Allen Neighborhood Center

Mission: To serve as a dynamic hub where Lansing Eastside neighbors access resources to improve their health and well-being; expand their capacity to seize job and entrepreneurial opportunities; create a strong sense of place, belonging, and community pride; and build a safe, sustainable, and thriving neighborhood.

Allen Neighborhood Center is a place-based organization that serves as a hub for neighborhood revitalization and for activities that promote the health and well-being of Lansing’s Eastside community and other stakeholders.

Founded in late 1999, Allen Neighborhood Center (ANC) grew out of a four year old ‘healthy communities’ initiative called the Eastside Summit. We describe our work as “comprehensive and integrative community development”, and our signature projects focus on health access and education, resources and programs that link people with locally grown, healthy food, access to affordable and healthy housing, economic development, and social capital building through support of current and emerging neighborhood organizations.

ANC has pioneered programs in health education and outreach, housing improvement, food security and nutrition education, youth development, commercial corridor revitalization, and social capital building. We do all of this with the generous support of the engaged and unique Eastside community.

Our main programs include:

• The year-round, award-winning, Allen Farmers Market
• Urban growing initiatives centered around the Hunter Park GardenHouse
• Allen Market Place rentals for events
• Incubator Kitchen for entry-level food entrepreneurs
• Veggie Box, our multi-farm CSA
• Programs for youth and seniors
• Community Building Outreach and Engagement, providing connection, information, referral, and advocacy services, ensuring access to health, housing, human services, including the ‘Market Walk/Moves’ exercise programs, and the Senior Discovery Group.