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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE YWCA DurHAM continued from page 3 4 the 2013 National Planning Excellence Award for Advancing Diversity & Social Change from the American Planning Association for its multimillion-dollar effort, known as YWoodlawn, to revitalize that depressed area of Birmingham. "e YWoodlawn plan is a catalyst for the broader community in Birmingham and illustrates what happens when a group such as the YWCA brings its organizational might and commitment to tackle a problem," said Ann Bagley, the 2013 APA Awards Jury chairwoman. Major parts of YWoodlawn include the YW's Interfaith Hospitality House, which provides emergency shelter for on revitalizing the area. homeless families; 58 housing units, "We know we don't have eight of which are handithe resources to do this by capped-accessible; and the The YWCA's Interfaith ourselves," Durham says. Family resource Center, Hospitality House "We really feel like collabowhich has become a commuprovides emergency shelter rating helps us to use best nity hub offering a range of for families. practices and not to be activities including literacy, duplicative in services. We job training and health and really believe in the strength of collabonutrition. ration and partnerships." All told, YWoodlawn has invested Durham says those kind of strong $11 million in Woodlawn, but the relationships are one of the things she YWCA is not going it alone. e will miss most in retirement, although agency began coordinating with other a consulting contract with the YWCA groups already working in Woodlawn, will allow her to keep her hand in some which led to the creation of Woodlawn projects. As she puts it, "I'm not going united, a group that includes the YWCA, merchants, residents, schools, away." churches and other nonprofits intent At least, that's her plan.