Whitneyville Cultural Commons

Summary
Overview
Programs
Management
Governance
Financials
More Details

Mission

We preserve and enhance places of communal and historic value by providing public spaces, tools, and knowledge as shared resources to support thriving community- socially, culturally, and economically.

Needs Statement

-Volunteer party days to assist with seasonal cleanups of the WCC grounds. -Preservation and physical maintenance and upgrades to facilities. -Indoor and outdoor event equipment: plastic folding tables, linens, chairs, etc.

Impact Statement

-Completed large exterior restoration to historic Whitneyville United Church of Christ. -Assisted Episcopal Church of St Paul & St James with adapting their facilities into a multi-use community resources center called The Square at St PJ's Church. -Made the WCC available to over 50k individuals in 2022 through coworking, social gatherings & events, arts events, and nonprofit activities. -Home to the Red Cross of America's New Haven Chapter House and weekly Friday blood drives, as well as special blood drives.

CEO statement

Board Chair Statement

Areas Served
Greater New Haven

Areas Served Narrative

The WCC has a physical plant located in Hamden, Connecticut, and so primarily serves the basin which uses our services out of that plant, which ranges from participants from Hamden to New Haven to Greater New Haven, to people traveling through Connecticut from all over the United States. We also partner with organizations all over Connecticut in pursuit of our mission to preserve and enhance places of communal and historic value.

Historic Preservation

Preserve Historic Places: Steward historic properties in our trust with a commitment to preserving buildings and natural environments as part of the cultural landscape of the site.
Example of Program Success	Protecting the historic landmark, the Whitneyville United Church of Christ through ownership, and completed a preservationist exterior restoration of the church in summer of 2023.

Socially Significant Event Space

Develop Social Capital: Nurture communal relationships as host to diverse civic forums, public and private social events, and spiritual and cultural traditions.
Example of Program Success	The WCC has hosted thousands of social gathering activities across GNH's diverse populations and organizations including, but not limited to: being the New Haven Chapter House for the Red Cross; hosting regular and special worship space for dozens of religious organizations including Baha'i, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and more; and neutral ground for community forums for Town of Hamden.

Arts Space

Champion Artistic Creation: Cultivate, celebrate, and showcase artistic endeavors of all kinds
Example of Program Success	Live performances from: CT Irish Players; Damian McGinty & other members of Celtic Thunder; Shuddaswar Hindu Dance, Music, and Poetry Recital; Performing Art Studio BE Recitals, and more local and national arts groups.

Coworking

Stimulate Economic Opportunity: Develop local organizations, individuals, and start-ups through co-working opportunities and the provision of shared information, materials, and services.
Example of Program Success	The coworking home of movement building organizations like: Black Infinity Collective, CEIO, Students for Educational Justice, and Public Allies CT.

CEO/Executive Director

CEO First Name	CEO Last Name	CEO Email
Robert	Sheiman	robert@whitneyvilleculturalcommons.org

Staff Information

Number of Full-Time Staff	3
Number of Part-Time Staff	1
Number of Volunteers	10
Number of Contract Staff	0

Staff Demographics - Race

American Indian or Alaskan Native	0
Asian	0
Black or African American	1
Middle Eastern or North African	0
Mixed	0
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander	0
White	3
Other	0
Choose Not to Answer	0

Staff Demographics - Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino/a/x	0
Not Hispanic or Latino/a/x	4
Choose Not to Answer	0

Staff Demographics - Gender Identity

Male	1
Female	3
I am: (Fill In Below)	N/A
Choose Not to Answer	0

Board Chair Information

Board Chair First Name	Board Chair Last Name	Board Chair Email Address	Board Chair Term Start Date	Board Chair Term End Date
Rebecca	Mandell	rlevi.mandell@gmail.com	January 1, 2023	December 31, 2024

List of Board Members

Board Member First Name	Board Member Last Name	Board Member Affiliation
Brendan	Smith	--
Denya	McGee	--
Andrew	Marchant-Shapiro	--
Addys	Castillo	--
David	Brancati	--
Roslyn	Sotero	--

Current List of Board Members as of	April 1, 2024

Board Demographics - Race

American Indian or Alaskan Native	0
Asian	0
Black or African American	2
Middle Eastern or North African	0
Mixed	0
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander	0
Other	0
White	4
Choose Not to Answer	1

Board Demographics - Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino/a/x	2
Not Hispanic or Latino/a/x	5
Choose Not to Answer	0

Board Demographics - Gender Identity

Male	3
Female	4
I am: (Fill In Below)	N/A
Choose Not to Answer	0

Additional Comments

Additional Comments (Optional)

Annual Operating Budget

Fiscal Year Start Date	Fiscal Year End Date	Projected Revenue	Projected Expenses
January 1, 2024	December 31, 2024	$505,280	$501,345

Previous Fiscal Year Revenue and Expenses

Fiscal Year	2022	2021	2020
Total Revenue	$297,627	$569,248	$191,187
Total Expenses	$314,363	$272,548	$145,483

990 Tax Form

2023 990 Tax Form
2021 990 Tax Form	Download
2022 990 Tax Form	Download
2024 990 Tax Form

Financials

Financial Statements
Financial Statements	Download
Financial Documentation Year	2021
Financial Documentation Type	Year End Financial Statement (unaudited)
Financial Documentation Year
Financial Documentation Type
Financial Statements	Download
Financial Documentation Year	2019
Financial Documentation Type	Year End Financial Statement (unaudited)

CEO statement (optional)

General Info

Federal EIN Number	47-5322239
Organization's type of tax exempt status	501(c)3
Website	http://www.whitneyvilleculturalcommons.org
Facebook	http://www.facebook.com/1253whitney
Twitter	http://www.twitter.com/1253whitney

Our Story

Caring for the facilities in our trust is core to the mission of the Whitneyville Cultural Commons. Last year, we were triumphant in completing restoration of the exterior of the Whitneyville United Church of Christ building, returning the historic Greek Revival church to a shining beacon on the hill. We owe that major milestone to you and your support over the last decade, and never take for granted that we're able to care for these buildings Because Community Works. We urge you to drive by the facilities and admire the beautiful, gleaming church building.

We're asking for your support again this year for renovations to the Auditorium, on interior the church house building. We need to paint, floor, and upgrade the kitchenette to better service events taking place in the Auditorium. Please help us maintain the primary event space within the Whitneyville Cultural Commons by generously supporting us during The Great Give this year.

Contact

Whitneyville Cultural Commons

1253 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517

Robert Sheiman
wcc@whitneyvilleculturalcommons.org
Phone: 2037808890
http://www.whitneyvilleculturalcommons.org