American Trucks Positive Payload Program

We would like to thank the American Trucks Payload Program for their generous donation to our organization! We are currently diligently working on new look rebrand for everything GRACE in 2023 (Coming Soon), and we truly appreciate all the support of our constituents, supporters and donors to help making servicing our communities possible!

Grace Pays Off

Chicago, IL: Congratulations are in order for one of Chicago’s newest nonprofit organizations.

Today, Grace Housing Complex, a nonprofit organization geared towards community development and providing resources to low income families throughout the Chicago area and surrounding suburbs, announced that they have been awarded the Covid-19 Vaccine Community-Based Education & Outreach Grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The very generous grant is one of the largest the organization has received to date. Combined with other bighearted donations Grace Housing Complex has received over the years they are officially a Half Million Dollar Organization!

On Grace’s most recent success, Executive Director Keevan Dantzler said, “Grace is very grateful and excited to be awarded the COVID-19 Vaccine Community-Based Education & Outreach Grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health. This is a major milestone for our organization and we look forward to working with our partner A Better Weigh, LLC. As a truly grassroots organization representing some of the most disenfranchised communities in Chicago, it is truly an honor to have support to properly service our communities. Despite living through some very trying times, we feel that we have the opportunity to do some great work that will leave a long-lasting positive impact”.

In Spring of 2018, Grace Housing Complex introduced their You Got the Juice program in partnership with Imperfect Foods-an organization that partners with local farmers and producers to combat food waste. The focus of the program was to promote health and wellness and give back to those in need. The program provided fresh and organic fruits, vegetables, and juice throughout Chicago. It was during the spring of 2020, when stores were shut down or permanently closed, that the You Got the Juice program was desperately needed in the city.

Grace’s leadership team along with a handful of volunteers separated, packed, and delivered over 70,000lbs of fresh produce and nonperishable food items to over 2500 community residents. It really does pay off to say Grace.

You can keep up with all that Grace Housing Complex is doing by following us on socials using, @GraceHousingComplex.

About Grace Housing: Grace Housing Complex is an economic and community development organization focused on providing low-income families with supportive services, personal development opportunities, and affordable housing access within the greater Chicago-land area. Through implementation of our programs we aim to create: stable, safe, and healthy communities.

NBC 5 "Making A Difference Award"

We are excited to announce that our Executive Director Keevan D. was selected as a honoree of the NBC 5 “Making a Difference Award” ! We would like to thank NBC 5 for the support and the recognition of all the work Keevan D. and our team has been doing over these last several years!

We would also like to thank Imperfect Produce, Chicago Regions Food System Fund, ChiDitarod, Awesome Chicago, The Pollination Project, The Field Foundation, Homies Helping Humanity, Libreria Giron, Chicago is For Hustlers LLC, Kids Off The Block, and Friends Family Health for all the support to help make our flagship “You Got The Juice” program a success. We look forward to continue to service our communities under the collective leadership of Keevan D. and staff!

Basic Needs Expo Update

Our monthly Basic Needs Expo has experienced great success over these last several months! We truly appreciate the hard work our partners at Homies Helping Humanity and Kids Off The Block, has contributed to help make it all possible!

Basic Needs Expo

In partnership with Homies Helping Humanity and Kids Off The Block, Grace will be hosting monthly “Basic Needs Expos” at the Kids Off The Block, Memorial Lot, located on 116th and Michigan. This community event will act as a distribution hub for fresh produce, sanitization kits, free hot food, music, good vibes and much more! Event date for each month will be posted on our social media platforms!

You Got The Juice 2021

In 2020,  Grace brought more 28,000 lbs (14 tons) of high quality, fresh produce and non perishable foods to over 2000 people in need of emergency food assistance due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the individuals and families we serve on the South Side, Grace is their most consistent source of healthy, fresh, quality produce.  Other food relief programs focus primarily on providing shelf-stable, processed items such as boxed and canned goods, which tend to contain high levels of sodium and preservatives.  And because there are so few grocery stores accessible to members of the communities we serve, SNAP benefits are more likely to be used at a local bodega, where fresh produce is rarely available, or of poor quality. Grace breaks through these barriers of access by bringing healthy, high-quality, nutritious food directly into the hands and homes of those in need.
We know the adverse effects of the pandemic are not slowing in Chicago’s most underserved communities.  Our goal is to double the impact of this vital fresh food relief program this coming year by bringing more than 50,000 lbs. of fresh, high quality produce to people in need.  A donation of $10 can help feed a small household for a week! 
We would like to thank all who contributed to making the program a success in 2020! We want to continue to build upon the momentum by expanding our You Got The Juice program in 2021 to double the amount of those assisted and the amount of fresh produce and non perishable food distributed. All contributions are greatly appreciated! 

You Got  the Juice Logo 2021 (1).png

You Got The Juice (COVID-19 Emergency Assistance) Update

These last few months have been very trying times as our country has been combating the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as, the ensuing social crisis. We have been working diligently to expand our You Got The Juice (COVID-19 Emergency Assistance) program to provide fresh produce and non perishable food to residents in emergency need, throughout Chicago. We are proud to announce that since launching the program on April 10, 2020, we have been able to provide over 3700 lbs of produce and non perishable food items to over 600 Chicago-land residents. We appreciate all the support from our partners and all those who have contributed to our program via monetary and in-kind donations!

You Got The Juice (COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Application)

By means of the Feeding The Change Fund, granted by Imperfect Produce to make sure everyone has access to food during the COVID-19 crisis, Grace will be kicking off our annual "You Got The Juice" program, earlier than normally scheduled this year. We will provide direct emergency food assistance to all residents within the South Deering, Roseland and Englewood communities who qualify. Those whom are selected will receive weekly "produce pack" drop offs with an assortment of fresh produce as supplies last. Note that resources are limited, so we are asking that only those with immediate severe hardship and emergency circumstances apply. We will contact all those selected with further information in regards to drop offs. We thank you all for your support! For more information please contact us via email at KDantzler108@gracehousingcomplex.org or call 773 969 3208. Please visit https://forms.gle/gZk5hBzTTbU1GhiX8 to complete the application.

Safe Haven In The City

We would like to thank Safe Haven In The City and their Founder Ashley Brianna, for her recent photoshoot and blog post highlighting our organization! To read the posting and to learn more about the incredible work Safe Haven In The City is doing please visit the link below.

https://www.safehaveninthecity.com/chicago-for-change/bridgethegap