AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/economic-development/)
The donadtion – the largest corporate gift in United Way of Metro Chicago’s history – will be used to help implement Austin’s quality of life plan and to support social service infrastructure and development in the city’s most-populated community area. The investment was announced last week at an event hosted by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and attended by several local elected officials.
The $1 million gift from Rick and Cate Waddell, given to United Way of Metro Chicago, will be used to support economic development over the next five years in Austin through the Neighborhood Network Initiative. Austin Coming Together will play a key role in the initiative.
Fifteen Austin businesses have been awarded grant money by the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund since 2017.
The Chicago City Council recently approved a $1 million grant for Catalyst Circle Rock Elementary School, 5608 W. Washington Blvd., to turn a vacant auditorium into the Glen & Lonni Kehrein Center for the Arts.
After two years of work involving more than 400 people, the plan was celebrated Saturday at Michele Clark Magnet High School. Now seven task forces each devoted to a key issue area will begin implementing the plan.
Five businesses are receiving grants of up to $250,000. They are Ted’s Place at 5813 W. Madison St.; Sky-Light Carpentry Services at 5420 W. Division St..; Coleman’s Bar-B-Que #2 at 5754 W. Chicago Ave.; Chubby’s Char House at 5963 W. Madison St.; and Brown Sugar Bakery, at 4800 W. Chicago Ave.
Over the next several days, Austin Coming Together and LISC Chicago will be holding the last set of community meetings in a year-long process to develop the improvement plan.
The seven working groups will meet from Feb. 26 through March 7 at Austin Coming Together’s offices at 5049 W. Harrison. The working groups are: public safety, youth, housing, civil engagement, education, economic development and community narrative.
Dozens of people working on a five-year, quality-of-life plan met last week to determine next steps. Austin Coming Together is leading efforts to produce the plan, which is expected to be unveiled this summer.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford praises Austin business owners and urges banks to do a better job of supporting West Side businesses.