I Grow Chicago
I Grow Chicago is a community enablement organization that was established in 2013 to be a haven for residents in West Englewood, South Chicago. IGrow is located in a high crime and gang-ridden area and is made up of a restored, previously abandoned home (“the Peace House”), and 6 previously vacant lots (collectively the “Peace Campus”) that have been transformed to provide resources and a respite for the community. The area has been converted into a neighborhood garden, basketball courts, wellness center and administrative headquarters for the organization. IGrow offers 15 free programs to the community and welcomes all community members who want to/believe in positive change. Programs include: providing mentorship and support services for children, the elderly, and at-risk adults; addressing trauma caused by local conditions including sexual or gang violence; meals for those in need; an urban garden to grow food for local consumption; an area for creative expression and self-healing; and building police-community trust. IGrow is led by the community, both its programs as well as personnel, and is a meaningful step by that community to regain control of their lives and their environment. IGrow provides a pathway to sustainable personal change and can provide hope for participants to overcome what can be perceived as insurmountable obstacles.
What We Need To Raise
$50,000
$XXXX - To pay staff a living wage to $30 per hour from $16 per hour currently.
$XXXX - Training and resources for anti-racism education.
$XXXX - Increasing leadership opportunities for community leaders.
$XXXX - Other key infrastructure build-outs.
Why We Chose Them
Why does the social need exist and what are the alternatives?
West Englewood is a poor area with: a median household income that is 50% less than the city average;
an unemployment rate of 34.7%; the second-highest violent crime rate in Chicago; an average life expectancy that is 30-years shorter than those of downtown Chicago residents. The social need for IGrow is self-evident, with the local community starved for resources that would generate opportunities and that would counter an atmosphere of hopelessness. There are few governmental and NGO alternatives in West Englewood and none as established and impactful as IGrow.
Model For Change
IGrow takes a holistic approach to community enablement and support, with a focus on creating sustainable personal change. A core part of IGrow’s approach centers on the impact of trauma caused by the environment in West Englewood. IGrow works to create a replicable model of building vibrant, healthy communities by tapping into the inherent potential of each member of the community. IGrow believes that through radical transformation and by directly addressing the sources of harm/trauma can individuals change and heal. Through building interdependence and accountability to each other, what might appear to be a hopeless situation can be transformed into a hopeful one that is led by the community.
Alignment With Core Values
The idea for IGrow was conceived by Robin Caroll in 2013. She had a calling to effect change and was convinced to look closer to home, in South Chicago, where neighborhoods were desperate for help and lacking in resources. Robin believes that building the community is a key step in the path to positive change and the IGrow community has the ability to pay it forward by simply showing up, volunteering or living the change. Sol Anderson currently leads IGrow and has dedicated much of his adult life to non-profit work and is driven to impact impoverished, predominantly African-American neighborhoods by addressing the negative cycle that residents live within. He seeks avenues for constant improvement and growth with plans to involve the broader community and expand the impact of IGrow both within and beyond West Englewood. He wants to leave the environment better and stronger than how he found it.