New Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center: A Link Between Residents and Resources
Mecklenburg County cut the ribbon on Oct. 25 for the new Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center (CRC). Community Resource Centers offer services from across Health and Human Services agencies and community partners. Services span economic stability, food and housing security, healthcare, education, and more.
The new CRC is located at 430 Stitt Road in northeast Charlotte near the intersection of North Tryon Street and Eastway Drive. It is named for the late commissioner Ella B. Scarborough in honor of her lifetime of service to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community. It is the second such center that allows County residents to access multiple critical services in one accessible location.
“The Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center, like the late commissioner, is a link between residents and the vital resources that will serve this community long after we are gone,” said Deputy County Manager Anthony Trotman.
Ella Scarborough’s brother, children, family members and her Zeta Phi Beta Sorority sisters attended the ribbon cutting ceremony. They were joined by public servants, elected officials and residents of Mecklenburg County.
“To the Scarborough family -- thank you for helping all of us continue to keep Ella’s legacy alive. We all know how much she loved and valued this community. It is our hope that naming this building after her serves as an indication of just how much she was and continues to be valued,” said George Dunlap, chair of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners.
Remarks were given by Dunlap, County Manager Dena Diorio, Trotman, and the director of the Department of Community Resources, Yulonda Griffin.
“When residents visit the Ella B. Scarborough Center, they receive a warm greeting and personal assistance from our staff who strive to deliver a higher level of customer service,” said Griffin. “The modern facility has a welcoming environment with its trauma-informed design and electronic check-in process that supports residents receiving multiple services in one visit.”
When visiting the Ella B. Scarborough CRC for services, guests are greeted at check-in and are invited to sit in the waiting area until their appointed time, when they can move through the building to their service’s designated neighborhood. Natural light fills the atrium to allow building staff to visually connect with the individuals and families they are supporting.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests toured the facility and were able to see how welcoming and inviting the new CRC will be for any Mecklenburg County resident.
“The streets on this property are all new and named after community titans that had an invaluable impact in this community,” said Chair Dunlap.
Zion-Torrance Road is named in honor of the Zion Primitive Baptist Church and its founder, Rev. Wallace Torrance. The current church building located off East Sugar Creek Road dates backs to 1972.
Stitt Road is named in honor to the Stitt family, a family that has had deep roots in several neighborhoods in this community dating back to the early 1900s.
George Evans Drive is named after George Evans -- a pioneer and leader in the Howie Acres and Hidden Valley community. Evans was a laborer for the City of Charlotte who in 1946 put together enough funds to purchase 10 acres of land with the sole purpose of affording African Americans in the Charlotte an opportunity to purchase lots at a time when lots and land were not easily accessible by them.
Outside the Ella B. Scarborough Center is the public artwork “Cloud Lilies” by artist Nova Jiang.
“We know public art enhances a neighborhood’s identity and enriches all those who visit this space. Many thanks to the Arts and Science Council,” said Diorio.
Diorio also thanked the Board of County Commissioners for their support and advocacy for the new Community Resource Center. She shared how she misses Commissioner Scarborough and thanked the family for attending.
“I know the Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center will make a difference in the lives of so many for years to come,” Diorio said.