Honoring Sundy Whiteside’s Legacy

St. Louis, Missouri
October 9–11, 2024

The Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference is honored to celebrate the legacy of Sundy Whiteside and her extraordinary contributions to community revitalization efforts in St. Louis.

Through the Sundy Whiteside Scholarship, the Center for Community Progress offers complimentary registrations to attend RVP 2024 for community changemakers from the city of St. Louis and St. Louis County who otherwise may not have the opportunity or means to attend this critical learning and networking opportunity.

We invite RVP attendees to join us on Friday, October 11 for a closing brunch dedicated in her honor to celebrate her enduring impact on our communities.

How You Can Support

Since 2007, the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference has been an essential event for leaders advancing community revitalization. Your donations help us fund the Sundy Whiteside Scholarship pool and contribute to the conference’s success.

The big, bold ideas found only at RVP inspire change and community transformation from the ground up and top down. Join us in honoring Sundy’s memory and continuing her legacy of positive change.

Who was Sundy Whiteside? (1968–2023)

Sundy Whiteside made it a point to put the “neighbor” in “neighborhood.” A visionary leader committed to bringing communities together, Sundy spent her life tirelessly driving community-centered revitalization initiatives in St. Louis.

Her career included serving as Board President of the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations and Co-Chair of the St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative's Vacancy Advisory Committee, as well as launching the Keeping it Clean campaign and being instrumental to Proposition Neighborhood Stabilization. Her impact was felt through the city, earning her numerous accolades including the 2019 Community Planning Champion award, the 2021 Missouri Good Neighbor Award, and the 2024 Lifetime Dedication to Community Building Award.

We remember and honor Sundy’s legacy as an inspiration to address vacant properties and be a part of the solution. (Photo courtesy of Humans of STL)

Why the Sundy Whiteside Scholarship Matters

The Sundy Whiteside Scholarship celebrates Sundy’s legacy by providing access to the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference for individuals who share her passion for community revitalization and vacant property reclamation. This scholarship will help community leaders who are making a difference in St. Louis build relationships and networks that last, and further innovative solutions to address property vacancy, abandonment, and deterioration.

Learn More About Sundy

Questions about the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference? Please reach out to Thamarrah Jones at [email protected].

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