University of Chicago Community Support Initiative

Community Support On Monday, March 30, the University of Chicago will launch the first stage of an effort to provide emergency support and address some of the immediate needs of local residents, businesses, and community-based nonprofits on the South Side as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program will help address the urgent food security needs on the South Side, as well as begin to bridge the financial and resource gap for local businesses and community-based nonprofits in this critical period, before public and private sector assistance is fully mobilized. These efforts, which reflect the University’s deep institutional commitment to supporting the vitality and strength of Chicago and the South Side in particular, will provide 225,000 meals over the course of the next 10 weeks (3,000 meals per day) to South Side residents. 

It also will provide $1 million in direct funding support in the form of bridge grants to local small businesses and nonprofits as they fight to support their employees and clients and stay afloat during this unprecedented crisis.

South Side Small Business Support:
​
Local small businesses and nonprofits are experiencing extreme economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. UChicago will offer short-term bridge funds to provide immediate interim relief and help these impacted small businesses sustain themselves and support their employees.

Grant funds are limited and will be awarded in amounts up to $7,500. Funds are available for the following uses: general operating expenses (payroll, rent or mortgage payment, supply chain management etc.). Priority consideration will be given to businesses who plan to use the grant to directly support impacted employees and who can demonstrate a history of the business being a community asset.

View eligibility criteria and apply South Side Nonprofit Assistance

• Business must be independently owned and operated (no chains of more than three locations or franchisees).

• Business must have a physical location within the University’s local nine-community footprint (see below) that is open to customers and/or clients.

• Business must describe impact to business from COVID response via a simple application and provide additional documentation if requested.

• Business must commit to using a portion of the grant funds to provide stipends for all employees.

• Business must intend to re-open after COVID response and provide affidavit attesting to same.

• Business must be able to receive ACH Direct Deposit transfer.

Local nine-community footprint is defined as Douglas, Oakland, Grand Boulevard, Kenwood, Washington Park, Hyde Park, Woodlawn, Greater Grand Crossing, and South Shore — north to 26th Street, South to 79th Street, West to the Dan Ryan Expressway, and East to Lake Michigan.

Local Business Support Organizations, with which the Office of Civic Engagement partners, will provide additional references for applicant businesses to confirm eligibility;

51st Street Business Association 
Greater Chatham Initiative
Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce
Quad Communities Development Corporation
South Shore Chamber of Commerce 
Southeast Chicago Commission
Washington Park Chamber of Commerce
Woodlawn Chamber of Commerce
  
Click:   Apply Now:  


Or go to:

​https://coronavirusupdates.uchicago.edu/community-support/


In many neighborhoods, community-based nonprofits are the frontline human service providers for their community. As COVID-19 has affected these organizations, it has also burdened the often-vulnerable community members who are finding it more difficult to access their services. The University’s Community Programs Accelerator (CPA), run by the Office of Civic Engagement, has helped to equip more than 150 established and emerging community-based nonprofit organizations and leaders serving the South Side with tools and resources to fulfill their unique missions. UChicago will provide short-term bridge funds and capacity-building assistance to help current CPA nonprofits, as well as CPA alumni, support their clients and stay afloat during this unprecedented crisis.

 South Side Food Assistance:


The University will use on-campus dining facilities to prepare meals that will be distributed in partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to various locations within the University’s nine-community footprint on the South Side (Douglas, Grand Boulevard, Greater Grand Crossing, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, South Shore, Washington Park, and Woodlawn). At least 3,000 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners will be provided seven days a week through June 12 (225,000 total), following strict public health and safety protocols regarding social distancing and sanitation.

​Residents of the South Side in need of food  assistance should visit Chicago Food Bank for a complete list of Greater Chicago Food Depository distribution locations.

Sites where the University will distribute meals locations and open hours:

Martin Temple Community Soup Kitchen
6930 S Cottage Grove Ave 60637

Monday: 8-8:30am

Operation Pull Grant Memorial
4017 S Drexel Blvd 60653

Monday: 10am-11am

Kenwood UCC Soup Kitchen
4608 S Greenwood Ave 60653

Monday:   8am
Tuesday:  8am
Thursday: 8am
Friday:      8am

St. James Food Pantry
2907 S Wabash Ave 60616

Monday:       8:30am-9am
Tuesday:      8:30am-9am
Wednesday: 8:30am-9am
Thursday:     8:30am-9am
Friday:          8:30am-9am
meals:

 

CITY OF CHICAGO


CORONAVIRUS UPDATE:

The 51st Street Business Association, like all community groups and organizations in Chicago will be working diligently to keep our community updated on the Coronavirus (COVID-19).  As a delegate agency of the City of Chicago we will be in constant contact with the City of Chicago's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.  As they update us we will immediately get information out to you. As with any health situation it is always best to follow precautions and preventive methods that are defined by the City of Chicago's Department of Public Health.  Listed below are some precaution activities that the Governor and Mayor has mandated and recommended. 


Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

  

COVID-19 Update
(last updated March 15, 2020) The goal of the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is to reduce the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by detecting new cases quickly and providing guidance to communities to help minimize transmission. CDPH continues to work closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal, state and local partners to monitor and respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The virus seems to be spreading easily from person to person and we encourage everyone to take measures to reduce the risk of exposure. Everyone has a role to play in getting ready and staying healthy.

What you need to know Reported Illinois cases: There have been 105 cases of COVID-19 identified in Illinois so far. As this outbreak has spread globally, CDPH is tracking it closely and is using data to guide its response. Individuals and communities should familiarize themselves with recommendations to protect themselves and their communities from getting and spreading respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. Older people and people with severe chronic conditions should take special precautions because they are at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness. They should limit travel and should not attend large gatherings unless it is essential.

Event organizers - stay informed on the latest developments and public health guidance. We strongly encourage groups to consider cancelling or postponing planned events of at least 250 people. Cancellation of events greater than 1,000 is mandatory for the next 30 days.

K-12 schools - Chicago Public Schools will be closed beginning March 17 through at least March 31. CPS will work to ensure students are engaged throughout their time away from the classroom and will provide meals to all students in need. All CPS families will be able to pick up meals outside of their nearest CPS school beginning March 17, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Monday-Friday throughout the closure.

Chicago’s network of food providers stand ready to support families during the closure. A full list of locations is available at chicagosfoodbank.org/find-food/.

Limited recreational and enrichment activities will be offered in a safe setting at select Chicago Park District facilities. A list of site locations will be made available at cps.edu/coronavirus. Childcare facilities and colleges/universities - Closure of childcare facilities is still voluntary. See CDPH’s COVID-19 Guidance for Childcare Programs.

Many institutions of higher learning are voluntarily closing their campuses and moving instruction online. See CDPH’s COVID-19 Guidance for Schools and Institutions of Higher Education.

Businesses and employers should actively encourage all employees to stay home when sick, perform hand hygiene, and cover coughs and sneezes. Businesses should review their emergency operations plan, including identification of essential business functions, teleworking and flexible sick leave policies. For more information, see CDPH’s COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses and Employers.

Restaurants and bars – Gov. JB Pritzker announced that all bars and restaurants in the state of Illinois will be closed to the public, beginning at close of business Monday, March 16th through Monday, March 30th. The state is working closely with restaurant owners and food delivery services to ensure kitchens can safely remain open to continue food delivery and put in place drive thru and curbside pickup options.

Community- and faith-based organizations should review existing emergency operations plans, including strategies for social distancing and modifying large gatherings. Community-based organizations should take steps to protect both the clients they serve and their employees. See CDPH’s COVID-19 Guidance for Community- and Faith-based Organizations.


Fight stigma and fear by understanding the facts about COVID-19 and taking the effective precautionary steps recommended by health professionals.

Support people returning from COVID-19 quarantine and help reduce the spread of rumors by letting people know that viruses cannot target people from specific populations, ethnicities, or racial backgrounds.

If you have been in a country with widespread sustained transmission (any country with a Travel Alert Level 3) or have been exposed to someone sick with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, you will face some limitations on your movement and activity. 

Please follow instructions during this time. Your cooperation is integral to the ongoing public health response to try to slow the spread of this virus.

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