As the new year begins, the Chestnut Hill Community Association staff and its Board of Directors will continue to promote social connections and community spirit through our activities and programs. We remain committed to working with fellow civic and Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) to ensure that development in Chestnut Hill takes place in a thoughtful and forward-thinking way.

We plan to accomplish this through a series of activities in this upcoming year. Below is a brief outline of what we hope to accomplish in 2023.

Have a successful 2022/2023 annual appeal

Our annual appeal funds much of our operating costs and community programs. This year we hope to raise $200,000. This robust and very necessary goal will not only fund beloved events in the community, it will also provide the Chestnut Hill Local with funds to purchase much needed computer equipment and software.

Bring back much missed events and add new ones

The CHCA is committed to bringing back popular community events, such as the Holiday House Tour, which were put on hiatus during the pandemic. 

While this event is also a fundraiser for the CHCA, it takes a significant amount of operational resources during the planning stage and is a key part of why our current fundraising efforts are so important. We have heard from the community, and we agree, the Holiday House Tour shall return in 2023!

We are also looking to increase our community events with large and small opportunities to meet your neighbors, learn something new, and enjoy our beautiful greenspaces.

Increase membership

In early 2020, the CHCA and the Local launched an ambitious plan to increase membership by reaching out to all residents in Chestnut Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods with the opportunity to be part of what makes Chestnut Hill so special. The subsequent shut-down due to the pandemic greatly delayed the implementation of that plan, which includes a Passport with discounts to many of our terrific Chestnut Hill businesses. Special Member events and activities were also adversely impacted over the last few years. 

We are looking forward to bringing back these popular events. In 2023, we will begin significant outreach activities, new and updated membership benefits, and more ways to engage with your community. 

Strategic planning and process review

Every successful organization knows that strategic planning is an ongoing exercise, and that process review is an important part of a successful strategic plan. They ensure that policies, procedures, and committees are still functioning efficiently, and are inclusive of new ideas and constituents. 

In 2023, we will continue the work that we started in 2022 to strengthen and optimize our process as the convening Registered Community Organization (RCO) here in Chestnut Hill. 

Planning for long-term green space needs

The CHCA will continue to support the work of the Green Space Initiative as this multi-organization committee works to expand and improve existing green spaces, and also looks to future needs such as heritage tree replacement.

Growing our Volunteer Program

A reorganization of staffing resources in the CHCA office will allow us to make the development of a volunteer program a priority. We are very excited about creating opportunities for volunteers, whether they can just help with specific events, are interested in serving on a committee, or would like to take on a leadership role as a board member.

The above outlines a year full of fun and hard work. We wish you and yours a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year, and hope you can join us in making 2023 the best year ever here in Chestnut Hill!