Another NOF Grant Awardee, administered by SomerCor, was covered by Block Club Chicago! Chicago native, Hannibal Buress, is the founder of Melvina Masterminds, a new center for the arts, science and technology based for youth on the West Side.
For him, the center is a way of making sure kids living on Melvina Avenue or anywhere else on the West Side don’t have to leave their own neighborhood to pursue something that could grow into a lifelong passion.
“You give somebody just the option and opportunity to do something they might not have been interested in or might not have seeked out if it was tough to do. There’s endless possibilities,” he said.
The City of Chicago Neighborhood Opportunity Fund generates revenue from downtown developments to finance community and culture projects in local neighborhoods lacking private investment. NOF grants are for commercial property acquisition, improvement or new construction and can range up to $250,000. Click here if you are interested in learning more about this program.
(photo credit: PROVIDED/ TJAIYE)