David Garfunkel - "Building Community" - From Peace Corps to re-building a forgotten neighborbhood

Income inequality and generational poverty have decimated the
American Dream. How does one claw their way out of a deep hole if
the walls are too steep and slippery to climb. David Garfunkel
has dedicated his life to solving this systemic problem. As
President & CEO of the non-profit LIFT JAX, David brings
business and community leaders together to eradicate generational
poverty in Jacksonville, FL. And it’s not just lofty talk and
abstraction. LIFT JAX has created meaningful and measurable
community revitalization initiatives in Jacksonville’s Eastside,
located less than a mile from downtown. "OutEast" is widely
considered to be one of Jacksonville’s most important
historically African-American neighborhoods, home to many
noteworthy sites in African-American culture dating back to the
mid-1800s. LIFT JAX focuses on culturally rich, generationally
inclusive, and economically diverse neighborhoods for children
and families, where social connections across socioeconomic and
racial demographics are commonplace. Legacy residents feel valued
and are part of the fabric of the growing community with newer
residents. The built environment and investments in physical
infrastructure support the ability for the community to thrive.
And, all residents feel welcomed, valued, and integral to the
composition of their neighborhood. Using the Purpose Built
Communities model, grounded in the foundational beliefs that race
and place matter, makes it possible for residents to experience
greater racial equity, improved health outcomes, and increased
upward mobility in their neighborhoods. For example, LIFT JAX has
reopened the beloved Debs Store as a community wellness anchor
that provides easy access to healthy food. The store was a
neighborhood staple for more than 90 years and left the Eastside
a food desert after closing. In addition, they're working to
activate parks and green spaces by improving the infrastructure
to better support activities for families. These basic lifestyle
improvements make a house a home and a neighborhood a village.
His journey toward social justice began straight out of college,
where he received a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the
Harvard Kennedy School. David joined the Peace Corps in the
Dominican Republic, where he served for three years in the area
of community economic development. Following the 2010 earthquake
that struck Haiti, he moved to Port-au-Prince, where he led a
rural loan and education program for Fonkoze, Haiti’s largest
microfinance institution.


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