The Love The Ave Partnership brings together municipal entities, nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and small businesses working collaboratively to strengthen Acushnet Avenue and the surrounding North End of New Bedford.
The Partnership serves as a bridge among the public, nonprofit, civic, and business communities, creating opportunities to support local entrepreneurs, celebrate the neighborhood’s diverse cultures and heritage, improve the commercial corridor, and foster a stronger sense of community.
By working together, Love The Ave partners combine resources, ideas, and local knowledge to help make The Ave a vibrant place to do business, gather, shop, dine, and call home.
Love The Ave municipal and non-profit Partners are listed below:
Small businesses are the backbone of Acushnet Avenue—and the CEDC helps them thrive. As a Love The Ave partner, the Community Economic Development Center supports entrepreneurs with tools, guidance, and pathways for growth, helping turn neighborhood energy into sustainable economic opportunity. The Love The Ave Partnership is pleased to have the CEDC as its fiscal agent, too.
Love The Ave works because collaboration works. With the City of New Bedford’s Department of Planning as a supporter, Love The Ave has grown from an idea into a thriving partnership—aligning policy, people, and place around Acushnet Avenue. This commitment to inclusive economic development helps ensure the North End remains vibrant, connected, and full of opportunity.
Love The Ave is where creativity meets economic development. Through NBEDC—and especially New Bedford Creative—the partnership supports businesses, artists, and creative placemaking that strengthen the North End and keep Acushnet Avenue people-centered and future-focused.
Art and culture are essential to Love The Ave—and New Bedford Creative helps lead the way. By supporting creative projects along Acushnet Avenue, #NBCreative ensures that the district reflects the spirit, stories, and talent of the North End.
At the heart of Love The Ave is community—and few organizations embody that more deeply than the Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford. With decades of cultural leadership, CVANB helps ensure that Love The Ave reflects the voices, history, and aspirations of the people of New Bedford.
When young people see their neighborhood celebrated, it shapes what they believe is possible. The Global Learning Charter Public School Foundation connects students and families to Love The Ave—reinforcing that investing in place is also an investment in the next generation.
Honoring the past while shaping the future—that’s the balance WHALE brings to Love The Ave. Through preservation leadership and transformative projects like the Cape Verdean Cultural Center and Capitol Theatre renovation, WHALE helps Acushnet Avenue retain its character while moving forward.
A vibrant neighborhood is also a healthy one. Groundwork Southcoast brings environmental stewardship and public space activation to Love The Ave—helping make Acushnet Avenue greener, more resilient, and more welcoming for everyone.
Resilience is part of revitalization. Through New Bedford Resilient, Love The Ave will integrate climate preparedness and sustainability into its future when the Capitol Theater hosts a Resilience Hub after renovation—ensuring the North End remains strong, adaptable, and ready for the future.
Love The Ave is stronger because it is welcoming. The Immigrants Assistance Center plays a vital role in supporting immigrant residents and business owners through legal services, education, and advocacy—helping ensure opportunity along Acushnet Avenue is truly inclusive.
Strong communities grow when resources meet local vision. The South Coast Community Foundation supports Love The Ave by connecting philanthropy to community-driven ideas—helping sustain initiatives that reflect neighborhood priorities and long-term impact.
