one Million Hands

has been established as a central gathering space for the Scotlandville community and North Baton Rouge for a number of years. Established on the original site of a railroad depot, the plaza sits at the convergence of Scenic Highway, Scotland Avenue and Swan Avenue in historic Scotlandville. This plaza also serves as a secondary gateway to the Southern University campus. The plaza has been re-imagined as a community hub for entertainment, cultural pride and business that will anchor the community and serve as a catalyst for the community’s redevelopment future. CCNI’s One Million Hands Project will facilitate this renewal that will feature new landscape elements, water features, lighting upgrades, a covered stage and pavilion and a heritage walkway leading to the Scotlandville Cultural Center and Museum.

for decades identified as a food desert, Scotlandville andstudents on the Southern University campus have no access to fresh produce and other foodsthat promote healthy eating habits and lifestyle. Although a recently announced full servicegrocery will offer some relief to commuters and those capable of accessing this facility, manywithout transportation will not. CCNI has identified a historic building accessible to bothresidents and students to address these deficiencies. The fresh market will seek support from the Southern University Agricultural Center and local farmers to offer fresh produce and productthat promote healthy eating.

plagued by abandoned estate properties and a prolonged history of redlining, North Baton Rouge consistently maintains a large inventory of vacant houses. CCNI believes that homelessness not only means being without a roof over your head, but also being isolated from community support and services need to rebound from what are often uncontrollable circumstances. The One Million Hands Project will acquire a total of 10 residential properties in North Baton Rouge that will be made available to homeless veterans and single parents to address this problem. Each property will be renovated by local contractors and made available rent free for a period of 6 months to 1 year, depending on the need for wrap-around services and support required by housing recipients. The organizations plans to engage city, corporate, non-profit and other agency support for these individuals, in an effort to reshape their lives, while attacking the issues of neighborhood revitalization as an added benefit.

nothing is more demoralizing to a community than blight and beingsurrounded by trash and litter on a daily basis. This robs residents of their sense of worth and isa constant reminder of both their individual value and that of the communities which theyreside. Operation Clean Sweep, will target areas of North Baton Rouge that have beenoverwhelmed by decades of poorly executed trash removal and neglect. One Million Hands willprovide $1M to leverage trash removal, reclaim sidewalks, curbs and gutters, vehicle removaland placement of new signage throughout the community. CCNI hopes to work in concert withthe City of Baton Rouge, in an effort to promote new trash and littering ordinances that increase penalties for littering and establish new guidelines for trash &a refuse removal and ongoing maintenance.

stimulating new business growth in North Baton Rouge is a key component in the overall mission of making the community a vibrant place to live, work and play. The business incubator will serve as a catalyst for development and training of new businesses, as well as industrial training for industries such as carpentry, HVAC, electrician, plumbers and drone operators. Initial considerations have focused on food services and would require an incubation program featuring commercial kitchen facilities. However, additional considerations include general business operations, technology and hydroponic farming are also being researched. Project One Million Hands contribution of $1M is an adequate amount for establishing any of the variations under consideration. A final determination will be made as new research is completed.

access to capital has been and continues to be one of the most restrictive contributors to business growth for minority owned businesses in underdeveloped communities. Patterned after the SBA 7a Loan program, the NBR program is designed to help small businesses secure financing by assuring lenders that a significant portion of the loan will be repaid if a borrower defaults. Working with the nation’s 3rd largest Black owned institution Liberty Nation Bank, CCNI through the One Million Hands project will establish a $1M guarantee fund that will be administered by a local business development agency to be named at a later date. This program has been designed to stimulate business growth in North Baton, and it is anticipated that the program will attract matching funds to bolster its effectiveness.

Pride in a community begins with its history. Once considered the richest Black community in Louisiana, Scotlandville’s history is an essential part of its future. While it is true that people can only covet what they see, having pride in where you’ve come from is also an important component in establishing a vision for the future. The Scotlandville Cultural Center was created to illuminate that history. One Million Hands is committed to contributing $500K to enhance development of this project. An additional $500K will be committed to establishing a theater and performing art center.

The second round of transitional residential housing will complement Phase 1 by acquiring and renovating an additional 10 homes. The goal of CCNI and One Million Hands will be to continue utilizing a holistic approach to housing for homeless individuals, by reintegrating them into neighborhoods throughout North Baton Rouge. During this phase the project will continue working with the City of Baton Rouge and local agencies to provide wrap around service, that support affordable housing throughout North Baton Rouge.