Creating a network of community support in Louisville

For as long as Stephany Walton can remember, growing up in West Louisville, Kentucky, the landscape was dominated by two large cigarette factories. Those plants closed for good in 1999, taking jobs–and hope–out of West Louisville, a historically Black neighborhood since the 1830s.

“This community has faced a lot of challenges,” notes Donna Purvis, the city councilwoman representing the neighborhood. “It has been a forgotten community for the past 20 years.” 

Thankfully, however, West Louisville is an example of resilience and renewal, highlighted by a new comprehensive YMCA community center on the site of an abandoned cigarette manufacturing facility. The Republic Bank Foundation (RBF) YMCA provides an innovative, holistic healthcare model that addresses social determinants of health. 

“We believe that dignity is a birthright,” says Steve Tarver, retired CEO of RBF YMCA. “Eighty percent of health outcomes come from where you live, work and play. That's not equitable.”

Capital One invested $28 million and provided $5 million in New Markets Tax Credit allocation to close the gap in financing for the new facility. The NMTC Program offers investors a credit against their federal income tax in exchange for making equity investments in certified Community Development Entities (CDEs), including the Capital One Community Renewal Fund. 

“Asset building and asset protection is a key determinant of health,” Tarver explains. “If it wasn't for the New Markets Tax Credit and Capital One, we would not be able to offer this seamless continuum of services expanding people's choices.”

The RBF YMCA takes an integrative approach to health and equity, bringing together community stakeholders to provide accessible, on-campus services that reduce barriers to participation. Key partners include Norton Healthcare, Gilda's Club Kentuckiana, Family & Children's Place (FCP) and Hosparus Health Resource Center. 

Together, these partners provide a comprehensive range of services, including primary care, mental wellness resources, therapy, counseling and hospice care. A local bank also provides members with direct banking services in the building. 

Currently, the YMCA has 4,370 members and over 7,000 monthly visits from membership (1,600 of which are subsidized by insurance), contributing to positive health outcomes for the community and hope for continued investment in the area.

The RBF YMCA building transformed a brownfield site into a vibrant, energy-efficient community hub—offering a diverse range of programs, including swimming lessons, yoga, group exercise classes, youth programs and the Best Buy Teen Tech Center. Upgrades to the building include new green spaces, greater use of natural light and energy-efficient equipment that will improve the YMCA experience and promote health outcomes across all its services.

Community-driven initiatives like the RBF YMCA are critical to addressing historical inequities such as those in West Louisville. The New Markets Tax Credit Program offers a funding mechanism to transform great ideas into realities. 

Capital One is proud to have been involved in the NMTC Program since its inception in 2006, having invested over $4.5 billion in more than 40 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and American Samoa, helping individual communities achieve the equity they richly deserve. 

“The vision was to reduce barriers and increase access under one roof,” Tarver concludes, “recognizing that the choices people make are the choices people have.” 

To learn more about the impact that Capital One’s investment has had on West Louisville, download the report or watch the video.

For more information about Capital One’s commitment to stimulating economic activity in underserved areas by investing in the New Markets Tax Credit Program, visit our website.