CHICAGO AREA PROJECT HISTORY

In 1940, leaders on Chicago’s near northwest side approached Shaw. Within a relatively short time, the Near Northwest Civic Committee (NNCC) was organized under the leadership of Executive Director Daniel “Moose” Brindisi. A beloved CAP pioneer, “Moose” remained as the head of NNCC until his death in 1993.

By 1947, Clifford Shaw’s self-help concept had spread to a number of other low-income communities, where seven community committees were established. The 1940s also brought a change to South Chicago’s low-income communities as hundreds of thousands of Hispanics poured into the once all-Polish neighborhoods.

CAP also began launching programs in Chicago’s African American communities. In 1941, Shaw employed Golden B. Darby, an African American leader on the south side, to organize communities in that area. Then, the dynamic Sadie Waterford Jones was added to the staff along with several other local community workers. During the 1940s, CAP became a leader in the area of integration. CAP was asked to spearhead the Boy Scouts of America integration efforts.

An article in Harper’s Weekly in 1944 eloquently sums up CAP’s achievements:

“Perhaps the results of the Project should not be measured by the rate of juvenile delinquency alone. The project has uncovered latent talent within the communities. Committees have improved parent-teacher relationships and shouldered responsibility for school attendance and improvement. They have brought to bear effective public opinion on specific contributors to juvenile delinquency. They have succeeded in leading children away from crime and reincorporating parolees in the neighborhood.”

During the 1950s, Chicago Area Project continued to change, adapt, and grow in more than a dozen Chicago communities. By the late 50s, CAP was meeting with small, largely Hispanic groups of residents in South Chicago to formally discuss juvenile delinquency and other unaddressed local problems.

One of CAP’s formidable undertakings was in the area of Bronzeville – Chicago’s South Side Harlem – where, in the late 1940s, the delinquency rate was 400 times that of the rest of the city. In an article appearing in The Saturday Evening Post, July 125, 1950, a Bronzeville mother testified to CAP’s impact on her community.

“I don’t mean to say we don’t have bad boys in our neighborhood anymore. But people can walk the streets without fear and parents are not so much afraid of letting their younger children out-of-doors and having them get caught up in one of those stealing gangs.”

CAP continued to expand during the 1950s. By 1958, there were approximately 15 community committees in operation.

One prominent African American leader during this time period was CAP staffer Sadie Waterford Jones. She began to enlist a large group of women on the south side who began working with girls, ages 9 – 18, who had been ordered to appear in Juvenile Court. From these efforts, Mrs. Waterford Jones reorganized an existing group that became the Beatrice Caffrey Youth Service in 1952, in honor of a local teacher who was a volunteer. One of the services of BCYS was to help the court find foster homes for African American girls who were often sent to institutions. This troubled Mrs. Waterford Jones, who felt that there should be a “an in-between home” for such girls. Mrs. Waterford Jones launched Halfway House Committee, Inc., a non-profit organization, dedicated to raising funds for this home.

CAP continued to expand during the 1950s, and by 1958, there were approximately 15 community committees in operation.

The impact of CAP began to be realized on a much broader scale. Chicago Area Project became the prototype for delinquency prevention and welfare programs of the Kennedy-Johnson era. Its principles of community organization, self-determination, and use of natural leaders indigenous to a neighborhood were quite radical when first proposed by Shaw in the early 1930s. By the 1960s, however, these ideas began to gain popularity throughout the United States. During this period, CAP joined the War on Poverty in its earliest stages. In this role, CAP provided programs for out-of-work, out-of-school youth.

This period also saw the beginning of work in suburban areas, including Rolling Meadows. In addition to its highly successful affiliate/community committee program, CAP began to undertake new activities. In conjunction with the Illinois Youth Commission, CAP organized workshops for young executives interested in serving on the boards of directors of youth agencies.

By the early 1970s, there were approximately 22 community committees affiliated with the Chicago Area Project. In 1970, South Chicago Organized for People’s Efforts (SCOPE) became a strong community-based organization to which CAP soon extended its sponsorship, guidance, and financial assistance.

During the 70s, community services and CAP faced a number of challenges. In the early 1970s, the state of Illinois abolished the Illinois Youth Commission and transferred institutional and community services to the newly created Department of Corrections (DOC). DOC administrators were critical of the historical relationship between the state and CAP. In addition, DOC attempted to require that staff perform a dual role as community workers and parole agents. CAP vigorously opposed this plan, pointing out the conflicting nature of the two roles. CAP argued that the role of community workers was essentially educational, while the role of parole officers was primarily an extension of the correctional process. CAP lobbied for the introduction of an initiative in the state legislature to establish the Commission on Delinquency Prevention (H.B.199).

In 1976, Governor Daniel Walker signed the bill and appointed Anthony Sorrentino (a CAP Pioneer) as Executive Director of the new commission. This new structure preserved CAP’s focus on prevention, enabling it to carry on with single-minded devotion its community endeavors for dealing with the prevention and treatment of delinquents. Although CAP had engaged in some political efforts prior to this point, this situation made Chicago Area Project aware of the importance of maintaining close ties with state legislators.

During the decades from the 1930s to 1981, CAP continued to prove that it could make a difference in Chicago. It opened doors – and began partnerships with many public and private organizations, and started a nationwide movement of community based crime prevention. CAP showed that neighborhood self-help could be used as a powerful organizational principle upon which to build new mechanisms of control in crime-ridden minority communities.  In 1984, Chicago Area Project, one of the most remarkable social experiments in modern urban America, celebrated its 50th Anniversary. During this year, The Rand Corporation Report on CAP, the nation’s first community-based delinquency prevention program, was prepared for the National Institute of Education. The report examined CAP from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. The Rand Corporation Report stated:

Then in 1981, CAP faced a new challenge. The state legislature did not approve the budget for the Commission on Delinquency Prevention, thus abolishing the commission. Without funding, community service workers had to be terminated. CAP board members approached the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in order to discuss possible funding. DCFS recognized Cap’s long history, experience, and accomplishments with community based programs designed to help troubled youth and delinquents. Because of a favorable agreement reached between with DCFS and CAP was able to re-hire most of the community workers.

“All our data consistently suggests that CAP has long been effective in organizing local communities and reducing juvenile delinquency. This analysis therefore raises serious doubts about the loudly trumpeted conclusion that nothing works in crime prevention it indicates several dimensions of successful program implementation that may be especially relevant, now that resources for prevention efforts are shrinking.”

The report also pointed out that:

“One of the most important features that distinguished the Area Project from other social agencies was its willingness to work with persistently difficult and delinquent youth. CAP did not abandon persistent juvenile offenders before, during, or after conflict with social control authorities. For both child and community, CAP was an advocate for all time.”

In addition to its proven affiliate programs that represent the organization’s original community committee concept, CAP began to develop special projects that were outgrowths of specific community needs. CAP Executive Director David E. Whittaker was appointed in 1986. Under Mr. Whittaker’s leadership CAP has spearheaded new initiatives, expanded programming, and increased funding.

Throughout the 1990s, CAP continued to advocate for youth programs in Illinois. This often required CAP to take a proactive stance in the face of proposed funding cutbacks. For example, when severe funding cutback proposals threatened programs in 1991, CAP Executive Director David E. Whittaker traveled to Springfield, Illinois, to testify. He pointed out that youth agencies were literally competing for the lives of children. CAP’s efforts, combined with a strong outpouring of support from parents, community residents, volunteers, advocacy groups, and local leaders, resulted in convincing the governor and the general assembly to reinstate funding for important programs.

In 1991, CAP expanded its services into DuPage County by establishing the DuPage County Area Project, or DuCAP. Originally funded by CAP, but then received direct funding from DCFS in 1992. Today, DuCAP is a CAP affiliate.

In 1995, when the U.S. House of Representatives voted to eliminate 600,000 summer jobs nationally and 11,000 in Chicago as part of a “Recession Package,” CAP was on the front lines organizing a rally outside the Dirksen Federal Building. This protest, as well as other across the U.S., successfully persuaded the U.S. Senate to postpone action on the package.

Throughout 1997 and 1998, CAP and other youth advocates lobbied for procedural modifications to prevent the Illinois Juvenile Justice Reform Act from criminalizing young people. The Act became law on January 1, 1999. Advocacy efforts were moderately successful.

Since the adoption of the Juvenile Reform Act, CAP has worked in partnership with the Juvenile Court of Cook County and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to reinvigorate and reassess a program of intervention that the Court and CAP had pioneered over fifty years ago. In the 1990s, through a renewed version of this program called the Juvenile Justice Diversion (JJD), CAP and the Court have established a systematic approach to the referral and involvement of youth who would otherwise receive no treatment and who therefore had a high potential for repeating as offenders, in a more serious manner.

The first Special Project in JJDP was the Juvenile Justice Diversion Project (JJDP), launched as a pilot in 1997 and since proven to be an effective alternative to prosecution. This is evident by the increasing number of communities opting to participate in the program, as well as the on-going research that demonstrates that JJDP is highly effective in reducing recidivism among program participants.

Foreign leaders from across the world sought insight from CAP regarding effective models that address youth violence, incarceration, and other systemic issues.  In 2001, CAP hosted a delegation from Brazil here to study new methods to address the crime and poverty rampant in large cities there.  This exchange was developed by Clifford Young–the grandson of Clifford Shaw– a businessman living in Sao Paolo.  CAP went on to host the Mayor of Lyon, France (2004) to observe the alternative methods of dealing with youth crime and violence, and British Members of Parliament regarding alternatives to incarceration of youth (2005).  CAP also welcomed leaders from South Africa, Germany, Russia, Brazil, Pakistan, Israel during this time period.

In the last 10-plus years, Chicago Area Project (CAP)) has continued to adapt its model of community development and self-help to meet the needs of the 21^st Century.   Chicago Area Project has continued to be studied as a resource for Community Organizing and Self-Help. 

In 2011, Dr. Peter St. Jean of the University of Buffalo, published “The Chicago Area Project: A Promising Evidence-Based Model: Building Collective Efficacy, Reducing Hopelessness, and Increasing Self-Efficacy in Communities” highlighting the methodology and work of the Chicago Area Project, and its continued relevance in light of current research. His paper also referenced the use of the Chicago Area Project model in their respective work to reduce crime and improve communities in Dominica. 

In 2012, Chicago Area Project received the “President’s Award for Distinguished Contributions to Justice” from the American Society of Criminology.  And, in 2014, The Chicago Defender, one of the country’s oldest continuous African American-run newspapers, honored the Chicago Area Project for its outstanding work in the neighborhoods with the greatest needs with an award and check from their annual gala event.

The Chicago Area Project has been visited by practitioners and government officials from over 50 countries interested in observing and adapting its model in their homelands. These diverse countries ranged from Taiwan to England and Australia, Israel to Myanmar, Denmark to Tunisia, and South Africa.  Dr. Clifford Young of IPSOS Social Research brought a contingent of government officials from Brazil to visit and study the Chicago Area Project.  And the Chicago Area Project model uses served as a basis for efforts to change the slums of Rio de Janeiro.

 In 2011 and 2014 two Chicago Area Project Staff members were invited to visit Turkey to present on the Area Project work in their communities at an international exchange.  In 2017 Chicago Area Project hosted a large delegation of officials from the middle eastern countries of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

 As some of the community organizations previously assisted by the Chicago Area Project have grown and matured to survive independently, Chicago Area Project has identified new high-risk communities and has endeavored to find the funds and personnel to assist them.

In 2021, Chicago Area Project assists community committees in 30 communities in Chicago and the Metropolitan Area.  These City of Chicago Communities include: Albany Park(Albany Park Para Todos), Altgeld Gardens (Altgeld Gardens Community Committee), Ashburn (Isaac’s House Community Committee), Brighton Park (A Blessing Hand Brighton Park), Chatham (Chatham Community Committee), Chicago Lawn (Chicago Lawn Community Committee), East Garfield Park (Westside Community Services Organization), Gage Park (A Blessing Hand Gage Park), Greater Grand Crossing (South Shore Drill Team), Humboldt Park (Sembrando El Futuro -SELF), Near Westside (Major Adams community Committee), New City (Bishop Shepard Little Memorial Center), North Lawndale (North Lawndale Community Committee), Pilsen (Movimiento Mexicano de Pilsen), Pullman (Pullman Community Committee), Roseland (Roseland Community Committee), South Chicago (LaCausa Community Committee), South Shore (New Spiritual Light Youth development), West Garfield Park (Fathers Who Care), West Lawn (Latino Organization of the Southwest Side) and West Town (West town Community Committee).

 Outside the City, Chicago Area Project assists community committees in Chicago Heights (The New Chicago Heights Community Committee), Cicero (Cicero Area Project), Ford Heights (Ford Heights Community Committee), Hazel Crest (Hazel Crest Community Committee), Joliet (People United For Change), Robbins (Robbins Community Committee), South Chicago Heights (City Helps Community Committee), Summit (Summit Community Committee), and Waukegan (Employee Connection).

 Community residents, with the assistance of Chicago Area Project Community Workers develop and implement numerous  services and programs in their own communities, including:

Health and Wellness

• Conducting wellness checks on families of registered program youth.
  • Informing them with updated COVID 19 information and Vaccination Information
  • Providing tips and safety guidelines to prevent them from getting the virus.
• Staff picked up and distributed free masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. Some staff made masks for their communities.
• Staff picked up and distributed food and other hygiene items.
• Helping parents learn how to cope and respond to stay at home and home learning challenges.
• Assisted seniors in obtaining COVID vaccinations.
• Chicago Area Project Partnered with Access Community Health Network for a series of online workshops on Healthy Relationships, HIV/Aids and STDs, and other health topics of interest to youth.
• Chicago Area Project partnered with the University of Illinois Health/Hospital for an online workshop and information session on the COVID Virus, and the Vaccinations.

Employment

• Helped parents fill out online unemployment applications.
  • Assisted parents and youth in finding job resource websites.
• Referred numerous parents to Job training at CAP’s Career Development, Training, and Employment Services and other providers.
• Several Community Committees provided support to the rehabilitation of former gang members, formerly incarcerated youth and adults, and other ex-offenders and court-referred youth and parents to assist them in finding employment.
• Chicago Area Project Held several career-oriented workshops to acquaint youth with in-demand and high-paying career opportunities. One of these was a presentation by the Chicago Police on the requirements, benefits, etc. related to becoming a Police Officer.

Education

• Provided E-Learning assistance to youth and families.
• Contacted and encouraged youth to join in virtual college tours.
• Assisted youth with online college research, application, enrollment, and scholarship resources.

Recreation/Sports

• Provided online Games and Activities.
• Hosted virtual sports gaming tournaments for youth.
• Provided zoom art classes.
• Secured gift cards from local stores for incentives to youth and families for participating in the activities.
• South Shore Drill Team (Greater Grand Crossing) Participated in the Virtual Presidential Inauguration Parade

Technology

• Assisted youth and families in accessing various media platforms i.e., Zoom, Facebook, resource websites, etc.
• Assisted families in troubleshooting and securing technical assistance with E-Learning resources from local schools.

Giving Back

• Provided food distribution in many of their communities.
• Secured donations of supplies, and prepared and packed “care packages” for families.
• Staff researched other available resources for youth and families and posted them on their agency’s website.
• Several Community Committees held vigils remembering victims of violence, substance abuse, and COVID.
• Several groups established and maintained Community Produce Gardens as a way to encourage safe interaction among residents, both youth and adults.

 Violence Prevention/Community Advocacy

• In several communities, YOUTH hosted discussion sessions with local Police to discuss police/community interactions and relations.
• Several Communities held popup events in violence hotspots and other high-risk parts of their communities.
• Several Community Committees provided support to the rehabilitation of former gang members, formerly incarcerated youth and adults, and other ex-offenders and court-referred youth and parents.

 Networking/Referrals

• Working with the Chicago Police Department and Community Stakeholders to help curb the lethal impact of the hot spots of violence. Continuing to work with the youth with juvenile justice records. 
• Helping to bridge the intergenerational gaps between young people, law enforcement, and the community.
• Working with local government officials, churches, schools, food pantries, block clubs, mental health institutions, hospitals, local businesses other nonprofits, and donors.
• Made referrals to other resources, such as job training or financial coaching.
• Chicago Area Project established virtual internships with colleges to recruit college students as mentors and examples for the youth in our programs. Students from National Louis University and several Historically Black Colleges conducted virtual college tours of their respective institutions and discussed the college experience with Chicago Area Project youth.
• Many of the Chicago Area Project Community Committees held ongoing virtual meetings with local elected officials to discuss issues in their communities, the impact of COVID in these high-risk communities, and establish other lines of communication and assistance.

 Entering the 2020’s, CAP is well-positioned to continue leadership in assisting developing community organizations and helping build stronger, safer, more responsive communities.

 In addition to the ongoing work with the development of Community Committees, and their attendant efforts to serve youth and families, CAP continues several targeted initiatives, including:

 Juvenile Justice Diversion: Cap continues to work with the Juvenile Court of Cook County to find alternatives to incarceration and punitive sentencing for youth involved in minor or non-violent offenses.

Our Juvenile Justice Diversion project is a cost-effective alternative to prosecution and formal Juvenile Court action for minors referred by the State Attorney’s Juvenile Bureau. After an interview, assessment and enrollment, youth participants are assigned to youth-serving programs operated by CAP Affiliates in their neighborhoods. Affiliate Staff provide positive mentoring on-site, with case management reinforcing life skills development leading to positive choices relative to school, job training or employment.  Additionally, JJDP provides court-impacted youth with opportunities to learn the principles of restorative justice and encourages them to repair the harm caused by their delinquent behavior.

Outcome data reveal that the recidivism rate for youth participating in Chicago Area Project’s JJD program is only six percent [6%] — which means 94% of our participants stay out of trouble and out of the juvenile justice system.  This community-based solution compares favorably with the overall recidivism rate of 91% in Illinois as reported by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

 Kops & Kids: Kops & Kids is a series of activities designed to bridge the communication gap between law enforcement and young people. Kops & Kids is part of the Chicago Area Project/Youth As Resources’ Youth Leadership Development Program.  Just this March, youth and police officers met to discuss the relationship between the police and the community (especially youth) and the difficulty of servicing as a [police officer.  Additionally, youth discussed the job requirements, education requirements, etc., that are required to become a police officer.

 Career Development Training & Employment Services (CDTES): Since 1995, CDTES provides direct employment services to SNAP & TANF eligible customers and low income, and under-employed individuals to help them achieve both economic and personal prosperity. CDTES self-reliance mentoring programs, employment placement, and retention services stress the importance of maintaining employment to help families and communities achieve economic stability.

During the past several years, CDTES engaged and serviced 3029 customers. CDTES was able to place 1740 customers in employment by utilizing their network of employers.  The customers were employed in the following Career areas: Construction, landscaping, healthcare, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, retail, customer service, food service, home care, banking, janitorial, security, and housekeeping.  

 Youth and Adult re-entry:  Chicago Area Project continues to work in all of its communities to support the return to the community of both adults and youth who have been incarcerated.  CDTES has developed a job training and placement resource specifically designed to assist those having a hard time finding employment as a result of their past record. Project Roll Call provides ongoing emotional support and guidance to ex-offenders in several communities on Chicago’s west side, utilizing the volunteer talent of former offenders who have successfully changed their life direction.

 Poised for the Future

The effectiveness of the Chicago Area Project’s methods has been demonstrated and recognized repeatedly throughout its 87-year history, and its principles of community organization are used by many groups today to successfully solve local problems. Chicago Area Project continues to serve as a model for improving community life for young people and their families.  With strategic recruitment of future leaders and the continuous training and mentoring of both staff and community volunteers, Chicago Area Project stands poised and prepared to serve future generations of families and young people throughout Chicago and the Metropolitan Area.