Kendall Whittier
Strong Neighborhoods
- 209%increase in number of Latinos with a bachelor's degree.
- 550units of high quality, mixed-income housing have been built since investments in the neighborhood began.
- 81%of students in neighborhood schools have improved their grades or test scores after receiving access to education and other support.
Bringing back Kendall Whittier
A safe and stable home environment is foundational to creating opportunity for children in low-income neighborhoods.
Creating conditions for success
For years, Kendall Whittier was in economic and environmental decline. Before neighborhood revitalization efforts began, no new homes or apartments were constructed. Opportunities were limited until new immigrants moved in, bringing stability to the neighborhood that inspired progress.
Since then, residents, GKFF and public-private partners have collaborated to strengthen the neighborhood and create opportunities for growth.
Our approach
Inspired by the national success of New York’s Harlem Children’s Zone and other leading-edge efforts to break the cycle of poverty for children, GKFF focuses on creating a birth-to-college-to-career pipeline in the Kendall Whittier neighborhood.
What we support
Our support includes Growing Together — a community-led initiative developing mixed-income housing designed to elevate community vitality and create new opportunities for its children.
Alongside our community partners, GKFF supports initiatives that:
- Create quality and affordable housing for families of all income levels
- Put kids first with by creating access to innovative early childhood learning and development programs like Educare — which, when opened in 2006, was the 4th Educare school in the country
- Support neighborhood schools and learning resources — from early learning through high school and beyond
- Advance the community and its unique culture by rehabilitating public parks, supporting local businesses and acting on the community needs residents themselves identify
Neighborhood programs we support
Our Team
Josh Miller
BioJosh Miller
Senior Program Officer
Josh Miller is a senior program officer at GKFF, specializing in comprehensive neighborhood revitalization, civic enhancement and economic development. Miller has contributed to the creation of over 2,000 mixed-income housing units in Tulsa and co-managed the development of the Gathering Place. Before joining GKFF, Miller held a director of compliance role within the University of Oklahoma's athletic department, followed by a position as vice president of the Folds of Honor Foundation. His academic credentials include a BA, M.Ed, and JD from the University of Oklahoma. Miller and his wife, Nicole, are high school sweethearts and proud parents to Lily and Vance.
