Always Growing, Auburn Gresham

Under the leadership of Carlos Nelson, Erika Allen and Jason Feldman, the first recipient — the Always Growing Auburn Gresham initiative — has made its vision a reality: 

The Healthy Lifestyle Hub houses a federally qualified health center operated by the University of Illinois Chicago, behavioral health services, dental services, mentoring programs, a college satellite office, a media center, a community room, a teaching kitchen, restaurant space, and a bank. Since opening, the Hub has served nearly 36,440 patients through 2024 and has created over 100 jobs. 

The expansion of the Green Era Campus on W. 83rd Street now features the Midwest's first self-sustaining anaerobic digester. As of 2024, this groundbreaking facility has already diverted 68.5 million pounds of food waste from landfills. In partnership with Peoples Gas, the renewable natural gas produced by the digester has heated 1,486 homes. The compost produced will fuel a two-acre vertical farm managed by Urban Growers Collective, which will grow over 26,000 pounds of fresh produce annually to support local food access.  

Measured Impact 

(based on data collected from 2020 – 2024) 

  • Since 2020, the Auburn Gresham community has seen over $102M of public investment and over $3M of philanthropic investment (aside from Chicago Prize).  

  • The AGAG sites have hosted over 340 events and reached over 5,200 people.  

  • Collectively, the AGAG initiative has employed 103 people with living wage jobs and almost half of all employees reside in Auburn Gresham or surrounding zip codes.  

  • Since opening, the Healthy Lifestyle Hub has served nearly 36,440 patients. 

  • The Anaerobic Digester has diverted 68.5 million pounds of food waste from landfills.

  • In partnership with Peoples Gas, the renewable natural gas produced by the digester has heated 1,486 homes.