For those of you I’ve not yet had the pleasure to meet, I’m Dave Cofer and on January 9, I was blessed to begin my appointment as Executive Director of PACT. For those of you I have already met, thank you foryour generosity and hospitality as you have welcomed me into your community. I am so very appreciative to be with you here on the Near East Side, a community of diverse people and places and incredibly rich history and tradition.

We have recently concluded a six-week series of Friday open houses during which 60 or so of our neighbors, business owners, and other community representatives stopped by to visit, share perspectives and offer valuable insights about PACT and the community. For those of you who didn’t get a chance to stop by, please know we always welcome a visit from you.

Looking ahead, PACT is excited about our plans for 2017, which include expanding our existing exterior home repair program and implementation of the Near East Side Neighborhood Leadership Academy, just to name a few. Be sure to hold the date for our annual community meeting on July 18 to learn about our recent accomplishments and additional plans for the future. I look forward to our work together as we honor our heritage and build our future.