Also, the Foundation announced an additional commitment of $2.5 million in development funds accessible to the other finalist teams from Austin, Englewood, Little Village North Lawndale and South Chicago. This brings its total investment in the Chicago Prize teams to more than $13 million since the competition launched in April 2019.
Always Growing, Auburn Gresham is a collaborative of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation, Urban Growers Collective and Green Era Partners, led by Carlos Nelson, Erika Allen and Jason Feldman, respectively. Their initiative was selected for the Chicago Prize because of its unique combination of proposed projects that have the potential to create long-term economic opportunity, including the creation of 300 construction and 300 permanent professional jobs, and a greenhouse space expected to grow 14,000 – 26,000 pounds of food per year, while also meeting the immediate needs of residents.