A.I.K. has received several awards for excellence in helping the community by engaging in real estate development that enriches lives, prevents evictions, and demolishes run-down structures to build new residences for moderately priced housing for community members. A.I.K. has built projects and advised others on their building and rehabilitation projects. A.I.K.’s goal is to improve our community and help each other succeed.

A.I.K.’S Mission Based on Family History

“We are a family-owned company driven by a belief in God that we should leave this place a better one than we found. Our mission is to discern God’s purpose for us to be righteous, kind, and neighborly,” Swanigan said. As Maya Angelou explained, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

Pamela Swanigan’s great grandfather, a porter on the Rock Island Railroad, was a Southern Baptist and built the first church in his community in Arkansas, and the church building is still there. The family became a powerhouse in their community and were well respected for their industry and good deeds. My grandmother was a poor woman but kept her backdoor open to everyone who needed a place to eat. Many men got off the railroad they were riding (illegally) and found their way to my grandma’s house (near the railroad tracks), where she fed them all—Black, white, and others. She had two freezers filled with food. Though the community was segregated, when people were hungry, they did not care about who was feeding them. We never had any problems. The men were appreciative of the food and the conversation.

The Swanigan family is conscious of our neighborly obligations. Our values are charitable, resilient, and being problem solvers and teaching problem-solving skills to the community. My goal is for our children to understand their responsibility and be blessed to have rich rewards and give back.

This giving back to the community shaped my world. We have three children of whom we are very proud because they are nice human beings, and the A.I.K. is based on the initials from their first names. Our son is an electrical engineer and graduate of Rensselaer Polytech, and today is working as a systems engineer involved in coding. Our oldest daughter is a graduate of Dartmouth Medical School and Harvard and is a board-certified psychiatrist in a state hospital in New York State. Our youngest daughter is a licensed attorney working in Syracuse, the assistant corporation counsel for the city.