In recent times, and along with much of the downtown Dayton area, West Dayton and its neighbors have experienced the fallout of the area’s industry and manufacturing moving elsewhere: food insecurity, educational gaps, severe joblessness, struggling families, isolated youth, and under-resourced schools.
But West Dayton is a community of resolve. And that’s why Hope4WestDayton came together: to embody the resolve and ingenuity of West Dayton’s neighbors to lift the community.
Hope4WestDayton is shaped by the communities’ robust faith community, energetic civil-rights groups, neighborly trust, and deep commitment to vindicate West Dayton’s story as a community-shaping, world-changing community.
Today, Hope4WestDayton brings together partners from throughout the nineteen neighborhoods to overcome food insecurity, increase volunteerism, eliminate educational gaps, mentor youth, and accelerate entrepreneurship and the local economy.
West Dayton gave the Miami Valley its rich history, and it will give the Miami Valley its exciting future. And we’d love for you to participate in this story of transformation in West Dayton.
Hope4WestDayton
West Dayton is to the Miami Valley what apple seeds are to apples: you can’t have the latter without the former. The West Dayton communities gave the Miami Valley its world-changing history—and they will be central to the Miami Valley’s world-shaping future. Composed of nineteen neighborhoods, West Dayton is rich with small-town approachability and big-city resolve. A predominately African-American family of neighborhoods, with a growing diverse population, West Dayton was home to many middle-class families working in industry and manufacturing.
Stories
Momentum Builds with Hope4WestDayton
The mid-July sun scorched an empty street in West Dayton as Ronnie Moreland, former Hope4WestDayton (H4WD) Director, reached between a cluster of weeds to grab another faded soda can and threw it into his garbage bag. As he walked along the road, looking for other stray soda cans, others from the West Dayton community filled similar bags as part of a summer beautification project.
Despite the day's heat and missing breeze, the street seemed alive, infused with the excitement of possibility and partnership. This event, known as "I Love West Dayton," brought together volunteers from Dayton Urban Young Life, Living City Project, and other nonprofits. And it's an indication—among many—that hope continues to stir in West Dayton as H4WD builds momentum through growing partnerships and opportunities to serve the area.
Over the past few months, Ronnie has been meeting with and connecting West Dayton pastors and church leaders, nonprofit leaders, school administration, and business leaders to develop deepening partnerships, helping West Dayton continue to become a healthy community.
Events like "I Love West Dayton" have been great ways for Ronnie to continue to see area leaders and volunteers come together. “It was certainly a blessing and an honor to labor with this group of young professionals and volunteers as we all took a few hours to show a little love and support to the West Dayton Community," said Ronnie.
As the summer transitions into the school year, H4WD is busy planning and preparing for more events and programs, including mentor training for up-and-coming mentors to come alongside area youth. Be on the lookout for more exciting news from H4WD.
