Creating Future Leaders in Greater Grand Crossing

The Habitat Chicago mission is only as strong as the people who participate in, partner with, and support our work. Luckily, we have partners like Jennifer Maddox from local nonprofit, Future Ties NFP, who make it their life’s work to invest in their neighborhoods. 

 

Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Jennifer knew all of her neighbors, and they looked out for each other. Hosting block club parties and welcoming new residents was the norm. It shaped Jennifer’s idea of what “community” is, and it served as a prime example of what belonging to a community looked and felt like. 

 

“Everybody was such a close-knit family that trusted and looked out for each other,” Jennifer reflects. “I can honestly say most of the people who grew up with me ended up being very successful, having great careers, and starting their own families.”

Jennifer

 

As Jennifer grew up and moved away from her childhood neighborhood, she quickly learned that not everyone had the pleasure of being close to their neighbors or reaping the benefits from those relationships. Many didn’t cook for one another or walk their kids home from school or when it was getting late. They were lucky if they knew each other’s names. The lack of community was especially evident in the nearby neighborhoods where Jennifer would eventually serve as a police officer. 

 

As a law enforcement officer, she saw firsthand how years of disinvestment impacted other parts of the South Side and what that disinvestment meant for residents. This was evident in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood where she was stationed. While there were good people and things happening around, there was still a lack of belonging and resources which impacted how people treated each other and stunted the growth of a supportive environment. 

 

She saw an opportunity to provide services to the area and help people reach their fullest potential. The barrier was that she could only do so much in her position as a police officer. 

 

Jennifer took the time to investigate what was missing and how she could help. It was important that she approached her work with care and consideration as she was an outsider to the area. She recalls, “I was trying to assist and figure out what the needs were of the community instead of coming up with what I felt their needs were. I really needed to hear from [the residents] because they live it. They own it. They understand it.” 

 

One day, she realized that through her job, she had been interacting with potential future leaders. From kids to grandmas to business owners to artists, she believed everyone has the ability to make a positive impact on each other and provide resources for their community to thrive. She couldn’t singlehandedly help a community because “it takes the ties of everyone and their resources to support families to their fullest potential.” And from there, she founded Future Ties. 

 

Future Ties is a nonprofit that began as a drop-in center where kids could go after school and hang out. It then grew to a program that provided kids with homework help five days a week during the school year and activities throughout the summer. They could attend workshops to learn a variety of skills and take field trips across the city. 

 

While Future Ties’ primary focus was providing kids with resources they needed to be successful, she realized helping unlock potential for them was only one piece of the puzzle. She wanted entire families to thrive, so a parent program was created. This program offers an array of workshops and resources to help them pursue employment, education programs, and counseling. By setting parents and caregivers up for success, they can better support their households and be a “future tie,” or leader, in their community. 

Kids sharing a meal in a cafeteriaThree boys playing Monopoly

Reflecting on Future Ties over the years, Jennifer recalls the impacts she has witnessed: “Just seeing some of my youth grow up, go to school, and go to college. Seeing some of their parents go to college and move out of low-income housing into another stabilized housing situation. Seeing them get the career goal jobs that they have sought out. Just seeing that growth within the family unit is an accomplishment. It's very hard work but is incredibly rewarding.” 

 

While Future Ties was very successful in providing summer programming, Jennifer wished to provide a winter activity that could keep teens busy, connected to their community, and improve safety among neighbors. She just needed a little push to make it happen. 

 

Having integrated into Greater Grand Crossing over a decade earlier, she noticed a new presence attending and supporting community events: Habitat for Humanity Chicago. She learned about their work through local organizations and was impressed by how Habitat Chicago had supported the community, specifically through the Neighborhood Grants Initiative. 

 

Through this initiative, residents of Habitat Chicago’s focus neighborhoods can apply and receive a small grant for projects that connect the community or enhance the physical environment. It was exactly what Jennifer needed to bring her project idea to reality. After applying and receiving the grant, she purchased a snow blower and shovels to clear sidewalks in the area. 

 

“We wanted to hit blocks that we knew seniors lived on because they couldn't really get out and shovel the snow themselves,” she said. "It gave our young people an opportunity to support and help other people in the community while also making it safe for people to travel.” 

Snow plowed on sidewalk

Later that year, she was invited to community discussions, facilitated by Habitat Chicago, that brought together local leaders from Greater Grand Crossing. The purpose was to talk about the needs of the community and brainstorm solutions. Many of them had never met each other in-person and found value in collaborating and building upon each other’s expertise to better their neighborhood. 

 

She enjoyed connecting with others through this group and feels comfort knowing that they can rely on each other if they need support. “The value for me,” Jennifer states, “is just knowing that they're truly people that are still holding on to that hope. Making sure that what we do in the community is beneficial. We all share that same vision, that same mission to encourage others and to support others.” 

 

For how purposeful and calculated the disinvestment of Chicago’s South and West Sides was, new investments must be even more purposeful to restore communities to what once was or could have been. It is why Jennifer was drawn to Habitat Chicago. 

 

Both Jennifer and Habitat Chicago are passionate about counteracting disinvestment, seeing neighborhoods thrive, and working in partnership in a community. Having specific strengths and resources to lend, we embody the impact we can make as a collective. 

 

The shared goal is a strong, loving community that Jennifer grew up with. One that makes every resident feel a sense of belonging, safety, and confidence—one that creates more Future Ties.

 

 

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