About the Community Center

Transforming Lives and Communities

After camping out on the roof of an old motel for 94 days to bring attention to gun violence, drug dealing, sex trafficking, and prostitution in his Woodlawn neighborhood, Pastor Corey Brooks founded Project H.O.O.D. with the vision of ending violence and building communities, one neighborhood at a time.

This vision is predicated upon a catalytic investment that will:

Bring education, job training, entrepreneurial & employment resources, and locally owned business opportunities to the residents so that they can to build wealth and spur economic development in their communities
Provide a safe space to empower, inform and equip marginalized youths and adults, with the resources to become gainfully employed, financially independent, and upwardly mobile
Incorporate wrap-around services to enhance physical, mental, and social well-being
Mitigate violence and retaliatory behavior
Reduce incarceration and recidivism

The 85,000 sq ft Leadership and Economic Opportunity Center will be located on South King Drive across the street from New Beginnings Church. The project will revitalize and physically transform the area, providing a visual representation of hope and progress.

The first of its kind in Woodlawn, the center will function as a hub for social interaction and a vehicle for social change; where diversity-equity-inclusion is the gateway to all activities.

A safe place for children of all ages to go after school
A place for at-risk youth and adults to access trauma counseling, health and wellness services, and creative social-emotional programming
Affordable fitness opportunities for individuals and families including year-round, indoor swimming, basketball, and a variety of intramural sports
A place to learn and develop workforce readiness skills and find employment
A place for teen programming on weekends and evenings
A place that provides community care, embraces its history and serves as a beacon of prosperity, positivity, and peace

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Donate Today

We are seeking $35 million in funding for our new shovel-ready community center. This campaign presents a unique opportunity to invest in Chicago’s future by extending services that strengthen its communities for all people. We need your help to fulfill Project H.O.O.D.’s mission to reclaim, reunite, and rebuild the low-income areas on the Southside of Chicago.

Project H.O.O.D. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

Donate Here!

Our Team

Next Steps

We have put together a team of highly qualified professionals to guide us through all phases of the project, from design to build completion. Our architect, consultants, construction manager, and committee are working now to complete the design process. The architect has completed an early concept design and will progress through full design documentation which will then be bid out to contractors and permitted by the City of Chicago. The construction manager is assisting with budgeting, planning, and scheduling prior to issuing the drawings for bid. Completion of the design process is anticipated by the end of Q2, 2022.

Fundraising for the project is happening concurrently with the design process. The official (public launch) of the capital campaign is set to take place Saturday, November 20, 2021, on the 10 anniversary of Pastor Brooks’ 94-day rooftop journey that brought national attention to gun violence, drug dealing, sex trafficking, and prostitution in Woodlawn.

You can donate here to support the capital campaign for the new Leadership and Economic Opportunity Center.

Upon reaching the project’s fundraising goals and completing the design process, the project will be bid out and construction will begin. Due to the nature and scope of the project, there are 3 phases planned: Demolition & Fencing, Shell & Core, and FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment).