for everyone around her. To us, she wasn’t just a teammate — she was a friend whose presence made our work stronger and our community brighter.

Nicole is survived by her mother, father, and four children, who were the center of her world. As we mourn her passing, we also celebrate her life and the legacy she leaves: one of kindness, service, and unwavering commitment to community.

We will miss Nicole deeply. But her example lives on in the work of Westside Future Fund and in the countless lives she touched. Please join us in keeping her family, friends, and all who loved her in your thoughts and prayers.

Westside Future Fund (WFF) is preparing to take a historic step forward in English Avenue: the long-awaited demolition and redevelopment of the Oliver Street Apartments. Spanning more than four acres, this project will become the largest new development in English Avenue in over a generation — and one of the most transformative.

“For far too long, this property symbolized neglect and disinvestment,” said John Ahmann, President & CEO of Westside Future Fund. “Now, it will stand for opportunity, high-quality housing, and a brighter future for legacy residents and new neighbors alike.”

From Blight to Opportunity

The Oliver Street Apartments have a harsh and complicated history. By the time Westside Future Fund and OaksATL acquired the property, it was in a state of deep disrepair. Many of the units were unlivable, with some tenants still paying rent for homes in conditions no one should endure. Other units were occupied by squatters, creating unsafe and unstable living environments for those who remained.

Despite these challenges, WFF took a deliberate, compassionate approach to engaging with tenants. As part of its commitment to preventing displacement, WFF diligently relocated as many residents as possible, with several moving into WFF-owned multifamily properties where they could live in safe, high-quality housing.

That next chapter begins this August, when demolition is set to take place through a partnership between WFF and OaksATL. This critical first step is made possible thanks to $700k in funding from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) provided by the City of Atlanta.

“Too often, development happens at the expense of those who already live in a community,” said Ahmann. “We’ve made it our mission to ensure that our legacy residents aren’t pushed out but instead are given the opportunity to remain and benefit from the revitalization happening around them.”

A Vision for High-Quality, Deeply Affordable Homes

With demolition set to begin soon, WFF will bring forward a bold vision for the site: a 120-unit development offering high-quality, deeply affordable housing through the organization’s signature program, Home on the Westside. The project will be supported by development partners Blue Ridge Atlantic Development. This new community will reflect WFF’s mission to ensure that those who have long called the historic Westside home can continue to do so, even as the neighborhood transforms.

The project represents the power of coordinated investment to reverse decades of neglect. By transforming these once-blighted apartments into a vibrant, livable community, WFF is delivering on its promise to restore the fabric of English Avenue while honoring its residents and history.

A Brighter Future Ahead

This project is about creating stability and opportunity for individuals and families who deserve nothing less. It’s also about continuing the momentum of revitalization across the Westside, proving that even the most blighted properties can become catalysts for hope and change.

As demolition begins and the new vision for Oliver Street takes shape, WFF remains committed to its core mission: ensuring that legacy residents can stay in the community they love, while welcoming new neighbors who share in the vision of a thriving English Avenue.

To learn more about Home on the Westside, visit www.homeonthewestside.com. 

Fernando Esquivel-Suarez arrived in Atlanta from Colombia two decades ago, never expecting the city to become his “forever home.” Today, he’s a dedicated Professor of English and Ethnic Studies at Spelman College, a role he’s held for 13 years. 

His journey to Atlanta began with his pursuit of Master’s and Ph.D. degrees at Emory University, but it was his job at Spelman that ultimately rooted him in the city. Being a Spelman faculty member also allowed him to find his home through Westside Future Fund’s signature program – Home on the Westside.

“I learned about the program because I received an email [at work],” Fernando recalled. “I attended a meeting [with Westside Future Fund], and they explained very thoroughly what the program was and how it could benefit Spelman employees.”

A first-time homeowner, Fernando has deeply enjoyed his new home since moving in a year and a half ago. Like many Atlantan renters, he’d had many stays across the city, including residences in Buckhead, Druid Hills, Virginia-Highlands, Edgewood, and the West End. The Westside, he’s discovered, offers the most convenience, especially as he’s just minutes from his workplace and other ease-of-access amenities.

From the start of his home search to finding his current residence, the process took just six months. 

“One of the greatest advantages of this program is the down payment. It’s an amount that would be difficult for some folks to have all at once, particularly those in very relevant, socially relevant professions like academia that don’t have a very high income. They were very diligently putting together grants and making sure I had a very substantial down payment to help me with the mortgage.”

With the help of Westside Future Fund, Fernando was able to receive approximately $100,000 in grants to secure his down payment. Now, he’s the proud owner of a three bedroom, two bathroom home in English Avenue — a community he hopes to stay in for years to come.

Learn more about how you can find your Home on the Westside at www.homeonthewestside.com. 

Early in July, the Fulton County Commission considered withdrawing from the Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD) — a move that would disrupt deeply affordable housing developments already underway in neighborhoods that played defining roles in the Civil Rights Movement.

As I shared with the Commission, I live in Vine City. Every day, I see what coordinated public investment has made possible: new high-quality and affordable homes, safer streets, and legacy residents able to stay in place despite rising property values. These neighborhoods endured decades of systematic disinvestment. The Westside TAD has been one of the few tools powerful enough to help reverse that trend.

Working alongside partners like Invest Atlanta, Atlanta Housing, and Quest Community Development Corporation, Westside Future Fund has leveraged over $6 million in Westside TAD commitments to finance more than $37 million in development — a 6-to-1 return that has created nearly 400 affordable housing units and served hundreds of families. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about the people who can now remain in the communities they love and have called home for generations.

These transformative investments include:

• Major historic restorations like 220 Sunset Avenue — the childhood home of Mayor Maynard Jackson Jr. — and the English Avenue Yellow Store, preserving landmarks central to the community’s story.
• Mixed-use developments delivering high-quality, deeply affordable multifamily housing paired with commercial spaces to bring essential retail and services to long-disinvested corridors.
• Permanently affordable single-family homes that create pathways to homeownership and generational wealth-building for historic Westside families.

The voices raised at the July Fulton County Commissioners meeting were compelling. Pastor Kenny Alexander of Antioch Baptist Church North — one of our neighborhood’s oldest institutions at 148 years — spoke powerfully about the progress finally taking hold. Leonard Watkins, representing the neighborhood planning unit, captured the frustration of communities that have waited generations for this investment. Their words were a powerful reminder that the TAD is a lifeline for communities working hard to reclaim their future.

Thanks to these community advocates, civic leaders, and city partners like Courtney English, Chief Policy Officer and Senior Advisor to Mayor Andre Dickens, and Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President & CEO of Invest Atlanta, the Fulton County Commission unanimously voted to place the resolution on hold. This pause gives us the opportunity to continue building understanding about what’s at stake — and how we can work together to sustain this progress.

At Westside Future Fund, our mission is to help make the historic Westside “a community Dr. King would be proud to call home.” The Westside TAD is a critical tool in that broader effort. It is helping to deliver deeply affordable housing, preserve legacy residency, and ensure these historic neighborhoods have a vibrant future.

We are grateful for the thoughtful deliberation of the commissioners and the unwavering advocacy of our community partners. The work continues — and together, we can ensure that the promise of the historic Westside is kept for generations to come.

—

John Ahmann
President & CEO
Westside Future Fund

Andi Shen, a longtime volunteer and current partner leader with Love Atlanta, has played a key role in the organization’s impact on the historic Westside this year. Though it was her first year working directly with Westside Future Fund, Andi has been volunteering with Love Atlanta for nine years, helping to organize volunteers across the city to perform acts of kindness and community service. 

Founded by Passion City Church, Love Atlanta is built around the idea of spreading love through service. As a partner leader, Andi acts as a liaison between Passion City Church and partners across the city. She works closely with organizations to organize project details, coordinate volunteers, and ensure the necessary resources are available for a successful day of service. 

“The best way to support our partners is to volunteer and be the hands and feet of what they are doing for the city,” Andi remarks.

This spring and summer, Love Atlanta partnered with Westside Future Fund to complete three volunteer projects in the neighborhood: a bingo night at the community center, a beautification project at Katherine Johnson Memorial Park, and a large-scale street cleanup. 

For Andi, partnering with Westside Future Fund was especially meaningful because it extended Love Atlanta’s reach into an area of the city they’ve been eager to support.

“Most of our partners are located in areas like Buckhead, Brookhaven, or Midtown,” she explained. “It’s important for us to serve all parts of Atlanta, and Westside Future Fund gives us a great opportunity to do that.”

The mission of Love Atlanta — “to love on Atlanta,” as Andi puts it — was clearly in action through these volunteer efforts. Andi’s leadership behind the scenes helped ensure everything ran smoothly, and her passion for giving people purpose through service continues to fuel powerful community partnerships. 

To learn more about volunteer opportunities and to see how you can get involved, visit https://www.westsidefuturefund.org/volunteer. 

The July 18 Transform Westside Summit focused on the intersection of housing, justice, and community well-being, spotlighting the vital work of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF) in creating systems-level change across Atlanta through pro bono legal and social services. Hosted and moderated by Westside Future Fund President & CEO John Ahmann, the Summit highlighted how historical systemic disinvestment continues to shape present-day eviction patterns, the impact of housing on educational and health outcomes, and the power of place-based legal interventions to restore safety, stability, and opportunity for families across Atlanta. 

The event opened with a devotion by Michael Cortez, a data research analyst with Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center and Home on the Westside participant, who emphasized the strength of shared purpose, resilience through adversity, and the importance of every individual’s role in community transformation.

Following the devotion, AVLF Executive Director Michael Lucas took the stage to share AVLF’s evolving model of neighborhood-based legal advocacy, which embeds lawyers and social workers directly into Atlanta schools and communities. His message centered on how housing instability and eviction undermine education, health, and long-term opportunity for families.

Key highlights from Lucas’s presentation included:

• Eviction Mapping and Redlining: Lucas shared compelling maps showing that evictions in Atlanta are still highly concentrated in formerly redlined neighborhoods — a painful legacy of discriminatory housing policy that continues to shape life outcomes today.

• School Stability as a Justice Issue: High eviction rates force mid-year student relocations, which drastically reduce academic performance and graduation rates. AVLF’s work through their Standing with Our Neighbors program led to a 25% drop in school exits in communities.

• Health Partnerships: Through collaborations with healthcare providers like Kaiser Permanente and Caresource, AVLF is addressing housing as a health issue — connecting families to legal resources that reduce exposure to unsafe housing, intimate partner abuse, and other social determinants of poor health.
  
  
• Mobile Legal Access: Lucas shared the impact of AVLF’s Standing with Survivors program, equipped with a Mobile Advocacy Van outfitted to serve as a traveling courtroom. This will enable survivors of intimate partner violence to access legal protection safely from within their neighborhoods.

Throughout the presentation, Lucas emphasized that true justice requires meeting people where they are — geographically, emotionally, and structurally, saying: “We’re not waiting for families to come downtown to seek help. We’re bringing help to their front doors.”

Lucas closed by reflecting on AVLF’s move to a new headquarters, which is intentionally situated within the historic Westside to better serve the community. He also issued a call for increased public- and private-sector investment, noting that charitable support makes nearly half of AVLF’s work possible.

Missed the event? Watch the full Transform Westside Summit on YouTube.

Westside Future Fund (WFF) is proud to celebrate a new beginning for CJ Williams, the latest first-time homebuyer to close on a home through our Home on the Westside program.

A dedicated Atlanta Public Schools teacher and staff member at the Atlanta Trap Music Museum, CJ is now the proud owner of a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in English Avenue — a neighborhood rich with history and on the rise thanks to intentional investments and community-rooted progress.

CJ’s journey to homeownership reflects the promise of Home on the Westside and the power of partnership. With more than $120,000 in down payment assistance from five sources — including $60,000 from Westside Future Fund — CJ was able to purchase a home in the community he serves and loves.

Along the way, CJ also participated in financial education courses offered through WFF’s partnership with Operation HOPE. These courses provided tools and guidance that helped him strengthen his financial foundation and prepare for homeownership with confidence.

With keys in hand and his future rooted in English Avenue, CJ joins a growing number of legacy residents and those with deep ties to the community choosing to stay and thrive in Atlanta’s historic Westside.

Learn more about Home on the Westside at www.homeonthewestside.com 

When it comes to revitalizing Atlanta’s historic Westside, transformation doesn’t just happen — it’s built, block by block, by those willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work. For Westside Future Fund, that work is made possible every day by a trusted partner: Integrity Home Solutions.

Founded in 2019 by two brothers with a shared vision, Integrity Home Solutions is more than a landscaping company.

“Our work is about transforming communities, one home at a time,” says Lenard Brown, Operations Manager at Integrity and a familiar face to many Westside residents. “We don’t just mow lawns. We clean up blight. We mentor young people. We’re invested.”

As Westside Future Fund’s primary property maintenance vendor, Integrity ensures that all vacant and blighted lots owned by WFF are clean, safe, and code-compliant. That means removing trash, boarding up unsecured windows, managing overgrowth, and maintaining landscaping on new and existing properties alike. The work might be behind the scenes, but the impact is seen — and felt — throughout the community.

“356 James P. Brawley is a great example,” says Brown. “That lot used to be a dumping ground. Now it’s a beautiful new development, and someone who lives there through Westside Future Fund’s program actually works with us full-time. That’s a full-circle impact.”

The Hands Behind the Help: Volunteer Events Powered by Integrity

Beyond ongoing property care, Integrity also supports on-site logistics and coordination for Westside Future Fund’s volunteer programs. Whether it’s large-scale corporate-sponsored  projects or monthly community cleanups, Brown and his team serve as the boots on the ground — guiding volunteers, providing tools, and ensuring every activation runs smoothly.

They help bring hundreds of volunteers together each year — corporate teams, church groups, and local residents — working side by side to create cleaner, safer streets and stronger bonds among neighbors.

“From organizing supplies to showing volunteers how to use the tools and get involved, our role is to make it easy for people to help,” Brown explains. “It’s not just about getting a job done, it’s about building community.”

Investing in the Next Generation: Internships with Impact

One of the most inspiring pieces of Integrity’s partnership with Westside Future Fund is the youth internship program, launched in 2020. Thanks to funding from Georgia Natural Gas, the program employs young people ages 11 to 21 who live in the Westside and want to be part of its transformation.

“In 2020, we started our internship program… We currently have a guy on our team, Akeem Wright, who is a direct product of that internship,” said Brown. “For us, it’s always been our vision not just to be a family affair, but to give back to the community.”

These interns are more than just helpers — they are leaders in the making. Working directly with Lenard and the Integrity team, they assist with everything from neighborhood cleanups to large-scale volunteer events, gaining real-world job experience while developing a deep sense of purpose and pride.

“It’s about giving the younger generation a platform to do what I wish we had more of when I was growing up,” said Brown. “Programs like this — where you get paid to learn, personally and professionally — that’s what we want to grow.”

Their work is hands-on and high-impact: preparing and distributing resources for families in need, setting up for events like Ride for the Westside, assisting with community wellness projects, and beautifying streets that many of them have called home their whole lives.

These young leaders don’t just support the mission — they embody it. Their dedication, work ethic, and sense of responsibility are a powerful reflection of what the historic Westside can be when invested in from within.

A Model of What’s Possible

Through their partnership with Integrity Home Solutions, Westside Future Fund is not only remediating blight — they’re building a stronger community foundation. Whether it’s clearing a lot, guiding a volunteer, or mentoring a young intern, Lenard and his team are proving that real change starts with people who care.

And when those people are equipped with opportunity, leadership, and the right partnerships — transformation takes root.