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Community Building Institute director retires; CBI reports $1.5M budget, expanded programs
Summary
Verlina Stewart, outgoing executive director of the Community Building Institute, briefed the Middletown City Council on CBI’s programs and finances, cited a $1.5 million operating budget, clean audits for 2023–2025 and services to more than 2,500 individuals; she announced Marie Edwards as the incoming executive director.
Verlina Stewart, executive director of the Community Building Institute, told the Middletown City Council on Dec. 16 that she is retiring and summarized the nonprofit’s recent activity and finances ahead of a ribbon cutting for the renovated Robert Sunny Hill Junior Community Center.
CBI was founded in 2009 and Stewart said the organization operates with a $1.5 million annual operating budget and approximately nine full‑time and eight part‑time staff, a number that can increase during summer camp season. Stewart reported clean single audits for 2023 and 2024 and said work on the 2025 audit was wrapping up. She said CBI served more than 2,500 individuals across early childhood, after‑school, leadership and adult programs and partners with local organizations including Butler County Educational Services Center and Spectrum on GED and intergenerational programs.
Stewart listed outcomes from the year: work experiences for 38 students, leadership and transition programs for 43 students, after‑school enrichment for about 120 students, a summer camp serving approximately 100 students, distribution of over 16,000 meals through the Children’s Hunger Alliance, distribution of more than 17,650 diapers and nearly 100 Dolly Parton Imagination Library registrations. She said CBI hosts rentals and provides space for county educational programming.
Stewart said the organization is seeking to diversify funding away from federal dependence toward foundations and private donors and thanked the city for long‑term support dating to a donation from Armco in 1968 that led to the community center’s ownership by the city. Marie Edwards was introduced in the meeting as the incoming executive director; Stewart expressed confidence Edwards will be supported in the new role.
Councilmembers publicly thanked Stewart for her service and praised CBI’s work. During a follow‑up exchange, Stewart explained a concession area at the new gym requires a three‑compartment sink to be licensed to serve hot foods; she said the architect and contractor have arranged a solution to add the sink so concessions can operate.
CBI’s presentation was an informational item; no vote or financial action was taken by council at the Dec. 16 meeting.
