Serving Poor Kids in a Wealthy Neighborhood

In the heart of Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood North Avenue Day Nursery (NADN) is trying to stay relevant and viable, providing care to children from low-income families, like they’ve always done, and by attracting the neighborhoods new, more affluent families.

“We’re still serving the low-income families that we always have,” said Executive Director of the nursery for the last 11 years, Steven Koll, “but by creating a blend of market-rate children with these other kids; we’re creating a unique blend, reflective of the wider-world.”

Chicago Aldermen: more than ever before

Democracy seems to be energetic in Chicago’s 24th Ward this election cycle. Voters in this North Lawndale/Garfield Park community will be able to choose between 18 candidates for Alderman when they go to the polls in 21 days.

The February 22nd Chicago Municipal Elections are the most significant in a generation, not just because Chicago will elect a new Mayor for the first time in 22 years, but more candidates than ever before have decided to run for office, to be one of the 50 Alderman that make up the Chicago City Council.

According to the Board of Elections 351 people filed signatures to be able to run for Alderman this year. From this large number 242 people have survived petition challenges to become candidates. In 2007, 175 candidates ran for Alderman.

Chicago’s most notorious neighborhood on the rise

Audio Slideshow: Englewood not always up to no good

By Matt Bailey and Rashanah Baldwin

Frustrated with the lack of programs and outlets for youth in Englewood, life long neighborhood resident Asiaha Butler started working to change the impression of her neighborhood with a program that gives young people an opportunity to express themselves with words rather than gunfire.

Asiaha Butler begins the dialogue (Picture by Matt Bailey)

“I’m not an anti-violence activist. I’m a peace activist,” Butler said.

Beginning last April, she started a series of documentary screenings, in donated spaces, followed by open-floor debates of issues raised in the films, called, “So Fresh Saturdays: Docs and Dialogue.”

This monthly gathering of people between the ages of 12-20, provides an opportunity to have “a fun, safe and educational space, in the heart of a place that people call so violent,” Butler said.

Butler acknowledged that Englewood has its problems, but feels that the media portrayal of Englewood lacks balance. The media picture of the community “is horrible. We’re the worst on Earth, we’re considered the most dangerous community in Chicago,” she said.

“Why is that [the negative] the only thing that is being shed light on?” Butler asked. “Why focus on the night when you can focus on the shiny things that are happening here?”

Passion’s the Roux for this Chef’s Gumbo

Curtis McGhee is always smiling. He doesn’t mind getting just four hours sleep every night and working two jobs because now he has his own place where his southern style cooking is a labor of love.

“We’ve been open for two months and I haven’t made a dime. But I come here everyday like I’m making 100 grand,” McGhee, who also works two nights a week as a bouncer at the Wise Fools Pub said.

Bucktown Soup Café has been run by other people before. McGhee and business partner Kyle Fountain took over the ailing business from the previous owner, a lawyer who, by all accounts, was not cut out for the profession.

McGhee is the polar opposite. Everything about him screams, “Chef.”  His quasi-southern accent, highly pleasant demeanor and clear passion and knowledge of Creole food is what he says draws the customers back.

The Resurrection Project Bringing Affordable Housing to Pilsen

Alex Morales: "I came to Chicago to find a forum where I could make a difference." (Photo by Luz Garcia Cubillos)

The housing stock around Chicago’s Pilsen community is about to receive a $13.5 million boost.

Beginning this month, The Resurrection Project will put these funds, from the City’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program into action.

Earlier in the year, suburban Melrose Park received a $4.5 million award through the NSP with the purpose of, “purchasing foreclosed homes and make them affordable,” according to Alex Morales, the Resource Development Project Manager for The Resurrection Project.

The larger allotment to the New City community area (which includes the Back of the Yards neighborhood that borders Pilsen) and subsequent rehabilitation will benefit those individuals and families earning 50 percent, or less of the Area Median Income.

The Resurrection Project has been involved in the affordable housing business for more than a decade and Morales said that they have earned the trust of Pilsen residents through their good works.

“We have turned $30,000 (their initial funding grant) into $100 million in community reinvestment,” he said.