Community Impact
The Calfee Community and Cultural Center will have long lasting economic and social impacts felt throughout the region. During construction, $3.5M will be invested in Pulaski County jobs and economic growth. Once operating, that investment will continue to deliver impact. An historic, abandoned structure will be brought back to life, reducing blight proximate to downtown Pulaski's Commercial Business District, which has been undergoing transformation through DHCD support with a CDBG project.
The CCCC will house at least 20 new, full-time jobs on site. 97 children will have high quality childcare, getting them ready for tomorrow. Their parents will have better chances at economic security, and employers will benefit with reduced absenteeism.
Those with low-income will be able to secure food. And the community will be able to enhance their digital skills, improving their employability and entrepreneurism. New food-based businesses will develop, and local farmers will have more direct year-round access to local customers and businesses. The community will have a space and driver for continual collaboration.
In the long term, this investment will lead to more businesses and families relocating to Pulaski County, ultimately aiding in the reduction in hunger and poverty rates within the county.
Socially, CCCC is recognizing and honoring our history. School children and the community-at-large will improve their sense of trust and cooperation across racial, generational, and class lines. New leaders will be prepared to contribute not just at the CCCC, but in key roles throughout Pulaski County.
Recent crises, including but not limited to the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the urgency of addressing the deep needs in Pulaski County’s to increase resiliency in the face of future widespread emergencies.