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What is a Community Quarterback?

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Connected Communities serves as the Community Quarterback in the Beechwood and EMMA neighborhoods—a trusted, strategic leader that brings partners together, aligns resources, and keeps the community’s vision at the center of every initiative. Just as a quarterback in football coordinates the team to execute a unified game plan, Connected Communities guides collaborative efforts to ensure long-term neighborhood transformation.
We don’t lead with a top-down approach. Instead, we work alongside residents, honoring their lived experiences, and ensuring that every effort is rooted in the priorities outlined in the Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan (CNP)—a plan developed by and for the community. As the quarterback, we connect residents, organizations, institutions, and funders to accelerate progress across four key pillars: Mixed-Income Housing, Cradle-to-Career Education, Economic Empowerment, and Community Wellness.
Our role is to keep everyone moving in the same direction, remove barriers, and measure impact. By doing so, we help ensure that community development is effective, equitable, sustainable, and led by the people it’s meant to serve.

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Transforming

Neighborhoods.

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Empowering People.

Connected Communities, the Community Quarterback driving systemic change in Rochester’s EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods. We convene residents, organizations, and key stakeholders to foster lasting impact in mixed-income housing, cradle-to-career education, economic empowerment, and community wellness.

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Upcoming Events

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Join Us for an Evening of Impact & Inspiration

Celebrate progress and support community transformation at our upcoming Gala.

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18 May, 2025

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Venue

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Join Us for an Evening of Impact & Inspiration

Celebrate progress and support community transformation at our upcoming Gala.

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18 May, 2025

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Venue

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Join Us for an Evening of Impact & Inspiration

Celebrate progress and support community transformation at our upcoming Gala.

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18 May, 2025

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Venue

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Mission

We partner with EMMA and Beechwood residents to break the cycle of poverty through anti-racist community revitalization and equitable resource coordination.

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Vision

For EMMA and Beechwood to be thriving neighborhoods with educational excellence, quality affordable housing, community wellness, and increased economic opportunity for all.

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Community Promise

Connected Communities has a responsibility to ensure that every strategy and strategic activity acknowledges the correlation between race and well-being. Learn more...

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We focus our efforts

through core pillars.

Each pillar is a foundation for sustainable, inclusive transformation and is based on The Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan.

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The Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan is Beechwood and EMMA’s gameplan, built in collaboration with residents and partners. It outlines actionable steps to create a more equitable, thriving community. Since our inception, Connected Communities has created an equitable plan along side residents of Beechwood and EMMA. We are proud to display that plan here as a blueprint for the future of our community. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with residents and partners to shape our neighborhoods together.

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Community Wellness

Ensures residents feel safe, healthy, and proud to live in EMMA and Beechwood by connecting them to essential services and resources that support overall well-being.

Pillars

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Cradle-to-Career Education

Creates a neighborhood-based educational pathway that equips youth from early childhood through adulthood for success in college, careers, and life.

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Mixed-Income Housing

Provides affordable options for renters and homeowners alike, helping residents thrive and remain in the neighborhood long-term.

Impact

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Economic Empowerment

Equips residents and businesses with the tools to build wealth, improve financial stability, and secure investment in their neighborhoods.

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Four Pillars of Impact

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