Franklinton Rising: Helping Residents Build Their Own Futures

We’ve been writing about groups and businesses impacting change in the Franklinton neighborhood. You’ve no doubt seen the construction sites popping up. But what you probably haven’t noticed are the teenagers and young adults who are involved with rehabbing homes in the area. These young trainees are learning skills that will help reshape not just Franklinton’s exterior facade, but also their lives.

These young adults are part of a group called Franklinton Rising, which began operations in 2015. The non-profit organization purchases run-down homes with donations, grants, and some help from the city of Columbus. The group recruits young people from the neighborhood to renovate the houses. It’s sort of like an apprenticeship. The recruits receive on-the-job training from contractors; they’re also coached on the importance of setting life goals. The current group of trainees are all between the ages of 17 and 25; pay starts at $8.50 per hour with the chance for promotions. Once training is complete, the organization then helps the participants find permanent jobs. Franklinton Rising’s president, Tom Heffner, explained the group’s mission and how it all got started.