West Side United Providing Grants to 39 Small Businesses on Chicago’s West Side To Help COVID Recovery

February 12, 2021

Chicago West Side United Hospitals and Collaborators Provide $390,000 to Support West Side Small Businesses

CHICAGO – Acknowledging the devastating effects COVID-19 has had in Chicago’s Black and Brown communities, West Side United hospitals announced today they are investing $390,000 to support small business growth and recovery efforts in collaboration with JPMorgan Chase, Northern Trust, and Accion Chicago .

“We are honored to expand the number of businesses who will receive support from our 3rd small business grant pool. Our 1st grant pool provided funding to 7 businesses. This year we are supporting 39 distinct businesses across all of targeted communities. West Side United and our partners are excited to fund businesses that are revitalizing corridors in Austin, incubating in the Hatchery and serving as a beacons of resilience and transformation across the our other 8 communities,” said Ayesaha Jaco, Executive Director, West Side United. 

West Side United received 158 applications. Given the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, West Side United’s Community Advisory Committee urged the organization to use available funds to provide support to as many businesses as possible versus larger grants to a smaller number of businesses. Through the Small Business Accelerator program, 39 businesses will be receiving up to $10,000 each.

Jumper Store, a small business located in Belmont Cragin, is receiving its second grant. "The West Side United Grant was timely. Our business will be able to stay afloat during this difficult and challenging time,” said Steve Rangel, Founder of The Jumper Store. “The grant will help us stay in business and keep our team members employed."

With guidance from Accion Chicago, hospital leaders and members of West Side United’s Community Advisory Committee businesses were selected from Austin, North and South Lawndale, East and West Garfield Park, West Town, Humboldt Park and Belmont Cragin.

“Small businesses like these are the backbone of disinvested communities, and they have been crushed by COVID-19,” said Mary Kate Daly, Vice President, Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communities at Lurie Children’s Hospital. “For West Side United hospitals, improving health is more than caring for patients when they show up at our doors. We need to engage in community-led initiatives to support COVID-19 recovery and economic development efforts to truly impact health.”

In addition to these grants, West Side United hospitals have been working to integrate some of these businesses into their supply chain to provide opportunities for more sustainable growth.

West Side United is a 2019 recipient of JPMorgan Chase’s AdvancingCities challenge, a $500 million philanthropic investment to drive inclusive growth and create greater economic opportunity in cities around the world. 

“Small business resiliency and growth is key to the prosperity of West side communities – from creating wealth for families to generating local jobs,” said Charlie Corrigan, Head of Midwest Philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase. “At JPMorgan Chase, we are committed to advancing racial equity and economic inclusion on the South and West Sides, by using our business, philanthropy, policy and research expertise.”

JPMorgan Chase has a $40 million philanthropic commitment to help create economic opportunity on the South and West sides. In 2020, the firm also committed to committing to increasing homeownership among 3,000 Black and Latinx families in the Chicago region, through an additional $600 million in home lending to these families over the next five years.

All grantees, as well as all applicants are also eligible for business coaching from Accion Chicago, a non-profit that provides the tools and on-one-coaching for individuals to create and expand their small business regardless of their backgrounds and economic barriers.   

List of Grantees: 

Map of Grantees

 

Business Name

Website

'Laine's Bake Shop LLC

Www.lainesbakeshop.com

AMARANTO KITCHEN

amarantokitchen.com

Art West LLC

https://www.artwestchicago.com/

Bloom Floral Designs Inc

https://www.bloomfloralshop.com/

Boyce Enterprise, LLC

boyceenterprise.com

Chicago Signs and Screen Printing

chicagosigns.com

CHOCOLAT UZMA LLC

www.chocolat-uzma.com

Ciclo Urbano (at West Town Bikes)

westtownbikes.org

Classic Cobbler

https://www.classiccobbler.net/

CleverPixl

https://cleverpixl.com/

CTRL Kitchen

https://www.ctrlkitchen.com/

D's Air & Heating, Inc.

https://www.dsairheating.com/

Dazzle N Style LLC

https://www.facebook.com/groups/248725853108985

DEE JEFF MEDIA, LLC

deejeff.com

Elect Logistics LLC

https://www.el316.com

Elevate Services - Marketing & Communications Company

https://elevateservices.net/

Good Life Media Productions

www.GoodLifeMediaProductions.com

Granja & Sons Printing

https://www.facebook.com/Granja-Sons-Printing-115173651833393/

Juan & Only, LLC

Www.juanandonlyevents.com

L. May Creations

https://www.lmaycreations.com/

LA FLOR DE JALISCO INC.

https://www.facebook.com/La-Flor-de-Jalisco-Inc-1434930020055651/

Leavitt Laundry, LLC

https://www.facebook.com/leavittlaundry/

Lolita Productions LLC

www.LolitasBodega.com

My 15 World

Facebook.com/MYQUINCEWORLD
instagram.com/MYQUINCEWORLD

Pest Pro's Unlimited., LLC

http://pestprosunlimited.com/about-us

PupStars Pet Care

WWW.PUPSTARSPETCARE.COM

Safe Passage Transit

https://www.safepassagetransit.com

Shoreline Medical Equipment LLC

shorelineme.com

Sneaker geek

www.sneakergeekchi.com

Taylor's Tacos

https://www.taylorstacoschicago.com/

The Goodie Shop

https://www.facebook.com/thegoodieshop2100/

The Print Lounge Inc.

Theprintloungeinc.com

TheJumperStore

https://www.thejumperstore.com/

TIDY UP EXPERTS LLC

www.tidyupexperts.com

Tommy's Westside Foodmart

tresavillies55@gmail.com

Trini's Tasty Pastries

TrinisPastries.com

Two Sisters Catering

www.twosiscatering.com

Westside Transformation Corp.

www.westsidetransformationinc.com

Wyn-Win Communications, Inc.

www.wyn-win.com

 

West Side United

West Side United seeks to improve neighborhood health by addressing inequality in healthcare, education, economic vitality and the physical environment using a cross-sector, place-based strategy. Partners include healthcare providers including AMITA Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Cook County Health,  Rush University Medical Center, Sinai Health System and UI Health, community organizations, residents, the faith-based community, business, government and others working together to coordinate investments and share outcomes.

 

Learn more about West Side United and its partners in economic vitality at:

www.westsideunited.org

www.us.accion.org/chicago