Community-development conference kicks off in Louisville; 2,300+ professionals, $2.8 million in economic impact expected

LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 15, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An estimated $2.8 million in economic impact is expected in Louisville next week when more than 2,300 community development professionals from around the country convene in the city for the NeighborWorks Training Institute (NTI) May 19-23. The conference is hosted by NeighborWorks America, a national, congressionally chartered nonprofit that creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities.

More than 240 organizations – located in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico – belong to the NeighborWorks network. In addition, NeighborWorks America provides training to professionals from more than 3,000 organizations annually. The training institute is open to people working in community development, housing, real estate and related fields, both nonprofit and for-profit.

"We are proud to bring the NeighborWorks Training Institute to Louisville," said Chuck Wehrwein, acting president and chief executive officer of NeighborWorks America.  "NeighborWorks training institutes give professionals the knowledge to excel in the nonprofit and community development fields and to share best practices with their peers."

"The Housing Partnership is excited to be a part of the NeighborWorks Training Institute in Louisville," said Mike Hynes, president of The Housing Partnership, a NeighborWorks member that creates, sustains and promotes access to affordable housing in Louisville. "The diversity of perspectives of community development professionals from all over the country who will convene here for the week is a tremendous opportunity for local organizations and individuals to learn new ways to engage in our community, and also to highlight all of the great things that Louisville has to offer."

Included in the many courses and workshops is a May 21 symposium focusing on "Telling a Purposeful and Powerful Story: Communicating for Maximum Impact."  The event will present breakthrough thinking about how organizations and their clients can most effectively communicate their stories, and thus build broad-based community engagement and support.

Among the speakers at the symposium are Dave Isay, founder and president of StoryCorps, and Tiffany Dufu, chief leadership officer of the Levo League, a fast-growing online forum designed to provide Gen Y women with advice, mentorship and career opportunities.

The NeighborWorks Training Institute in is supported by a variety of partners, including Wells Fargo Housing Foundation, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, HUD, Bank of America, Citi/Citi

Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and Fifth Third Bank.

In addition to the training institute, NeighborWorks organizations work to serve Louisville and the surrounding community throughout the year. In fiscal year 2013, NeighborWorks generated more than $252 million in total direct investment, served more than 6,400 individuals and families, and created and maintained more than 900 jobs in Kentucky. To read more about NeighborWorks organizations' impact in Kentucky and other states, view the NeighborWorks America interactive map.

"New Directions Housing Corporation and the other four NeighborWorks network agencies of Kentucky have worked together to host the Commonwealth's first NTI," said Lisa Thompson, chief operating officer of New Directions.  "Louisville's neighborhoods and our grassroots leaders are eager to share their successes and challenges in the wake of The Great Recession. We are proud to host this important group of professionals whose work builds and preserves housing, supports families and engages civic leaders across our nation." 

The NeighborWorks organizations that serve Kentucky are: Community Ventures Corporation, Lexington, Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises, Berea, Frontier Housing, Morehead, New Directions Housing Corporation, and The Housing Partnership.  Over the past year the NeighborWorks Alliance of Kentucky has helped more than 562 families get into homes. For more information about NeighborWorks America, visit www.nw.org.

About NeighborWorks America
For 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $19.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation's leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.

SOURCE NeighborWorks America