Des Moines, IA, July 30, 2026 – Oakridge Neighborhood has been awarded $950,000 in grants from the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines to support Cynergy, a mixed-use workforce housing and wellness project designed to expand access to quality housing while strengthening economic opportunity in Des Moines.  

The Community Foundation was the first to contribute to the project, previously awarding a $200,000 grant to help leverage public funding for Cynergy, followed by a recent $750,000 Catalyst Circle grant to support property acquisition and development. Additional contributors include Polk County ($200,000), the City of Des Moines ($25,000), and 40 individual donors contributing from $100 to $50,000 each. The project will include approximately 33 workforce housing units and 9,500 square feet of wellness-focused commercial space that will provide financial health, physical wellness and vitality to the surrounding community.  

“This investment from the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, including the Catalyst Circle, builds on the momentum that has made Cynergy possible and provides critical support as we move from property acquisition into development,” said Deidre DeJear, Oakridge Neighborhood president and CEO. “Cynergy is not just a real estate project. It is a neighborhood stabilization strategy that connects housing, wellness, workforce development, youth opportunity, small business activation and long-term family stability in one location.” 

Cynergy responds to the growing need for workforce housing in Greater Des Moines while creating space for trusted community services that help families thrive. The project is designed to serve working families and cost-burdened renters, including educators, healthcare professionals, small business owners and more, by bringing housing, wellness and economic opportunity together in one location. 

Cynergy also creates a rare double-impact opportunity for two nonprofit organizations. The site is currently owned by Mainframe Studios, and the sale will provide resources to strengthen Mainframe’s operations, capital needs and sustainable mission support. By facilitating the sale to Oakridge Neighborhood, Mainframe is helping ensure the land continues serving community-centered purposes, while advancing the missions of both organizations. 

“We look forward to expanding access to opportunity, generating increased neighborhood activity and restoring a once strong economic footprint surrounding Oakridge Neighborhood and Mainframe Studios through this sale,” said Julia Franklin, executive director of Mainframe Studios. “Additionally, I am so appreciative of the Community Foundation, who has served as a supportive partner along the way, helping set our two organizations up for long-term success.”  

Total project costs for Cynergy are anticipated at $16 million, and work is being overseen by a committee of experienced developers, architects and area business leaders. Oakridge Neighborhood continues to secure public, private and philanthropic investments to advance the project, with Cynergy representing the next phase of the organization’s long-term vision to strengthen families and neighborhoods through housing, opportunity and community partnerships. 

“The Cynergy project demonstrates what’s possible when strategic philanthropy helps bring transformational community projects to life,” said Kristi Knous, president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. “The Catalyst Circle’s investment builds on earlier Community Foundation support to advance a vision that expands opportunity for all. The benefits of this project will be felt throughout our community for years to come.” 

The Catalyst Circle of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines brings together like-minded people working to make significant investments in transformational community projects throughout Greater Des Moines. 

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About the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines     
The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines improves quality of life for all by promoting charitable giving, connecting donors with causes they care about and providing leadership on important community issues — we’re simply better together. The Community Foundation administers more than $1.1 billion in assets and nearly 2,800 charitable giving funds. Learn how you can be a part of something bigger at desmoinesfoundation.org.  

About Oakridge Neighborhood
Homes of Oakridge, dba Oakridge Neighborhood, is the largest affordable housing organization in Iowa and will be the ownership entity and developer of the Cynergy project. Oakridge Neighborhood is the nonprofit sponsor leading the Cynergy development and brings meaningful experience in affordable housing ownership, housing operations and resident services. Oakridge currently owns and operates three housing properties, including Section 8 housing, market rate housing and income-restricted senior housing. 

Since 1969, Oakridge Neighborhood has created opportunities for thousands of children, adults and families to succeed and become financially independent. Oakridge provides a secure neighborhood of affordable housing, plus essential programs and services open to all Central Iowans. Of the nearly 800 residents who reside on the Oakridge campus, 49 percent are children under the age of 18. Ninety-nine percent of its residents are very low or extremely low-income at move-in.  

 For Oakridge Neighborhood’s 2025 Impact Report, visit: https://OakDSM.link/2025Impact  

 For more information, visit: https://oakridgeneighborhood.org/ 

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Get to know Vice President – Youth & Education Programs Lenny Bell and his dedication to the education of Central Iowa’s young people.

2022

Sama was born and raised in Eritrea. The town she was raised in was more peaceful than other parts of Eritrea. That means she was able to go to school, but eventually fighting broke out there too. The Kunama people did not have freedom, so in 2008, she moved to Ethiopia and lived in a refugee camp for eight years. In 2016, she moved to America with her son. 

The first state she lived in was Iowa. Her friends told her about Oakridge Neighborhood, so she decided to apply and is now an Oakridge resident. 

Sama is registered to be an in-home childcare provider. She takes care of kids at a time when most daycare centers aren’t open. It’s such a blessing for those parents who work late at night and don’t come home until early in the morning. Since she has so many kids to take care of, Oakridge has provided her with supplies and more training to become the best caregiver she can be as part of the Prepared to Care program for in-home childcare providers at Oakridge. 

Most of the kids’ parents speak Kunama, which is the language that Sama speaks. She speaks to the kids in both English and Kunama so their culture is not forgotten. 

Sama is working on getting her citizenship. She is also planning on going back to school to become a nurse. The only thing getting in her way is time. She is a single mother who has to take care of her kids, but she says that once her children get older she may go back to school. 

2026 Update
Sama is proud to share that she became a US citizen, achieving a major milestone in her journey. She also bought her first home, closing in May 2026 – a dream come true and providing a place where her family can build a future filled with stability and hope.

Always Looking for the Next Opportunity 

Trenton and Kenton Harris have never been ones to sit still. Throughout high school and beyond, the twin brothers from Johnston were constantly trying to build something of their own. Even as kids, they were always looking for ways to sell things and make money on their own terms. 

Their list of attempted ventures is long and varied: selling clothes, dropshipping, cryptocurrency, stock trading, meme coins, even mixed martial arts training. But despite their hustle and determination, nothing quite clicked. They were creative people with big ideas, but lacked the space and resources to bring those ideas to life. 

After graduating from Johnston in December 2023, both brothers found themselves at a crossroads. They picked up various jobs to pay bills and help their mom, but their hearts weren’t in it. Kenton (above right) was always focused on starting his own business rather than working for someone else. What they really needed was a place where they could develop their skills, connect with mentors, and turn their entrepreneurial energy into something real. 

A Mom Who Believed in Them 

That place found them in an unexpected way. Their mother, a teacher at Meredith Middle School who had always encouraged their creativity, heard about Oak Studio Teen Tech Center at Mainframe Studios. Being deeply involved in youth activities, she brought them downtown to check it out. 

The twins weren’t sure what to expect, but they were impressed by what they found. The timing was perfect: both brothers were struggling to find something creative to do and a space to do it. “We’re creative people. We want to start businesses and we do art and we do a lot of things, but there wasn’t a space for it,” Trenton (above left) explains. “We were looking for that. It was right here.” 

Career Pathways Opens New Doors 

Shortly after discovering Oak Studio, the twins were selected for the Career Pathways program led by Emmett Phillips, the Teen Tech Center’s Career Pathways Facilitator. “They were dragged in here by their mom,” Emmett recalls. The twins were on the edge of losing direction, admittedly without much motivation or structure. “You don’t have to come in already high performing to be successful,” Emmett says. “You can come in rough, you can come in rugged, and you can have that transformation process.” 

The program offered professional development training and mentorship, all while being paid. For Kenton, the opportunity sounded too good to pass up. For Trenton, being selected felt like a turning point. He had never been picked for an opportunity like that before. 

The eight month program focused heavily on soft skills: professional communication, interpersonal skills, interview training, and public speaking. The experience proved life changing, especially for Kenton, who describes himself as introverted. The program taught the pair how to interact in groups and work with people from different backgrounds and experiences. The diverse cohort worked together on projects, building both technical skills and professional confidence. As Kenton puts it, anyone who goes through the program will walk away different, with new information and skills they didn’t have before. 

At the program’s culminating presentation, Trenton created a powerful before and after slide showcasing his transformation. “That confidence, that internal change,” Emmett reflects, “and the type of solidarity that they build with each other, and how they connect with us, and how they basically treat this space now as another home, that is the major success of the program right there.” 

Following the Career Pathways program, both twins completed internships at Best Buy in West Des Moines. The experience was valuable, giving them a taste of professional work environments, but their entrepreneurial spirit was calling them toward something of their own. 

Surge Detailing Takes Shape 

The idea came from an unlikely source: a YouTube video about car detailing. Trenton thought it looked doable and realized people love having their cars professionally cleaned. With money saved from their internships, the twins pooled their resources and bought materials. They named their business Surge Detailing, a name that evolved from their initial plan to do pressure washing. 

They started small, cleaning their mom’s car, then moved on to neighbors and friends. Even Derek Frank, the Oak Studio coordinator, became a customer. Now they’re actively working to grow their customer base. 

The support from Oak Studio has been crucial to getting their business off the ground. Derek and Emmett have been supporters, both emotionally and practically. Beyond encouragement, the Teen Tech Center provides the tools they need to market themselves professionally. With access to high powered computers and Adobe Creative Suite, the twins create content for their website, Facebook page, and Instagram. These are tools they’d otherwise have to pay for themselves. 

Derek’s mentorship extends beyond just providing equipment. “Every time I talk about my business to Derek, he always has another idea to bounce off of,” Trenton says. “There’s always something more to think about.” 

The Road Ahead 

The twins have learned from their past ventures, and this time feels different. They have a solid business plan, the right tools, and a support system that believes in them. Their goal is simple: build a successful business doing something they enjoy, on their own terms. 

For two young entrepreneurs who spent years searching for the right opportunity and the right space to make it happen, Surge Detailing represents more than just a car detailing service. It’s proof that with the right support and resources, their entrepreneurial dreams can become reality. 

The Harris twins can be reached at 515-718-2102, and they look forward to connecting with new customers. 

The Oak Studio Teen Tech Center is changing the lives of central Iowa youth every day. To contribute to these important services, click here to donate.

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Get to know Education Coordinator Billy Stone and her dedication to enhancing the education of young people at Oakridge Neighborhood.