Auburn Gresham Free Tax Site Open February 2nd Until April 15th - See Details!

Its that time again, Auburn Gresham Free Tax Site help opening day is Saturday, February 2, 2019! This year Ladder Up has joined forces with Center for Economic Progress and we look forward to the same great service for our clients. TAX PREPARATION IS OFFERED ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS. Si... more

The Small Business Center on the Road Expos are back for 2019!

Register at www.ChiSmallBizExpo.com 2019 Expo Dates and Locations: Saturday, March 9 from 10AM-2PM @ Kennedy-King College, U Building-6301 S. Halsted St., Chicago Saturday, May 4 from 10AM-2PM @ Arturo Velasquez Institute-2800 S. Western Ave., Chicago Thursday, June 27 from 5-9PM @ 1871-theMART,... more

Support arts education!

The time is now to share your support for the Illinois ESSA Arts Indicator! Our friends at State Matters break down the ESSA Arts Indicator! Illinois has a unique opportunity to be the first state with a weighted arts indicator ... more

CPS Safety & Security/Procurement Info Session for Arts Partners

CPS has recently implemented new policies and procedures to ensure the safety of students, and has just released a detailed flow chart that provides a step-by-step guide to ensuring you are following the correct policies and procedures so you are ready to do business with C... more

"I Have A Dream" Brought to You Over Time and Space Via The Internet

Today, the U.S. pauses to remember one of the greatest people in our modern history, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His work to inspire and organize civil rights warriors changed the path of our country and bettered the lives of countless Americans living during his time and moving... more

LSNA's Aldermanic Candidate Forum Recap and Questionnaire Answers

Forum Recap If you missed LSNAs aldermanic forum last Friday, never fear! You can see an entire recording of the forum on our Facebook Page. Candidates Responses- February 13th, 2019 When we invited candidates to attend our forum we also sent them a questionnaire asking for their stance on m... more

Candidates Promise to Vote No on Mega TIF Bonds at LSNA Aldermanic Forum

Article from the LoganSquarist Residents of Logan Square, Avondale, Hermosa, and Lathrop packed the auditorium at McAuliffe Elementary (1841 N. Springfield Ave.) Feb. 8 to hear aldermanic candidates speak about the Logan Square Neighborhood Association’s Quality of Life plan, released in Dece... more

How to win over Northwest Side voters: Chicago aldermen candidates hone in on high school plans

The residents filing into the auditorium of Sharon Christa McAuliffe Elementary School Friday wanted to know a few key things from the eager aldermanic candidates who were trying to win their vote. People wanted to know which candidates would build up their shrinking open-enrollment high schools a... more

Housing organizations OK to sue Cook Assessor over ex-assessor's 'discriminatory' practices

Cook County Record: Housing assistance organizations have won the right to continue, for now, with a lawsuit against the Cook County Assessor’s office for past property tax assessment practices they claim discriminated against black and Hispanic homeowners, particularly in Chicago. On Feb. 7... more

StoryCorps Chicago: ‘Gentrification Is Colonization’

Ashley Galvan Ramos is an anti-gentrification activist in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, where she grew up. She no longer lives there. Her family was displaced from the neighborhood last year. This past fall, Galvan Ramos was interviewed at the Logan Square Neighborhood Association by he... more

We Are Hiring!

Teamwork Englewood is hiring an Executive Director responsible for the organiations consistent achievement of its mission, financial objectives and compliance with policies and procedures. The ED will implement the strategic goals and objectives of the organization as defined by the Board of Directo... more

2018 Business Plan: Pitch Competition

Join us for the 2018 Business Plan: Pitch Competition where business owners Pitch their business for a chance to win a share of $40,000 cash prizes. See flyer for additional details.

Teamwork Englewood 2017 Spotlight

We are proud to present the TWE 2017 Spotlight. This report showcases the hardwork and dedication of the Teamwork Englewood staff, and the relentless committment of the Greater Englewood community members. Inside, you’ll find highlights of our impressive departments, testimonials from stak... more

Englewood Quality of Life Plan II Celebrates Its One Year Anniversary

On Saturday December 2nd 11AM-12:30PM, at Volunteers of America (6002 S. Halsted), the Englewood community will celebrate the one year anniversary of the Englewood Quality of Life Plan (EQLP). In April 2015, Englewood residents celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the 2005 Englewood Quality of Life Pl... more

Englewood Women's Initiative: Supporting Veterans

Are you a women veteran living in Englewood looking for pathways to success and economic security? If you are, the Englewood Womens Initiative or "EWI" is for you. Women veterans living in Englewood, recognized for honorably serving our nation, are invited to a special EWI session on Wednes... more

Claretian Associates is Looking for an AmeriCorp Vista

Member Duties : The VISTA will 1) research and assist with applications for private and public funding sources for housing and social programs. 2) Evaluate Claretian Associates existing programs and learn best housing practices in Chicago-area special needs housing. 3) Develop materials for tenant s... more

CeaseFire Rally Cries, "Save Our Funding"

Monday afternoon, Claretian Associates’ Ceasefire (Cure Violence) team participated in the rally at city hall to save Ceasefire funding. With $2.8 million in frozen funding, the South Chicago team demonstrates how essential the program is to the community. In a recent interview with a CeaseFir... more

Community Assessment for Early Childhood Services

Claretian Associates is partnering with Metropolitan Family Services and many other community organizations to develop an Early Childhood Network in support of AOK. AOK (All Our Kids) Network is a group of agencies that work with families with young children to make sure that families get the servi... more

Claretian Associates is Partnering with I Am We to South Chicago Youth!

Message from I Am We Executive Board Member, Latisha Thomas I Am We has partnered with Claretian Associates to offer visual and digital storytelling to youth living in South Chicago. We are excited about this endeavor to fill a gap where youth have limited access to art, literacy development, ment... more

Claretian Associates is Looking for a Youth Media Team!

Claretian Associates is searching for a few motivated local youth who are between the ages of 15-21 and would like to learn about film production, create press releases, write blogs, and create engaging social media content to feature on our website and social media platforms. These three youth wi... more

Help support WINGS Metro, domestic violence victims

WINGS Metro is slated to open on February 14, just a few shorts weeks away. They will be providing interim housing to those fleeing domestic violence situations. WINGS is still in need of items before the big opening and is asking the community for support. If you or someone you know is able to don... more

IMAN puts out proposal for Healthy Marketplace Campaign

IMAN is converting a local corner store and neighboring commercial space at 63rd and Racine into a Healthy Marketplace with two businesses. The two businesses will be a small scale grocery and an adjacent establishment aligned with the mission of providing healthy options for the consumer. Learn... more

Cutting Corners for Chanel and Cartier

Asha had worked a string of jobs ranging from admin assistant, to photographer, to pre-K art teacher. She’d taken some career courses at City Colleges. However, the opportunity to find a career path that provided both job satisfaction and the wage she needed as a single mother to support her ... more

Get assistance on paying your electric bill

Keep warm when the weather drops

2019 African American Speaker Series

Kari. K. Steele elected President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District

On Thursday, January 10, 2019, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) made history when its nine-member board unanimously elected Commissioner Kari K. Steele as the first African- American woman to lead the $1.1 billion agency. President Steele brings to the Board her... more

An important message from #CHI311

2019 Auburn Gresham Free Tax Site Opens Feb. 2nd!

Get your taxes done for free at the newly merged Ladder Up + Center for Economic Progress (CEP) tax site near you! Auburn Gresham tax site opens Saturday, February 2, 2019!

Auburn Gresham Free Tax Site Opening Day is February 2nd and Closing April 15th!

Its that time again, Auburn Gresham Free Tax Site help opening day is Saturday, February 2, 2019! This year Ladder Up has joined forces with Center for Economic Progress and we look forward to the same great service for our clients. TAX PREPARATION IS OFFERED ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS. ... more

“I Can’t Pay My Rent”: Tips for Public Housing Waitlist Applicants & Job Seekers

With the Chicago Housing Authority’s Public Housing and Project Based Voucher (PBV) waitlists opening indefinitely in December, the Spanish Coalition for Housing (SCH) wanted to offer some tips to its neighbors seeking help. Waitlist Registration Tips: Registering for CHA waitlists can be a c... more

A Black History Month 2019 Evening with Justice Robert L. Wilkins, Author, "LONG ROAD TO HARD TRUTH," Wednesday, February 13th, in Chicago's Hyde Park Community

WHO: Reformation Church Chicagos Carter G. Woodson Institute for Black Church Ministries and Studies, in Conjunction with, the Association for the Study of African American Life and HistoryS (ASALHS) BLACK MIGRATIONS THEME; WHAT: Presents...Justice Robert L. Wilkins, Auuthor, "LONG ROAD TO HARD T... more

ComEd Installs Off-Grid Renewable Lighting at Bronzeville Schools

New pilots support Chicago Police Department student safety goals CHICAGO (Feb. 11, 2019) – Even as daylight gives way to darkness, the walkway at Beethoven Powering the lights are 30-foot-tall Remote Power Units (RPUs), miniature power plants that are not connected to the electric grid b... more

A BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2019 Evening with JUSTICE ROBERT L. WILKINS, Author, "LONG ROAD TO HARD TRUTH." Wednesday, February 13th, in Chicago's Hyde Park Community

WHO: Reformation Church Chicago’s Carter G. Woodson Institute for Black Church Ministries and Studies, in Conjunction with, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History’S (ASALH’S) BLACK MIGRATIONS THEME; WHAT: Presents…Justice Robert L. Wilkins, Auu... more

Englewood Community Expo

Englewood Community Expo is happening Saturday, April 20, 2019 at Kennedy King College. 10am-2pm. Dont miss the fun. See flyer for more details.

June 2nd Registration Deadline Approaching for City Colleges of Chicago’s Summer 2017 Term

Chicagoans who want a quality, affordable education to prepare for further college or career can register now for the 2017 Summer Term at City Colleges of Chicago, the largest community college system in Illinois. One of the seven city colleges, Wright College has a location in Humboldt Park at 1645... more

Complete a Health Survey, Earn $40 Visa Giftcard

Researcher Kiarri Kershaw, PhD is conducting a survey on how women use their environment, available resources, and each other to choose the foods they eat. Access to healthy food is a public health issue, but previous research on whether or not improving access to healthy foods improves eating beha... more

Engaging community through conversation

Bickerdike welcomed 11 guests for dinner and discussion as part of an On The Table event on May 17, 2017. Held each year in May, On The Table is a special initiative of the Chicago Community Trust (CCT); it is designed to promote community building and the sharing of ideas among diverse groups as th... more

Team Hope

As an adult education instructor, many times my classes will present a “first time ever” experience to me. Sometimes it’s things like – first time I raised my voice, first time NO ONE was prepared for their presentation, etc. But with the Wood Products Manufacturing Class w... more

McTeacher’s Night at Western Ave. McDonald's for Roberto Clemente Community Academy

Roberto Clemente Community Academy of CPS held their first McTeacher’s Night at the McDonald’s on Western in Chicago, on Thursday, May 18. A McTeachers Night is organized to help raise money for local schools by having teachers work at McDonalds and then giving a percentage of the nights... more

Three more portals for Smart Communities

The three Southwest neighborhoods in Chicagos Smart Communities program launched their portals yesterday, creating a wide new avenue for interaction among residents, businesses and organizations.They are works in progress, with some empty spaces yet to fill, but already the portals offer new stories... more

Peirce on Daley

Syndicated state and local government columnist Neal Peirces recent summary of Mayor Daleys legacy on the Citistates site will seem fawning to Daleys critics. There is only a brief mention at the end about patronage and corruption, and no mention at all about the privatization controversies that hav... more

Preview: Humboldt Park Launches Its Portal

Its still a work in progress, according to the team that made it happen, but the Humboldt Park Portal, a day after its "soft" launch, looks pretty good to me. It features a nice selection of stories from various contributors and organizations, a packed calendar (Movies in the Park, Jens Jensen birth... more

Take a Tour of Pilsen - by Video or Phone

Weve written here before about how neighborhoods are using multimedia tools to promote their work and their neighborhoods, but couldnt have imagined, even six months ago, how far the groups would come, and how fast.Audio slideshows are now available for 10 neighborhoods as part of the Chicago Commun... more

Front-Yard Signs Call Out Banks on Foreclosures

Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) is "naming names" of banks that are foreclosing on properties on Chicagos Southwest Side, where 7,300 foreclosures have been filed over two years in four area ZIP Codes. The bank names are prominently featured on yard signs that say "Deutsch Bank (or Citibank or J... more

Casa Queretaro, Lake Village East among Winners of Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards

Casa Queretaro will be receiving first place for the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence in Community Design at the upcoming 24th Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards (CNDA). Gabriel Ignacio Dziekiewicz said he hoped Casa Querétaro would help to def... more

LISC’s Quality-of-Life Planning Bettering Neighborhoods throughout Chicago

Attracting new businesses to West 79th Street is a mission for Carlos Nelson, executive director of the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC), and his associate, Nicole Wheatly. Renovation of a four-story building just west of Halsted Street is expected to begin later this year. G... more

Micro Market Recovery Program Revitalizes Blocks Across Chicago

Anthony and Michelle Johnson and their children in front of the two-flat in the 700 block of North Spaulding Avenue that they purchased through the citys Micro Market Recovery Program (MMRP). They live in the lower portions of the house and rent out the top floor. Photos by Gordon Walek In 2012... more

Catalyzing Change Through Empty Lots on Chicago’s South Side

In Englewood, vacant lots have become beacons of opportunities. An opportunity that isn’t without difficulty and hardship. An opportunity that requires determination, vision and, most importantly, collaboration. Since 2016, Englewood residents have been able to purchase vacant City of Chicago... more

Evelyn’s Food Love Uses LISC Small Business Loan to Bring Hip New Restaurant to Washington Park

Evelyn Shelton realized her ambition to open a Washington Park restaurant, thanks in part to a LISC Small Business loan. Photos by Gordon Walek Evelyn Shelton wants to revitalize Washington Park one triple chocolate chip pancake at a time, and a substantial LISC Small Business loan is allowing ... more

La Shawn Ford seeks your support for mayor

The state lawmaker is one of 14 people on the Feb. 26th ballot to be Chicagos next mayor. Voters can cast their ballots now during early voting.

The element of his Sirprize around Austin

The West Side DJ often entertains Austin area residents at various venues throughout the neighborhood and beyond.

Free health workshop offered

The weekly workshops are being offered to women ages 19 to 45 on Wednesday nights at Original Providence Baptist Church, 515 N. Pine Ave. The next session will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13.

Volunteer session this week at BUILD

The next one-hour session will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13 at BUILD headquarters, 5100 W. Harrison St. Please RSVP by mail or by phone.

Hear from the mayoral candidates

All 14 candidates have been invited to the candidates forum, which will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 9 at Malcolm X College. The forum is sponsored by the Chicago Westside chapter of the NAACP and Austin Coming Together.