Abyssinian Development Corporation

1986

Rev. Calvin O. Butts, III asks congregants of Abyssinian Baptist Church to come together to help rebuild Central Harlem, and many step forward immediately.

1987

Abyssinian is awarded a contract from the City of New York to develop Abyssinian House, a transitional shelter for homeless families.

1989

ADC is officially chartered as a nonprofit community development organization and receives its first grant for $50,000.

1991

Abyssinian Towers senior citizens project opens. ADC organizes the Central Harlem Local Development Corporation to promote neighborhood business development.

1993

Proposal for Thurgood Marshall Academy accepted by NYC Board of Education. ADC awarded contract to operate Head Start program.

1995

Civic Engagement unit created. ADC joins partnership to develop Pathmark Supermarket project on 125th Street.

1997

Ground-breaking for Pathmark. ADC forms partnership to develop Harlem Center, an $85 million mixed use retail and commercial complex on 125th Street.

1999

Pathmark Supermarket opens. ADC and Chase Manhattan Bank together receive Social Compact Award in recognition of model publicprivate partnership. ADC begins construction of Renaissance Homes, a program to develop brownstones.

2000

ADC’s Family Services Department served 200 homeless families since its inception and over 1,000 families have received supportive services. Construction begins for Harlem Center.

2002

Karen Philips resigns from ADC, and Sheena Wright is named the new President and CEO. NYS Department of Education recognizes ADC’s Annie G. Newsome Head Start Program as number one in the state.

2004

Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change, the first school facility to be built in Harlem in 50 years is completed and houses 380 students.

2004

ADC moves to new and expanded headquaters.

2005

ADC launches Thurgood Marshall Lower School (TMALS), completing an ADC Education Corridor.
Historic decision made by HUD to transfer ownership of Ennis Francis Houses, a 231-unit placed-based Section 8 housing development that was in danger of a foreclosure that could have resulted in the displacement of hundreds of families, from scurrilous landlords to ADC.
ADC partners with Essence Magazine to present the Essence Show House.

2006

ADC was awarded a federal grant to implement YOUTHBUILD, a nationally recognized workforce development initiative targeting at-risk youth.
ADC breaks ground on The Empire Baptist Missionary Convention Headquarters.
ADC partners again with Feed the Children and NBPA to present Miracle on 138th Street: Feeding 10,000.
ADC is prominently featured in The Wall Street Journal, highlighting the innovative Abyssinian Neighborhood Project and ADC’s leading work with local senior community residents.
ADC secures a historic $5 Million challenge grant generously given by The Swett Family Foundation and Friends for the development of a new elementary school building (TMALS) in The Abyssinian Neighborhood.

2007

ADC launches The Abyssinian Neighborhood project through the groundbreaking ceremony for The Renaissance Complex.
ADC wins national recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Smart Growth in Equitable Development.

History and Mission

The Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) is a leading non-profit community development corporation dedicated to building the human, social, and physical capital in Harlem. The genesis of ADC was the passionate response of The Abyssinian Baptist Church parishioners to a call from the pulpit of Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts III. Reverend Butts encouraged the congregation to rebuild its community brick by brick and block by block. From a humble office in the basement of the church and a $50,000 grant, in a relatively short period of time, ADC has grown into a nationally renowned comprehensive community and economic development corporation.

Since 1989, ADC has addressed the complex, interconnected challenges facing the Harlem community through effective implementation of its mission to:

	Increase the availability of quality housing to people of diverse incomes;
	Enhance the delivery of social services, particularly to the homeless, elderly, families and children;
	Foster economic revitalization;
	Enhance educational and developmental opportunities for youth; and,
	Build community capacity through civic engagement.

To execute its mission, ADC has leveraged over $300 million of investments in the Harlem community and now has 100 employees and a consolidated budget of nearly $58.3 million.

Board of Directors

Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, Chair
Maurice Coleman, Vice Chair
Cynthia Barnes, Secretary
Ed Lloyd, Treasurer
Larry Dais, Immediate Past Chairman

Deborah Allen

G. Anthony Anderson
Valerie S. Brown
David G. Davenport
Kevin R. Johnson
Sandye P. Johnson
Douglas P. Lawrence
Megan McLaughlin
Amelia Montgomery
Saundra Parks
Denise E. Ross
David Thomas

Alvin Vinson

Gerri Warren-Merrick

Executive Team

Sheena Wright
President and CEO

Zanetta Addams-Pilgrim
VP, External Affairs

Charles Foster
Chief Financial Officer

Lesley Green-Rennis
VP, Social Services

Patricia Holley
VP, Human Resources

James T. Howard
VP, Real Estate and Asset Management

Victor Millsap
VP, Technology

Kima V. Reed
VP, Programs

Amma Tanksley-West
VP, Strategic Planning