“The Power of Neighborhoods†– The 20th Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards February 20th
Award Ceremony: Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Edward J. Wehmer, Wintrust, Special film presentation featuring Valerie Jarrett, Mayor Richard M. Daley, others, 1,600 Chicago community development leaders and elected officials
CHICAGO, IL – Twenty years ago when the first Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards (CNDA) ceremony took place, social commentators were predicting the “end of the city†and neighborhoods were more than a slogan than a force. Local Initiatives Support Corporation Chicago (LISC Chicago) was determined to change both perceptions of neighborhoods and city. And they did, with Chicago and its practitioners of comprehensive neighborhood development now looked at as the place and people to emulate by urbanists and observers across the nation.
On Thursday, February 20th LISC will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the awards, and more important the 20 years of community development that have transformed neighborhoods and changed the nation’s view of cities, and inspired neighborhood based housing, commercial and social initiatives.
The event will be held February 20, 2014, at the Chicago Hilton & Towers, 720 S. Michigan Ave. Panel discussion begins at 3:00 p.m. and the awards ceremony takes place at 4:30 p.m.
The Panelists are Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, WBEZ Reporter Natalie Moore, Pullman’s David Doig, Little Village’s Mike Rodriguez, Englewood’s Demond Drummer.
The theme for this year’s event— “The Power of Neighborhoodsâ€â€“ highlights the grassroots-borne innovations that have made Chicago’s neighborhood development a model for the nation and looks at the potential and importance of neighborhood leadership in creatively addressing the challenges that face the city today. Emphasizing the progress, the Awards Ceremony will open with a film with commentary from former Mayor Richard M. Daley, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama and former LISC Chicago board member, philanthropic leader Julia Stasch and numerous community developers, architects and social observers.
This year, ten juried awards— many with cash prizes— will be given for: outstanding community strategy; outstanding nonprofit and for profit real estate projects; affordable rental housing preservation; organizing; and architectural excellence in community design, honored by the three Richard H. Driehaus Foundation awards. In addition, a leadership award is given to an organizational leader who has demonstrated great potential and a non-juried award is made to the recipient of the Richard M. Daley Friend of the Neighborhoods award, which recognizes lifetime achievement.
Prior to the Awards ceremony there will be a panel discussion, moderated by WBEZ’s Natalie Moore, and featuring Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky; David Doig, CNI Group; Demond Drummer, Teamwork Englewood; and Michael D. Rodriguez, Enlace Chicago. With past as prologue, the panel will address the current challenges that the city faces and the innovative solutions being forged to meet them.
This year’s event is chaired by Edward J. Wehmer, Founder and CEO of Wintrust Financial, presenting sponsor of CNDA. CNDA is underwritten by lead sponsors: Allstate; Citi; MB Financial Bank; The PrivateBank; Bank of America; The Chicago Community Trust; Northern Trust; The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; LISC Chicago; PNC; State Farm; Charter One; The Habitat Company; Peoples Gas; US Bank; Chase; Polk Bros. Foundation; Woods Fund Chicago.
CNDA is also supported by: Accion Chicago; Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen, PC; Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council; Brinshore Development; Camiros, Ltd.; Chicago Bears Chicago Community Loan Fund; Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership; Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives; CohnReznick LLP; ComEd; Comcast; Community Investment Corporation; Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.; Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago; Fifth Third Bank; First Merit Bank; Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses; Greater Southwest Development Corporation; Hispanic Housing Development Corporation; Holsten Real Estate Development; IFF; Illinois Housing Development Authority; Illinois Housing Council; Lighten-Gale Group; Matanky Realty; Mercy Housing; Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C.; Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago; North Lawndale Employment Network; Pierce Family Foundation; Preservation of Affordable Housing; Teska Associates, Inc.; The Community Builders; University of Chicago; Urban Partnership Bank; Walsh Construction; Wight & Company
Established in 1995 by Local Initiatives Support Corporation Chicago (LISC Chicago) – one of the nation’s most respected leaders in community development – CNDA is typically attended by more than 1,500 civic, community, government, corporate and philanthropic leaders. The awards were created to honor the extraordinary development activity in Chicago’s neighborhoods and to inspire emulation of the quality and boldness demonstrated by the awardees.
For more information, visit www.lisc-cnda.org or email cnda@lisc.org.
