PORT CENTER CARVER CENTER
Serving Port Chester’s children and families since 1943
THE CHALLENGE
Creating opportunity for all to learn, work and thrive
The Port Chester Carver Center (“Carver Center”) has served the community’s children and families since 1943. Founded by a small group of concerned, black community members: an entrepreneur, a dentist, three ministers, a hairdresser, a post office employee, a social worker, and a passionate group of volunteers who were grassroots organizers and advocates for the minority community in Port Chester, Carver Center grew to a small food pantry and child care program that operated out of a rented synagogue basement for over 50 years. Today Carver Center is the largest and longest-running community center in the village of Port Chester, with educational, recreational, and supportive programs for families and individuals of all ages.
In 2024, Carver Center sought out The Strategy Group’s (“TSG”) help to develop a strategic plan for 2024-27 that would focus on program expansion, talent recruitment, and financial sustainability while staying committed to assisting those who come through their doors with programs and services that offset the effects of poverty and help residents combat barriers to success.
THE PROCESS
Using community data to drive strategic planning
Typically, the first step in TSG’s strategic planning process is an environmental scan. The goal of an environmental scan is to gather information from a diverse array of stakeholders to support and inform the planning process. As strategic planning was starting in this post-COVID era, Carver Center needed to reassess the types and sizes of its existing and potential programs and services to ensure they were aligned with the community’s needs. The organization wasn’t alone in this respect, as many organizations and nonprofits across the nation were wrestling with this same question – are we appropriately and effectively meeting the needs of the community we serve now that the pandemic was behind us?
To tackle this, Carver Center commissioned a community needs assessment with Aperio, NY, Inc. (a Westchester-based program evaluation and impact measurement firm specializing in data-driven organizational and community-wide impact studies) as part of its broader strategic planning process to gain the required knowledge and strengthen its community service. Through this study, Carver Center hoped to hone in on and meet current critical needs to help families avoid reaching points of crisis. In addition, the resulting data would be used by Carver to work strategically with its many partners across Westchester County and to make informed decisions about how it leverages resources accordingly.
Over the course of five months, the study yielded significant participation among community members including interviews with 34 individuals at 21 local organizations and agencies who provided important perspectives about the local population; four focus groups with 39 youth (ages 11 to 17), and five focus groups with 48 adults (ages 25 to seniors); and Community Needs Survey responses from 205 youth (ages 12-24) and 302 adults (ages 25 to seniors). All community focus groups and survey instruments were conducted in English and Spanish, including the customization of each by age group (i.e., teens, young adults, adults, seniors). To learn more:
THE OUTCOME
Long-term sustainability with a solid strategic plan
The Community Needs Assessment provided a solid foundation for the strategic planning work that began in earnest in the summer of 2023. Over the course of four months, Carver Center’s Strategic Planning Committee created a new vision, mission, and values that better reflect the organization’s needs today, and focused its work in developing intentional goals and strategies around four focus areas: Talent, Program Expansion, Marketing and Communications, and Financial Sustainability.
As the organization looks towards long-term sustainability, it will foster a dynamic team where staff skills and talents are best served to support the work moving forward. The leadership team is committed to succession planning and creating an environment and culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion are not only valued, but lived daily.
At the heart of the Carver Center organization are its diverse program offerings – food; aquatics; school age, youth, and young adult programming; and adult services – all of which will be carefully evaluated to assess impact and reach and to make recommendations for expansion and growth. With food and nutrition top of mind, Carver will work to expand its ever-popular Carver Market with more hours and food. With Carver Center’s having the only publicly accessible pool in Port Chester and offering a wide range of programming options at affordable prices, the organization is well-positioned to expand its aquatics program. Carver Center also recognizes the importance of nurturing partnerships and will look for new opportunities as part of the plan.
The organization will broaden community awareness and support with an increased media and online presence, refreshed marketing materials, and an updated website. As the community of Port Chester is ever-evolving, so are Carver Center’s programs. While continuing to offer many learning opportunities for people of all ages, Carver is increasing its core human services to meet the community’s needs. We want people to know they can turn to Carver Center for information, referrals, and supports that increase health and wellness while expanding opportunity.
With financial sustainability as a strategic area of focus, Carver Center plans to grow and diversify its funding sources through a variety of new strategies.
One thing remains the same. The impact of the Carver Center experience is clear. Whether it be one of the 1,500 family visits each month to the Carver Market to pick up fresh groceries, baby products, and household supplies; the teens or tweens served through the after-school and summer camp programs, and enrichment activities; or the adults and families who are enrolled in citizenship and English Language Learning programs – to name just some of the Carver Center programming – Carver is here to serve them all and no one is ever turned away.
Carver Center is well-prepared to shape future programming and implement its strategic plan with its staff, board, families, and community partners.
“The Strategy Group provided supportive, professional guidance in the development of our strategic plan. They also contributed a lot of behind-the-scenes work that moved the project forward more quickly than I might have expected. We look forward to inviting them to help us plan for the next three years!”
Anne Bradner | Chief Executive Director, Port Chester Carver Center
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