
Program Overview
Live Healthy Chicago (LHC) was a community-based collaborative project comprised of Forty Acres Fresh Market, MAAFA Redemption Project, My Block My Hood My City, Rush University Medical Center, and West Side United. LHC was implemented from June 2020 to May 2022 to address the impacts of COVID on the South and West sides of Chicago.
Our mission was to address the immediate wellness of seniors and high-risk populations in target Chicago communities experiencing the highest COVID-19 disparities and food insecurities. This project was funded through a generous donation from the Oprah Winfrey Foundation.
Live Healthy Chicago Partners

West Side United’s mission is to build community health and economic wellness on Chicago’s West Side and build healthy, vibrant neighborhoods.




Program Outcomes
Through quarter one to quarter three of 2021, Live Healthy Chicago grantees distributed more than $114,686 in financial assistance to individuals. Notably, the distribution size grew by eight times for quarter two compared with quarter one. As our grantees wrap up their programs, we saw a natural decline in the distribution of funding in quarter three. Most dollars were distributed immediately in the first few months of the program.
As of September 2021, the Live Healthy Chicago initiative has served 681,143 individuals. The four organizations serving undocumented Chicagoans have served more than 50% of all individuals reached. We have seen our impact grow substantially in quarter 2 and quarter 3.
In just over three quarters, we have provided over 2.5 million meals across the 20 priority neighborhoods. One of our grantees supporting undocumented Chicagoans has been largely responsible for the food delivery in quarter 2.
Through quarter one to quarter three, our grantees recruited ~380 volunteers and new staff to aid the delivery of services across their programs. These volunteers and new staff are vital to support the dramatic expansion of many of these programs. We have seen how the need for food, financial assistance, and other support has increased during the pandemic, and these grantees have grown to meet that need.
Program Impact
Community Snapshots
Stories from Participants
Live Healthy Chicago Community Grantees
- Apna Ghar, Inc. (Our Home)
- Arthur Lockhart Resource Institute
- Beautiful Zion Food Pantry
- By The Hand Club For Kids
- Catholic Charities – Domestic Violence Services
- CommunityHealth
- DishRoulette Kitchen
- Family Christian Health Center
- Fathers Who Care
- Gads Hill Center
- Garfield Park Community Council
- Greater Auburn Gresham Development Center
- H.O.M.E. (Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly)
- Healthy Hood
- Hope Center Foundation
- House of Huggzz Loving Home Day Care
- I Grow Chicago
- IMAN
- Inspiration Corporation
- John Walt Foundation
- La Casa Norte
- Ladies of Virtue
- LIFT-Chicago
- Little Village Community Foundation Corp
- M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment
- Mercy Home for Boys & Girls
- Mindfulness Leader, NFP.
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago
- New Community Outreach
- New Covenant CDC
- New Life Centers
- New Moms, Inc.
- Northwestern Settlement
- Peace Fellows Mutual Aid Collaborative
- Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates
- Project Vida Inc.
- Real Men Charities
- Shepherd’s Hope
- St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church
- Telpochcalli Community Education Project
- The Firehouse Community Arts Center
- The Kindness Campaign
- The Resurrection Project (TRP)
- Thresholds
- UCAN
- Un Nuevo Despertar
- United For Better Living, Inc
- Universidad Popular
- Urban Growers Collective
- Westside Health Authority
- YogaCare
- Apna Ghar, Inc. (Our Home)
- Arthur Lockhart Resource Institute
- Beautiful Zion Food Pantry
- By The Hand Club For Kids
- Catholic Charities – Domestic Violence Services
- CommunityHealth
- DishRoulette Kitchen
- Family Christian Health Center
- Fathers Who Care
- Gads Hill Center
- Garfield Park Community Council
- Greater Auburn Gresham Development Center
- H.O.M.E. (Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly)
- Healthy Hood
- Hope Center Foundation
- House of Huggzz Loving Home Day Care
- I Grow Chicago
- IMAN
- Inspiration Corporation
- John Walt Foundation
- La Casa Norte
- Ladies of Virtue
- LIFT-Chicago
- Little Village Community Foundation Corp
- M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment
- Mercy Home for Boys & Girls
- Mindfulness Leader, NFP.
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago
- New Community Outreach
- New Covenant CDC
- New Life Centers
- New Moms, Inc.
- Northwestern Settlement
- Peace Fellows Mutual Aid Collaborative
- Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates
- Project Vida Inc.
- Real Men Charities
- Shepherd’s Hope
- St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church
- Telpochcalli Community Education Project
- The Firehouse Community Arts Center
- The Kindness Campaign
- The Resurrection Project (TRP)
- Thresholds
- UCAN
- Un Nuevo Despertar
- United For Better Living, Inc
- Universidad Popular
- Urban Growers Collective
- Westside Health Authority
- YogaCare