Resource center thriving despite ‘extreme’ hurdles

Like many big-city neighborhoods, Norwood declined rapidly beginning in the 1970s, losing people and businesses and spawning crime and blight, but it’s come back some in recent years.

That revival’s been aided by the Norwood Resource Center, a nonprofit that sponsors events, encourages restoration of the area’s historic homes and offers educational and financial programs.

But the NRC faced its own challenge in October 2015, when an arsonist-set fire — one of three in Norwood in a single night — caused a roof collapse and other damage to the group’s offices, the old Nygren house.

However, the NRC — like Norwood — has pushed on, running its programs from the Kingston JCCEO and looking to the future, according to executive director Melodie Echols.

“Despite the extreme challenges Norwood and NRC have faced in recent years, we’ve also overcome, and I expect we’ll continue to overcome and thrive as a community,” she said. 

Norwood Elementary was recently reopened after three years, and the Norwood Learning Gardens are an award-winning system of community plots.

NRC’s 2017 programs include volunteer income-tax assistance, a housing counseling program and the groundbreaking for a park designed by students in the center’s Junior Master Gardener program.

The NRC also will hold its annual Boulevard Blast 5K and solicit donations for a new headquarters.

The Nygren house will be rebuilt, but strictly as a residence, according to Echols.