CHICAGO COMMUNITY LOAN FUND (CCLF) CELEBRATING 35 YEARS OF THE POWER OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

Bob Tucker, President of CCLF, addresses the crowd during CCLF’s 35th Anniversary celebration on September 10

Thirty-five years ago, a group of mission-driven visionaries wanted to bring about change in Chicago’s economically distressed communities. From this vision, the Chicago Community Loan Fund was created to provide flexible, affordable, and responsible financing and technical assistance for community stabilization and development efforts and initiatives that benefit low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, families and individuals throughout metropolitan Chicago.
When you have decades of longevity, you learn a few things. You learn how to take $200,000 in 1991 and turn it into over $216 million in assets in 2026.

You learn how to invest responsibly in communities and create 13,222 affordable housing units, 8,331 jobs, close 711 loans and leverage over $2.2 billion dollars. That is the power of community investment!

You also learn that you can’t do this work alone. Community development takes a coalition of like-minded people. It takes support from investors, funders, partners, board of directors, staff, community developers, borrowers, officials at all levels of government, and good community members who understand the importance of the mission and help advance it.

On September 10th, CCLF celebrated its 35th anniversary with a festive gathering in Chicago’s West Loop, welcoming more than 200 guests. The evening honored not only 35 years of CCLF’s work creating communities where people thrive, but also the remarkable contributions of others in the community development sector. As part of the celebration, CCLF presented the Fannie Lou Hamer Awards to outstanding individuals and organizations whose exceptional work has helped strengthen communities throughout Chicagoland.

The first award was presented to Perry Vietti, President of Interfaith Housing Development Corporation (IHDC). Since 1992, Vietti and his organization have completed 20 affordable housing developments, creating 1,103 homes primarily serving individuals with special needs. These developments range in size from 12 to 135 units located in neighborhoods throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, and CCLF has played a role in most of them.

Bob Tucker, Perry Vietti, Erik Hall

The second award went to Darnell Shields, Executive Director of Austin Coming Together, and Morris Reed, CEO of Westside Health Authority, who created the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation that opened in June 2025. The Aspire Center is a state-of-the-art collaborative hub for workforce training, wealth-building initiatives, and community advancement on the city’s West Side. It occupies the former Emmet Elementary School site, a three-acre campus that remained vacant after the school’s closure in 2013 as part of a citywide effort that shuttered 50 schools. Twelve years later, the property has been reimagined with a bold new mission: to serve as a center for workforce development, innovation, and community empowerment. We are proud to have assisted with this project coming to fruition.
CCLF also recognized a couple of its philanthropic, investment and program partners whose long-term support, leadership, and commitment to community development have helped catalyze transformative change throughout Chicagoland throughout the years. These partners have strengthened CCLF’s ability to provide flexible capital, technical assistance, and innovative financing solutions that expand opportunity in historically underserved communities.

Erik Hall, Morris Reed, Darnell Shields, Bob Tucker

CCLF’s inaugural Catalyst Award for Community Opportunities was presented to Polk Bros Foundation and JPMorgan Chase. Accepting on behalf of Polk Bros Foundation was CEO Gillian Darlow. Polk has granted more than $3.3 million to CCLF targeting affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization.

Bob Tucker, Gillian Darlow, Erik Hall

Damion Heron, Central Region Executive for Community Engagement at JPMorgan Chase, accepted the award on behalf of JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan Chase has been a transformative partner in the Chicago Community Loan Fund’s mission to expand opportunities in low- and moderate-income communities. Since 1997, the firm has provided more than $27 million in grants and investments, helping CCLF deliver affordable housing, support small businesses, strengthen commercial corridors, and catalyze neighborhood revitalization across Chicago.

Erik Hall, Damion Heron, Bob Tucker

Bob Tucker, CCLF President, talked about CCLF’s work. “I think about what 35 years really represents,” he said. “It represents thousands of decisions to say ‘yes’ when others might have said ‘no.’ It represents projects developed, jobs created, dreams pursued, and communities strengthened.”

Tucker noted a quote from Muhammad Ali that he has always loved: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” He added, “For 35 years, CCLF has been paying that rent, and many of you here tonight have literally lent us the money to help us do that. The best news is we’re just getting started.”

The evening was vibrant and full of energy, bringing guests together through laughter, connection, and camaraderie. The audience listened to music from DJ A-Yo and enjoyed powerful original spoken-word performances by Eros The Poet and Jeronimo Speaks. The night came to a lively close as the Latin rhythms of Candela! filled the hall.