Honoring the People Who Move Linden Forward

The Community of Caring Development Foundation (COCDF) Community Spotlight is our way of honoring individuals who consistently demonstrate leadership, service, and a deep commitment to the Linden community.

This recognition is our way of saying we see you — your leadership, your reliability, your heart for Linden, and your continued dedication to strengthening the community we all call home.

Our honorees have made a meaningful impact not only through what they do, but through how they do it. Whether through service, advocacy, partnership, mentorship, or everyday acts of generosity, these leaders help move Linden forward in ways that truly matter. Their contributions create lasting change, and their commitment does not go unnoticed.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our 2026 Community Spotlight Honorees for the role they play in building a stronger, more connected community.

Together, we remain committed to creating a connected community and shaping a brighter future for Linden.

Carol Perkins 

Longtime Linden Resident

• Community Champion

• North Linden Area Commission Chair

APRIL 2026 HONOREE – CARLA GWINN

The Community of Caring Development Foundation is honored to highlight Carla Gwinn as this month’s COCDF Community Spotlight honoree. Carla is a powerhouse in Linden’s business ecosystem—an entrepreneur, collaborator, and visionary leader committed to elevating the economic vitality of the neighborhood.

As the new VP and driving force behind the Greater Linden Economic Development Alliance, Carla brings business owners together to strengthen connections, share resources, and promote local commerce. Under her leadership, the LEDA works as catalyst for financial empowerment, advocacy, and partnership, with a vision to encourage build, grow and strive within the Linden community.

Carla walks the walk and has been an accomplished entrepreneur and the proud owner of Liberty Tax Service, where she has operated her business in Linden for the past 20 years.  She not only serves clients with expertise and care but also models what it means to build a business rooted in integrity and community impact. Her work demonstrates that local businesses are more than storefronts—they are anchors of opportunity, pride, and generational growth.

Carla’s commitment to collaboration, empowerment, and economic uplift reflects the core mission of COCDF. We celebrate her for the energy she brings to Linden, the entrepreneurs she supports, and the example she sets for emerging business leaders across the community.

Please join us in honoring Carla Gwinn for her leadership, service, and unwavering dedication to strengthening the Linden business landscape.

MARCH 2026 HONOREE – BOYCE SAFFORD, III

BOYCE SAFFORD, III

Executive Director, Columbus Next Generation Corp.

• Strategic Thinker

• Community Builder

The Community of Caring Development Foundation is proud to feature Boyce Safford, III as this month’s COCDF Community Spotlight honoree. As the Executive Director of the Columbus Next Generation Corporation, Boyce plays a pivotal role in shaping the next era of inclusive economic development and neighborhood revitalization across Columbus.

Widely respected for his strategic leadership and collaborative approach, Boyce brings together public, private, and community stakeholders to move transformative projects from vision to reality. His work centers on expanding opportunity, elevating resident voices, and ensuring that redevelopment efforts strengthen—not displace—the long-standing communities that define Columbus’s character.

Beyond his executive responsibilities, Boyce is known for his common touch approach, his commitment to sharing industry knowledge with emerging leaders, and his dedication to equitable progress. Whether convening partners, guiding development strategy, or championing new investments, he embodies the values that drive COCDF’s mission: collaboration, innovation, and community-first impact.

Please join us in celebrating Boyce Safford, III for his leadership, his service, and his ongoing contributions to building a prosperous Linden and inclusive future for Columbus.

FEBRUARY 2026 HONOREE – ERICA BELL

ERICA BELL

Community Advocate

• Linden Native

• Community Relations Coordinator, Linden Anti-Violence Team

The Community of Caring Development Foundation is proud to spotlight Erica Bell as a leader whose work powerfully reflects the pillars and values of COCDF. A lifelong Linden native, Erica’s commitment to community is not theoretical—it is personal, deeply rooted, and lived out every day through service, advocacy, and care.

With more than a decade of experience creating purpose-driven opportunities across the city, Erica currently serves as the Community Relations Coordinator for the Linden Anti-Violence Team, an initiative within the Neighborhood Social Services Division of Columbus Public Health. In this role, she operates at the intersection of safety, wellness, and opportunity—connecting residents to accessible resources in education, housing, employment, and mental health. Her work directly aligns with COCDF’s pillars of community wellness, systems navigation, and collaborative problem-solving.

Known as a trusted voice and connector, Erica embodies COCDF’s belief that lasting change is built through relationships, resilience, and shared responsibility. As a Qualified Mental Health Specialist, Certified Trauma-Informed Coach, and Community Resilience practitioner, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work—ensuring that care is not only responsive, but restorative.

Erica’s leadership reminds us that creating a connected community begins with listening, showing up, and advocating with purpose. We celebrate her as a true change agent—breaking barriers, building bridges, and strengthening Linden from the inside out.

Please join us in honoring Erica Bell for her unwavering dedication and her powerful contribution to the well-being and future of the Linden community.

Delena P. Scales

Neighborhood Program Specialist with the City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods

To kick-off our new Community Spotlight Series, The Community of Caring Development Foundation proudly recognizes DeLena P. Scales as our first honoree. With more than a decade of leadership in public-sector and community-centered initiatives, DeLena exemplifies COCDF’s core pillars of collaboration, connectivity, equitable development, and community trust-building.

Currently serving as a Neighborhood Program Specialist with the City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods, DeLena works at the front lines of community engagement—ensuring residents have streamlined, one-stop access to city services while addressing critical challenges such as housing affordability, food insecurity, vacant properties, neighborhood safety, and disinvestment. Her ability to align city systems with neighborhood needs reflects COCDF’s commitment to practical solutions rooted in resident voice.

In her dual roles as Neighborhood Liaison and Community Plan Manager, DeLena led a 14-month advisory process that brought together healthcare systems, academic institutions, schools, nonprofits, and government partners. This work produced key deliverables including the One Linden Community Plan Progress Report and a Community Policing Report, while also increasing community engagement and connecting more than 1,000 families to vital services through large-scale signature events. Her leadership mirrors COCDF’s belief that sustainable progress happens when institutions move in alignment with community priorities.

Previously, DeLena served in the Mayor’s Office as Neighborhood Integration Manager for Celebrate One, convening cross-sector coalitions focused on infant vitality, preterm birth prevention, and the social determinants of health. Through trauma-informed programming, data-driven storytelling, and innovative initiatives such as the Linden Pride Walk Podcast and Stroller Socials, she strengthened family support networks and advanced measurable community outcomes.

Across every role, DeLena is known for her collaborative leadership, strategic planning, and unwavering commitment to equity. Her work continues to demonstrate what it looks like to convene partners, elevate community voice, and translate vision into action—the very essence of COCDF’s mission.

Please join us in celebrating DeLena P. Scales for her extraordinary leadership and her lasting impact on Linden and communities across Columbus.