01/15/2026
As we say goodbye to 2025 and embark on a new year, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the good work of United Power for Action and Justice and all of our Reclaiming teams and partners. Through the hard work of Southwest Organizing Project, The Resurrection Project, Hope Center Foundation of Chicago, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, Lawndale Christian Development Corporation - LCDC, IFF and Precious Blood Ministry Of Reconciliation, Reclaiming Chicago has completed 76 new homes across four communities – and welcomed our newest partner Sunshine Gospel Ministries who has begun work in Washington Park.
We’ve also welcomed 72 neighborhood residents into their new homes. (This is the best part!) Seventy-two new families living in beautiful homes that stand on previously vacant lots.
And we started construction on another 88 homes as we continue our work strategically rebuilding whole blocks and neighborhoods.
We could not have done it without the tremendous support we have received from our corporate and philanthropic donors this year: The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Richard L. Duchossois Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, Capital One, Michael Reese Health Trust and Knight Impact Partners. We are also so incredibly grateful to our early supporters many of whom have been with us since the beginning, including the Metro IAF, Steans Family Foundation, JPMorganChase, BMO, Alvin H. Baum Family Fund, Waterton, Builders Initiative, Schreiber Philanthropy and Owens Family Foundation. Without the confidence and support of these generous donors, our work would not be possible.
And of course, we closed the year with a $10M commitment from the Pritzker Traubert Foundation as winners of the Chicago Prize! We are so grateful to the Pritzker Traubert Foundation for this recognition and could not be more excited for the opportunity to expand our work. (And thanks to Institute for Housing Studies (IHS) at DePaul University and American Marketing Services for the data and analysis that supported our application!) This grant will not only help us continue our work building on vacant lots within our neighborhoods but will help us take the next step in bringing our work to scale, constructing a new residential community with 160 new homes in Chicago Lawn. The first construction of this kind in Chicago Lawn in at least 40 years. With this development, we will more than double the number of homes we have under construction giving more Chicago families the opportunity to achieve the American Dream!
Thank you to all our generous donors and to all our partners. You are helping to make 2026 our best year yet. ’sBuildChicago!
