Campus of Hope at Gate City, Birmingham

Mike Lundy, Executive Director of Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, looks on as Lt. Colonel McCabe, Commander of the Army Recruitment Brigade for Alabama administers the Oath of Office to two young people who are residents of the Gate City community where the Campus of Hope is being kicked off. Both students are seniors in high school and have already completed the application process for military service.

A very enthusiastic crowd came out to witness the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Campus of Hope effort in Birmingham, Alabama.

Gate City is an older housing community in Birmingham desperately in need of renovation and hope.

The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD) decided to take an old unused gymnasium on the property, completely renovate it and rebrand it as place to deliver comprehensive social services to the residents of Gate City and the surrounding community.

On April 11th, the United States Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with HABD to provide onsite services. Housing Authority of the Birmingham District Executive Director, Mike Lundy and Lt. Colonel McCabe, Commander, Army Recruitment Brigade for Alabama signed the official MOU outlining the support services the United States Army will offer the Campus of Hope effort.

Through their MOU the Army is providing the Center with the same learning software that young Army recruits are provided to help them further their military careers. Other partners that will join the effort include Birmingham City Schools; University of Alabama at Birmingham; Lawson State Community College; The Dannon Project; Maranathan Academy; Church of the Highlands, Alethia House; and A Shared Community Resource.

The newly renovated space includes a computer lab with about 20 networked computers; a suite of offices that will accommodate social service providers on a rotating schedule, a large community room and kitchen, a health room where providers will offer basic health screenings on site and a small work out room. The two-story building also is equipped with a stair lift to enable physically disabled individuals to take advantage of all the building's services.

The Center will be officially open at the end of April and will initially provide bus service for residents of three other North Birmingham public housing communities to participate. HABD Director called the day one of the most inspirational of his 31 years of public housing service.

###