Stabilization, healthy housing, preservation, rehabilitation, and responsible development.
New Jersey · 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Stronger systems.
More stable communities.
How Can I Community Development Corporation (HCI CDC) connects people, resources, housing solutions, and strategic partnerships to advance affordable housing, community stability, economic opportunity, and long-term self-sufficiency.
About HCI CDC
Community-centered work with a clear purpose.
Learn what guides our organization, who we serve, and the outcomes we are working to advance.
01
Who We Are
How Can I Community Development Corporation is a nonprofit community development organization established to strengthen individuals, families, and communities by connecting people to practical opportunities, resources, housing solutions, and pathways toward greater economic and social stability.
Our work is designed primarily for low- and moderate-income households, individuals and families experiencing housing instability, unemployed and underemployed adults, aspiring entrepreneurs, justice-involved residents returning to their communities, youth who need educational and career pathways, and senior citizens seeking greater stability, connection, and access to essential resources.
Our role Bridge the gap between community need and community opportunity while directing resources toward residents and neighborhoods facing documented barriers.
02
Our Mission
The mission of How Can I Community Development Corporation is to advance community stability and economic opportunity by developing and supporting initiatives focused on housing stability and affordable housing, community development, workforce and economic opportunity, resource access, and strategic community partnerships.
03
Who We Intend to Serve
Our initiatives are intended primarily to benefit underserved and economically vulnerable individuals, families, and communities, including low- and moderate-income households and residents experiencing barriers to housing stability and economic opportunity.
Program eligibility Specific requirements and populations served will vary by program and funding source.
04
How We Determine Community Need
Program development incorporates available demographic and socioeconomic data, government and community needs assessments, stakeholder input, resident engagement, partner information, and documented service gaps.
Our standard Direct limited resources toward interventions with identifiable demand and measurable community benefit.
05
Long-Term Vision
HCI CDC’s long-term vision is to become a sustainable community development organization capable of developing and administering programs, responsibly managing public and private funding, establishing affordable housing and community development initiatives, coordinating strategic partnerships, and directing resources toward communities where measurable needs exist.
Our objective Build sufficient organizational capacity to create sustainable community impact—not growth for its own sake.
Programs in development
Five enduring pillars for community stability.
HCI CDC is building a practical, partnership-led program portfolio. Initiatives will be launched in phases based on documented need, secured funding, qualified partners, and organizational readiness.
Employment pathways, skills development, entrepreneurship, and procurement access.
Mentoring, educational enrichment, career exposure, and leadership development.
Resource navigation, housing stability, digital access, and social connection.
Coordinated referrals, follow-up, and access to existing community services.
01
Housing Stability & Affordable Housing
HCI CDC’s housing strategy begins with helping residents navigate existing resources and advances toward the preservation, rehabilitation, and responsible development of affordable housing through qualified partnerships.
- StabilizeConnect households with housing navigation, prevention resources, healthy-housing support, and appropriate existing programs.
- PrepareBuild municipal, developer, owner, contractor, lender, and service-provider partnerships; identify viable properties and complete responsible predevelopment planning.
- Preserve and developPursue acquisition, rehabilitation, preservation, and new development opportunities when funding, approvals, qualified partners, and operating capacity are secured.
Long-term objective Expand access to safe, quality housing while supporting neighborhood stability and lasting affordability.
02
Workforce Development & Economic Mobility
This pillar will connect unemployed and underemployed residents with career-readiness support, employment resources, occupational training partners, digital and administrative skills, entrepreneurship guidance, and procurement opportunities.
Program development will prioritize relationships with employers, workforce-development boards, educational institutions, training providers, labor partners, and community organizations so participants can move from preparation to a realistic employment or business pathway.
Partnership first Where a qualified organization already delivers an effective service, HCI CDC will coordinate access and referrals instead of unnecessarily duplicating it.
03
Youth Pathways & Leadership
This pillar is being developed around mentoring, educational enrichment, career exposure, financial capability, leadership development, and coordinated referrals for young people.
HCI CDC will pursue partnerships with schools, training providers, employers, mentors, and youth-serving organizations to connect participants with consistent guidance and age-appropriate opportunities.
Priority outcome Young people who are supported, prepared, connected, and equipped to plan their next steps.
04
Senior Stability & Connection
This pillar is being developed to help senior citizens navigate housing and benefit resources, improve digital access, strengthen social connection, and reach appropriate health, transportation, and community-based services.
Partnerships supporting home safety, housing stability, aging in place, and coordinated referrals will be pursued as resources and qualified providers become available.
Priority outcome Greater independence, dignity, stability, and connection for older adults.
05
Community Resource Navigation
HCI CDC is developing a coordinated navigation model to help residents identify appropriate housing, workforce, social-service, educational, economic, and community resources.
The model will emphasize informed referrals, partner coordination, appropriate follow-up, and documentation of recurring service gaps so future programming responds to verified needs.
Priority outcome Help residents reach the right resource while using service data to identify unmet community needs.
06
Collaborative Community Development
We seek strategic partnerships with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, housing organizations, healthcare and social-service providers, businesses, contractors, funders, community leaders, and residents.
Priority outcome Combine resources, expertise, funding, facilities, and community knowledge to produce measurable outcomes.
Founder-led community outreach
Experience that shaped the mission.
Founder Shanifah M. McCurdy has provided direct, hands-on community outreach throughout Essex County.
Through volunteer service with Ebenezer Baptist Church in Orange, New Jersey, she assembled more than 100 food bags per distribution day using church-provided food and personally distributed or delivered them to senior citizens, community facilities, and community members.
Separately, Shanifah organized a recurring biweekly meal outreach using approximately 100 prepared meals per distribution donated by Jam Icons Jamaican Restaurant and Catering Services. She coordinated and personally distributed the meals to individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Newark, East Orange, Orange, and Irvington.
Why it mattersThis experience helped shape HCI CDC’s commitment to food access, senior support, homelessness response, and coordinated community resources.
How we work
From community needs to measurable impact.
We use a responsible, evidence-informed approach that connects documented community needs with resources, accountable action, measurable results, and sustainable solutions.
- 01Identify the need
Listen to communities and validate priorities with evidence.
- 02Connect resources
Align residents with relevant services and opportunities.
- 03Build the partnership
Define responsibilities, referrals, safeguards, and shared outcomes.
- 04Implement the solution
Launch responsibly with defined responsibilities and participant safeguards.
- 05Measure the impact
Track services, partnerships, resources leveraged, and program-specific outcomes.
- 06Sustain what works
Strengthen effective programs through diverse funding and repeatable systems.
Responsible growth
Accountability is part of the mission.
GovernanceBoard oversight, documented policies, ethical decision-making, and clear accountability.
Financial resilienceDiversified grants and contributions, prudent cost activation, and a long-term goal to build a board-designated operating reserve from unrestricted revenue as resources allow.
Program qualityReadiness standards, outcome measurement, participant safeguards, and continuous improvement.
Organizational sustainability
Built to remain useful beyond a single grant.
HCI CDC’s sustainability strategy is to grow in proportion to secured resources, maintain strong governance and financial controls, diversify public and private funding, document measurable outcomes, and build partnerships that extend the reach of every investment.
A board-designated operating reserve is a future financial safeguard—not a program expense. As unrestricted revenue becomes available, the organization may set aside board-approved funds to help maintain essential operations during funding delays, unexpected costs, or temporary revenue interruptions.
Partnership inquiries
Let’s build practical community solutions together.
How Can I Community Development Corporation welcomes conversations with nonprofits, public agencies, funders, employers, schools, senior-service organizations, community organizations, and service providers whose work aligns with housing stability, youth development, older-adult well-being, resource access, and economic opportunity.
Contact How Can I Community Development Corporation contact.hcicdc@gmail.comSupport the mission
Invest in stronger, more stable communities.
Charitable contributions can help HCI CDC strengthen organizational capacity and advance housing, workforce, youth, senior, and community-resource initiatives as programs are developed and activated.
Request donation information For contribution instructions, in-kind support, or institutional giving inquiries, contact contact.hcicdc@gmail.com.