...bringing holistic revitalization to the lives and environments of Lawndale residents through economic empowerment, housing improvements, educational enrichments and community advocacy.
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Lawndale Christian Development Corporation seeks to be a developer and manager of community-enhancing residential and commercial properties; a partner for educational excellence; and a catalyst for community revitalization in the North Lawndale community. Executive Director: Kim Jackson
Lawndale Christian Residential Services serves to provide affordable rental housing for those in the North Lawndale Community.
Mission: Lawndale Christian Development Corporation was established in 1987 by Lawndale Community Church to bring holistic revitalization to the lives and environments of Lawndale residents through economic empowerment, housing improvements, educational enrichments and community advocacy.
If you want to learn more about small business ownership in North Lawndale visit https://lcdc.net/lcdc-co-op/ and sign up to learn more.
✝︎ Be Blessed & Be Well ✝︎
02/11/2021
Lawndale Christian Health Center
Today at 2pm, ABC7 Chicago will present a virtual town hall examining the long lasting effects of the discriminatory real estate and banking practices of redlining. Tune in to hear from various panelists, including Richard Townsell of Lawndale Christian Development Corporation! Watch at www.abc7chicago.com
02/11/2021
Check out Richard Townsell on Our Chicago: Voices of the Community town hall examines discriminatory effects of redlining at 2:00pm today!
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought his fight for justice to the city of Chicago on this date in 1966, shining a light on racial discrimination in housing in the city. NBC 5’s LeeAnn Trotter has the story.
01/21/2021
Check out Lcdc Coop to learn more about how we’re rebuilding the wealth of our community by building local power!
“Richard Townsell says that while similar developments have been built across Chicago to good effect, there’s more to be done, and it starts at the federal level.
“In the same way that Chicago goes after dollars for transportation every year … they have to do the same thing around affordable housing. There is short supply of it,” he said. “For every person that wins an award with the Department of Housing to do a development like the Martin Luther King apartments, there are probably 10 or 15 that don’t get it. We need resources to do this work.”
On the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s arrival in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood, we revisit the work he did to end slum conditions and combat discriminatory housing practices.
Lawndale Christian Development Corporation and its partners will share a $7.2 million grant from the JPMorgan Chase & Co. AdvancingCities competition to help reverse decades of under-investment in South and West side neighborhoods
The Resurrection Project
Back-of-the-Yards, Chicago
Neighborhood Council
Peace and Education Coalition - Back of the Yards, New City
Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Southwest Organizing Project
A JPMorgan Chase grant will look to help Black and Latino families become homeowners after decades of disinvestment in Chicago neighborhoods.
12/04/2020
Way to represent Richard Townsell !!
During our conference, we'll dig into racial homeownership gaps with NCRC's Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Associated Bank's LaDonna Reed & Lawndale Christian Development Corporation's Richard Townsell. Join us to explore effective strategies for expanding sustainable affordable homeownership. http://housingactionil.org/conference
12/04/2020
We go further together. Thank you to our wonderful partners at All Saints Episcopal Church for standing in the gap with us as we build a better North Lawndale!
This past Spring, Bishop Bonnie A. Perry challenged the ResCov community to join in the Greenlining Campaign, a partnership between Lawndale Christian Development Corporation and All Saints' Episcopal Church that seeks to combat the racist legacy of redlining in our city by building affordable housing in the North Lawndale community. Because we believe this is the work of justice that the gospel calls us to, we challenged our community in September to raise $2500 by the end of October. We are now excited to say that we have more than doubled that goal! Thank you to all who supported this campaign, and may it lead us deeper into God’s work of justice and peace for our city and world.
TRP and partners have been awarded $7.2 million through JPMorgan Chase & Co. AdvancingCities competition to help reverse decades of under-investment in South and West side neighborhoods, including Back of the Yards, North Lawndale and Chicago Lawn through the “Block by Block” initiative!
Today, The Resurrection Project (TRP) and partners celebrate the announcement of JPMorgan Chase’s AdvancingCities Challenge, part of the firm’s $500
12/04/2020
We’re excited to share that LCDC has been awarded one of the #BofAGrants from @BankOfAmerica. Contributions like this are essential as we continue working toward building a better North Lawndale and ensuring access to affordable housing. Thank you BofA!
03/17/2020
Due to the State of Illinois guidance regarding COVID19, the LCDC offices will be closed starting March 18th. We expect to be closed until March 30th at minimum. Upon reopening we will update this post.
Current LCDC Residents in need of non-emergency assistance may call (773)696-9103 or (773)696-9105.
Challenges like COVID19 affect the finances of the working poor quicker and with more severity.
We'd like to offer you a opportunity to assist residents in meeting their rent obligations which will help to keep LCDC fiscally sound.
By donating here... https://lcdc.net/donate/ ... you can give specifically to help offset the rent of an LCDC resident. Simply put "Rent" in the "Message of Support" field and your entire donation will be earmarked to meet this need.
Our sincere thanks for considering the needs of our residents even as you are no doubt dealing with issues related to COVID-19 in your own lives.
Donate
02/26/2020
Just a friendly reminder that North Lawndale Homeowners Association, North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council and Guaranteed Rate are hosting a "Pre Approval Party" Saturday, February 29th from 2pm-5pm at the newly renovated Douglass Branch Library in North Lawndale.
Wilonda Cannon will be there to help you learn the details needed to get Pre-Approved to purchase your home in 2020! This event is free but seating is limited. Register today at:
Next Tuesday March 3rd at 5PM there will be a community event at Sinai Community Institute, (2653 W. Ogden, entrance on Washtenaw), regarding the Pritzker Traubert Chicago Prize. Come learn about the "Advancing North Lawndale Together" finalist bid and meet the team that is working to bring it home.
If you are interested in attending, PLEASE RSVP @ Tinyurl.com/NLChicago . Feel free to share this invite with other community members you feel would be interested.
Be sure to check out our partners! The North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council is leading the charge to advance the North Lawndale Quality of Life Plan. Click the link below to learn more.
Teams from Auburn-Gresham, Little Village, Englewood, North Lawndale, Austin and South Chicago pitched new development programs boosting economic development in their neighborhoods.
Finalists on the South and West sides have been announced for the prize from a foundation headed by Penny Pritzker and her husband, Bryan Traubert.
12/12/2019
Lawndale Christian Development Corporation is honored to be part of the @NLCCCPlanning who has been named as one of 4 finalists for the Pritzker Traubert Foundation’s $10 Million “Chicago Prize.” North Lawndale is one of Chicago’s lowest-income neighborhoods, with over 40% of residents living below the poverty line. If awarded the “Chicago Prize”, NLCCC will be able to continue the work of advancing North Lawndale together by addressing community needs; promote economic stability and opportunity for residents. To learn when the winner announcement will take place and to get more details on the “Chicago Prize” read: https://nlcccplanning.org/.
North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council has been selected as a finalist for the $10 Million “Chicago Prize” by the Pritzker Traubert Foundation. We are proud to be a part of this community-focused collaboration whose goal is to revitalize the North Lawndale community. If awarded the “Chicago Prize”, NLCCC will be able to continue the work of advancing North Lawndale together by addressing the community needs for new jobs, housing services and infrastructure. Congratulations to the other finalists and special congratulations to all of the NLCCC collaborators: Sinai Health System, New Covenant Community Dev. Corp, Lawndale Christian Development Corporation, Lawndale Christian Legal Center, North Lawndale Employment Network, and local arts organization Under the Grid. The award announcement will take place Spring 2020. Get the full details at https://nlcccplanning.org/
12/11/2019
We are honored to be recognized by the We Raise Foundation!
Meet our three new Emerging Leader Grant recipients!
- Sarah Gray from Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center in Columbus, Ohio
- Marcela Melendez from GRACE Grapevine in Grapevine, Texas
- Whittney Smith from Lawndale Christian Development Corporation in Chicago, Illinois
On the first day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me, a brand-new Douglass branch library*.
On the second day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me, tax returns and clean audits for 2018*.
On the third day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me, three gut rehabs of beautiful buildings*.
On the 4th day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me, four new foundations that gave us support that we need*.
On the 5th day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me 235 HOMEOWNERS IN THE NORTH LAWNDALE HOMEOWNER’S ASSOCIATION*!!
On the 6th day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me, new Canaan homes that we’ll build in the Spring*.
On the 7th day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me, LAZARUS APARTMENTS reborn also in the Spring*.
On the 8th day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me, 8 amazing board members that raise money*.
On the 9th day of Christmas, LCDC gave to me, 9 awesome staff and consultants that still believe!
I’m sure if you’re like me you are probably tired of Giving Tuesday requests hitting your inbox. At LCDC, we decided to go in a different direction. Enjoy our year in review to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas, with an explanation below. Please sing along. On the…
"Chicago is being rebuilt, but it's a tale of two cities. There is downtown and there is everybody else," said Richard Townsell of the North Lawndale Homeowners Association. "Our goal is, we want to make sure that working families, people that have been here for generations, are able to own homes, stay in their communities."
Hundreds of people gathered on Chicago's West Side to talk with Mayor Lori Lightfoot about the city's most pressing problems, from gun violence to housing concerns.
Show your support when using Amazon. Shop AmazonSmile.com and when checking out you will be prompted to select LCDC as your preferred organization to support. We thank you in advance for choosing LCDC!
Join us in our Show Me Your Roots campaign as we highlight the wonderful ways that access to affordable and secure housing has enhanced our lives. With your support we can continue to provide quality housing in North Lawndale.
Our page will be hosting videos from LCDC supporters answering the question, 'What does home mean to me?' Partner with us by posting your own video to Facebook using these hashtags: Lawndale Christian Development Corporation #SMYR #LCDC #homesweethome https://lcdc.net/show-me-your-roots/
Donate to this campaign to ensure that North Lawndale residents know the joy that stable housing provides.
Show Me Your Roots
05/30/2019
SPRING BEAUTIFICATION!!! Check out our day playing in the dirt
05/30/2019
Lawndale Christian Development Corporation's cover photo
05/10/2019
Lawndale Christian Development Corporation's cover photo
Mission in Motion By Richard Townsell The election of a Black woman as the next Mayor of Chicago was a historic moment. That very same month was the 51st anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Considering these two facts, I am writing about some…
How a new governor, J.B. Pritzker, can go to bat for the mentally ill right away United Power op-ed in Sun-Times Richard Townsell, Aliya Husain, Kelly Collins and Rabbi Ari Margolis For lack of better alternatives, write the authors, police often detain…
The last time I wrote to you all was in July when I said this: “Black people are leaving Chicago in droves. According to the IHS Data Clearinghouse, 42,504 black people left between 2010 and 2016. They have had enough of the crime, food deserts, job deserts, red light…
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Videos
SPRING BEAUTIFICATION!!! Check out our day playing in the dirt
LCDC: The Soul of North Lawndale
Check out LCDC's vidoe documenting our history and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in North Lawndale!
n 1978, together with several of the young men and women in the bible study and one of their mothers, Coach and Anne Gordon launched Lawndale Community Church (LCC) currently known as Lawndale Christian Community Church (LCCC). Guided by Coach Gordon’s dedication to both the physical and spiritual needs of the North Lawndale community, LCCC began buying and rehabilitating abandoned apartment buildings, and renting them to church members and other North Lawndale residents at affordable rates.
Richard Townsell, who had been mentored during high school and college by Coach Gordon, became LCDC’s Executive Director in 1992, and served in that role for 14 years, before transitioning into other leadership roles throughout Chicago. Under Townsell’s direction, LCDC brought more than $40 million in redevelopment to North Lawndale. During this time, LCDC also broadened its program offerings to include youth and adult education, and job readiness programming.
Following Townsell’s departure, Marcus Thorne became the Executive Director from 2006-2007, followed by Kim Jackson from 2007-2014. Under Jacksons’ leadership LCDC brought great change to the North Lawndale community through the development of the following sites: Dr. King Legacy Apartments, Fountain View Apartments, Renaissance Place Apartments and the Gideon Homes, among others.
Since its inception, LCDC has completed $100 million in residential and commercial development, and contributed more than 360 units of affordable housing to the North Lawndale community.
Richard Townsell returned to LCDC as Executive Director in 2015.