By Robert Barron, Staff Writer
Enid News and Eagle
ENID —
Cheri Ezzell is ready for the fundraising drive to renovate the old Newman’s building downtown to be complete so the project to create a one-stop non-profit center can move forward.
Only $103,000 is needed to complete the Community Development Support Association drive to raise $2.5 million to renovate the downtown Enid building. Ezzell, CDSA executive director, said the organization received a matching grant from the Inasmuch Foundation, and when that is completed CDSA is eligible for a $320,000 grant from the Mabee Foundation, which will put her group over the goal.
CDSA has until Sept. 30 to complete fundraising.
“My goal is to complete the fundraising before September, so I’m working really hard right now,” Ezzell said.
CDSA purchased the building with funds it had saved. Saving the money took careful planning and a long time, but Ezzell has been dedicated. The nonprofit raises money from federal and state grants and is a member of United Way of Enid and Northwest Oklahoma. This year, CDSA has a $3 million budget.
“This is a business,” Ezzell said.
Work on the Newman’s building mostly has been internal to date, with tasks such as removing hazardous material, including asbestos and lead-based paint. The primary cost of the renovation will be updating the electrical system, which has not been updated since the building was constructed, Ezzell said.
When upgraded, the building will become an open office complex that will serve not only CDSA but other nonprofits that lease space. Ezzell said there are three organizations now on board to lease space and others are to come. She is talking to other groups and expects to have about 10 nonprofits in the building.
“I think the shared space and services, like reception, phone systems, will cut costs of operation for us so we can be more efficient, more self-sufficient and our location will make it easier to serve,” she said.
The renovation will take the largest vacant building in downtown Enid and bring it back to life, and in turn bring more people downtown who will use other downtown businesses, Ezzell said. She thinks the nonprofit center will be good for the downtown area.
One of the largest groups to use space in the building will be Enid Early Childhood Center, which serves children at ages when the greatest impact can be made. Ezell said when an impact is made on people during the early developmental stage of their lives, they have a better chance to grow up to be better people.
“People will start seeing activity there. So far it’s all been inside, but we will replace the windows this month,” Ezzell said.
For information about CDSA or to make a donation, call Ezzell at CDSA, 242-6131, or go online at the CDSA website, www.cdsaok.org.
