There are a few things in life that people should never have to worry about…food…shelter…healthcare. Unfortunately, in this country and in the city of Chicago, all three can have impediments to access for many residents in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Food deserts pose a hinderance to having fresh food within a reasonable distance of people’s homes. Mounting… Read more »

On a beautiful September afternoon at the ASPIRE Center in Austin, JPMorgan Chase announced a $10 million low-cost loan to CCLF for its Communities of Color Fund. CCLF created the Communities of Color Fund (CofC) to address racial equity in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods throughout Chicagoland. The fund will be available to developers undertaking real… Read more »

Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF) is honored to be a $15 million recipient of a MacKenzie Scott grant. Lightning does strike in the same place twice as Ms. Scott awarded CCLF $10 million four years ago. MacKenzie Scott is a trailblazer in the world of philanthropy because of her large unrestricted grants to nonprofits. She… Read more »

The Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF) is a 33-year-old Community Development Financial Institution and 26 of those 33 years, it was led by Calvin L. Holmes. After a long and successful career in community development, Calvin has decided to depart the house that he helped build. The CCLF board has appointed Bob Tucker as its… Read more »

JPMorganChase announced a $10 million investment to advance affordable housing development and revitalize neighborhoods in Chicago’s South and West sides on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at the Aspire Center in the Austin community. The new loan to the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF), a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), is part of JPMorganChase’s $200… Read more »

Over 70 investors, funders, supporters, and staff joined the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF) on Thursday, May 23, 2024, for the Annual Stakeholders Meeting at the Wintrust Conference Center in the Loop, which was the second in-person Stakeholders Meeting since the pandemic. CCLF President, Calvin Holmes, welcomed attendees and recognized that the growth of the… Read more »

On June 14, 2024, the Community Education Network also known as It Takes a Village (ITAV) Family of Schools, held a groundbreaking ceremony to memorialize with speeches and photos the continued growth of the school network. ITAV purchased the shuttered Hales Franciscan High School, which once stood as the pride of the Archdiocese of Chicago… Read more »

Affordable housing is a serious problem that is at crisis levels in the U.S., for both home purchases home rentals. According to the 2024 State of the Nation’s Housing by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University: “Both homeowners and renters are struggling with high housing costs. On the for-sale side, millions of… Read more »

On February 21, the Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium (COZC) hosted an Investment Showcase to spotlight the work of early-stage business entrepreneurs advancing original and impactful ventures on the south and west sides of Chicago. The COZC partnered with Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP who fully supported the event including the use of their state-of-the-art conference… Read more »

By DeMario Greene, Director of Policy and Government Relations For over the thirty-three-years, CCLF has been able to distinguish itself as an agent of community revitalization – not only through its innovative lending products but also through its work to support positive public policy proposals on the local, state, and federal levels. CCLF is currently… Read more »

Home ownership is a dream of countless Americans, but for so many, the dream is out of reach.According to the National Association of Realtors, “While the U.S. homeownership rate increased to 65.5% in 2021, the rate among Black Americans lags significantly (44%) and has only increased 0.4% in the last 10 years and is nearly… Read more »

CCLF had an incredibly fast start to 2024, originating and closing millions of dollars in loans in the first quarter and advancing important new developments in the communities we serve. Although the work is fast paced, constantly evolving, and always exciting, pausing for a moment and reflecting on CCLF’s past year of work is important…. Read more »

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Chicago is known worldwide for its exceptional cuisine. According to Travel and Leisure, Chicago has 50 James Beard Award winning restaurants and more than 20 Michelin-star-award winners.Because of the city’s diverse population, the cuisine varies from ethnicities around the world. Many immigrants who desire the food from their homeland start cooking for family and friends…. Read more »