Navigating United Neighborhoods: North Mecklenburg

Through the United Neighborhoods initiative, United Way serves more than 50 neighborhoods across greater Charlotte. This blog series dives deeper into the history of each United Neighborhoods community and highlights the residents and community quarterbacks that fuel the vision for the future.

The North Mecklenburg region is home to diverse neighborhoods including West Davidson, Smithville, Pottstown and Huntington Green. These areas, while rich in cultural heritage, have faced significant challenges due to rapid growth, economic disparities and access to essential resources.

West Davidson, near Davidson College, and Smithville, one of the oldest Black neighborhoods in Cornelius, have both faced significant challenges tied to rising property values, aging infrastructure and a lack of affordable housing. West Davidson’s residents have felt the strain of increasing costs and Smithville has grappled with limited access to education and employment opportunities, putting pressure on its long-time residents.

Similarly, Pottstown in Huntersville has experienced economic decline, with housing issues and underemployment affecting its once-thriving community. Huntington Green has dealt with issues like poverty, crime and housing instability, which were being increased due to limited social services and employment options. Though these neighborhoods are different in their own ways, they share common struggles related to economic mobility and social inequality.

Fortunately, nonprofits like the Ada Jenkins Center are stepping in to address these issues and help build stronger, more resilient communities.

North Mecklenburg was recently added to the list of communities under United Way of Greater Charlotte’s United Neighborhoods initiative, in which United Way works alongside a community quarterback to convene and provide funding to nonprofits whose services address the needs identified by residents.

As the Community Quarterback for North Mecklenburg, the Ada Jenkins Center is able to work collaboratively with nonprofit partners to bring in the best programs and services for its residents, helping create lasting solutions to improve economic stability for people and communities.

The Ada Jenkins Center serves Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville by offering a series of programs and services; this includes their economic mobility work and street outreach program, the Nourish Up food pantry on site, academic enrichment programs for students and a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Since the Ada Jenkins Center serves such a large geography, the team faces challenges when creating solutions and providing services for all who need them in their communities.

“What a resident experiences in Huntersville may be a slightly different problem in Cornelius or Davidson, because those are three different communities with three different personalities and policies,” Director of Impact and Engagement Diane Means said.

“We just have to keep building our capacity to make sure everybody knows that if you need help, or should you need it, ever, there are places that you can go and seek that help, that support or just somebody to listen.”

Through their efforts and by partnering with local leaders and residents, the Ada Jenkins Center is helping bridge gaps and empower communities, fostering a brighter, more equitable future for all.

Meet Diane Means and learn more about the Ada Jenkins Center’s role as a community quarterback.

Learn more about the work United Way is doing through United Neighborhoods today.