Kennedy Heights History
The Kennedy Heights apartment complex was built in 1968-70. It is a HUD subsidized complex of 104 Townhouse apartment units. It was among the first affordable housing complexes on Madison's Northside, for low to moderate-income persons.In 1983, there was growing resident concern about the lack of affordable activities for the many youth of the community. Since the late 70's and the early 1980’s, Juvenile delinquency, vandalism, drug use/abuse and activity, and police calls had been at an all-time high. Residents banded together and through a series of meetings formed the Kennedy Heights Neighborhood Association. (KHNA) The charge of KHNA was to start a resident board, which would sponsor activities for the community children, geared toward combating concerns and problems. KHNA elected a 15 member Board of Directors, and the complex owners donated the use of one apartment for a small community center in which activities were conducted.In 1985, the KHNA Board of Directors wrote a grant to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Commission and the owners of the complex to secure funding to build and operate a community center on the complex grounds. In 1986 monies were awarded and Kennedy Heights Community Center (KHCC) had a home. That same year KHNA was incorporated as a private, non-profit agency and began to receive funding from local funding sources to operate programs for neighborhood residents. Due to the growth of and participation and (SUCCESS) in programming at the center, funding was sought and obtained to expand the existing center. Construction began in the late summer of 1993 and was finished in the first quarter of 1994. In March of 1994, KHCC moved into its new/or bigger home. This much-needed expansion has tripled our program and office areas.
From Our Grassroots Beginnings...
Started as Your All Resident Association (YARA) in 1978, residents of the Kennedy Heights neighborhood came together with the hope of fostering a greater sense of community and creating more activities for neighborhood children. By 1986, the neighborhood association had secured funding, built a community center and incorporated as a non-profit agency. The community center began operating various programs that improved the quality of life of the community residents. Now, second and third additions have been added to the building to meet expanding program needs. The center offers an expanding list of programs and services to the Madison community.
Our Mission
The mission of the Kennedy Heights Community Center is to create a community support network for low to moderate income families; increase available resources and programs to improve the lives of residents and to develop and present social, educational, recreational and cultural programs for children, youth and adults.