GREATER CHATHAM INITIATIVE

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTFoodLab ChicagoBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IS A CORE ACTIVITY OF GREATER CHATHAM INITIATIVE. FOODLAB CHICAGO IS A GCI PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS FOOD-BASED ENTREPRENEURS IN GREATER CHATHAM AND SURROUNDING SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITIES BY STRENGTHENING BUSINESS OPERATIONS, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. IN 2024, FOODLAB CHICAGO CONTINUED ITS COHORT-BASED PROGRAMMING, PROVIDING FOOD ENTREPRENEURS WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, PEER LEARNING, AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL RESOURCES. THE 5.0 COHORT TOOK PLACE IN 2024 AND INCLUDED 21 ENTREPRENEUR GRADUATES, AND 26 FOODLAB CHICAGO ALUMNI FROM PREVIOUS COHORTS RECEIVED ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. ADDITIONALLY, 64 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATED IN MENU ENGINEERING AND STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS, AND 7 BUSINESSES RECEIVED NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RESULTING IN NUTRITION LABELS FOR 35 DISHES. KEY OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 60% OF BUSINESSES IN THE 5.0 COHORT REPORTED AN INCREASE IN REVENUE, 47% REPORTED PROFITABILITY, AND 80% OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT THEY FELT MORE CONFIDENT MANAGING THEIR BUSINESS FINANCES AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATING IN FOODLAB CHICAGO.City of Chicago Neighborhood Business Development Center (NBDC)GCI WAS A 2024 CITY OF CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (NBDC) INDUSTRY SPECIALIST, SERVING AS A ONE-STOP RESOURCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS IN THE GREATER CHATHAM AREA. IN 2024, THE GCI BUSINESS SUPPORT TEAM PROVIDED 333 BUSINESS CONSULTATIONS, MADE 50 REFERRALS TO OTHER BUSINESS SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES, CONDUCTED OUTREACH TO 13 NEW BUSINESSES, COLLABORATED WITH 4 FELLOW NBDCs, AND HOSTED 64 AGENCY EVENTS WITH 250 ATTENDEES.

CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENTMahalia Jackson CourtMAHALIA JACKSON COURT, LOCATED AT 1 E. 79TH STREET, IS A MAJOR ANCHOR ALONG MAHALIAS MILE DEVELOPED BY GCI AND A COLLABORATIVE OF PARTNERS AND OPENED IN SEPTEMBER 2022. THIS $650,000, 8,500 SF PLAZA FEATURES MURALS, SCULPTURES, A MAHALIA JACKSON EXHIBITION, A PERFORMANCE STAGE, FOOD TRUCK FACILITIES, AND A NATURAL PLAYSCAPE. IN 2024, MAHALIA JACKSON COURT RECEIVED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS CHICAGO ROBERTA FELDMAN ARCHITECTURE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD, THE AIA ILLINOIS DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARD, AND THE 2024 CAPITOL AWARD. DURING 2024, THE COURT HOSTED 29 DISTINCT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS WITH 3,250 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING 5 CULTURAL EVENTS WITH 930 ATTENDEES. THE COURT SUPPORTED 46 SMALL BUSINESS VENDORS WHO GENERATED $14,000 IN SALES REVENUE THROUGH THE CHATHAM FARMERS MARKET AND VENDING OPPORTUNITIES AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.Corridor AmbassadorsTHROUGH THE CITY OF CHICAGO CORRIDOR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, GCI DEPLOYED TEAM OF AMBASSADORS ON MAHALIAS MILE DURING DAYTIME HOURS. THE AMBASSADORS MONITORED ACTIVITY AND NOTIFIED AUTHORITIES OF THREATS TO PUBLIC SAFETY; OFFERED ASSISTANCE TO ELDERLY RESIDENTS, YOUNG CHILDREN, AND INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND CONNECTED THEM TO RESOURCES; DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION ABOUT GCIS ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS; ANSWERED QUESTIONS AND PROVIDED DIRECTIONS; AND PROVIDED STAFFING SUPPORT FOR GCI-HOSTED EVENTS. THE AMBASSADORS PATROLLED MAHALIAS MILE 6-7 DAYS PER WEEK THROUGHOUT 2024. DURING 2024, THE AMBASSADORS PROVIDED DIRECTIONS TO 2,262 PEDESTRIANS, MADE 316 SOCIAL SERVICES REFERRALS AND 190 HEALTH AND WELLNESS REFERRALS, DIRECTED 1,469 INDIVIDUALS TO HOMELESS SERVICES, HAD 1,227 INTERACTIONS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND DISTRIBUTED PRODUCE TO 804 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH COMMUNITY PRODUCE GIVEAWAYS.Access to Capital (SBIF)GCI PROVIDES ACCESS-TO-CAPITAL COACHING FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGOS SMALL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT FUND (SBIF) AND NEIGHBORHOOD OPPORTUNITY, AMONG OTHER GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAMS. THE GCI BUSINESS SUPPORT TEAM ASSISTS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ALONG GCIS COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS WITH APPLYING FOR FUNDING TO IMPROVE THEIR PHYSICAL SPACES AND GROW THEIR OPERATIONS. IN 2024, GCI ASSISTED 30 BUSINESSES WITH SBIF APPLICATIONS, REPRESENTING $4,750,000 IN REQUESTED FUNDING. OF THOSE, 17 BUSINESSES RECEIVED SBIF AWARDS TOTALING $2,500,000.Tree AmbassadorsGCIS TREE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM SUPPORTS URBAN FORESTRY AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE EFFORTS IN THE GREATER CHATHAM AREA. AS PART OF THE MORTON ARBORETUM TREE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, GCI TEAM ENGAGED COMMUNITY RESIDENTS IN TREE PLANTING, MAINTENANCE, AND STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES THAT IMPROVE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, REDUCE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECTS, AND ENHANCE THE AESTHETIC QUALITY OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BLOCKS. IN 2024, GCI ENGAGED 206 RESIDENTS IN TREE ADVOCACY, TRAINED 27 RESIDENTS ON THE CITY OF CHICAGO 311 TREE REQUEST SYSTEM, ENTERED REQUESTS FOR 195 TREE LOCATIONS, HOSTED 2 WORKSHOPS. THE WORK RESULTED IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO PLANTING 122 TREES IN THE GREATER CHATHAM AREA.