Lohengrin Foundation Announces Two Final Grant Partners in $15 Million Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities, Youth and Community Center Capital Investment Initiative

Lohengrin Foundation Announces Two Final Grant Partners in $15 Million Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities, Youth and Community Center Capital Investment Initiative

The awards — $10 million and $5 million respectively for two projects — will support the development of youth-focused community centers in neighboring North Lawndale and Little Village, amplifying local impact and fostering cross-community connections.

CHICAGO, Ill. — The Lohengrin Foundation announced the awardees of its Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities initiative, a capital investment initiative supporting the creation of two new youth- and community-centers in Chicago.

The Lawndale Christian Development Corporation (LCDC) was awarded $10 million to develop the One Lawndale Recreation Center in North Lawndale. Erie Neighborhood House was awarded $5 million to develop Floreciendo: La Villita Erie House Center in Little Village. The Foundation’s awards will serve as an early investment in these projects, helping the organizations close a significant portion of the capital funding gaps and positioning them to pursue additional funding with momentum from institutional partners. Together, the projects will create safe, welcoming spaces that expand opportunity and connection for young people and families.

A Capital Investment to Advance Youth Safety, Opportunity, and Community Connection

Launched in 2024, Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities is a capital investment initiative designed to support new youth and community centers in Chicago as part of Lohengrin Foundation’s commitment to advancing safety, opportunity, and justice for Chicago communities.

Chicago’s youth — approximately 670,000 young people, or 22% of the city’s population — represent the city’s future. Yet many children and youth face serious exposure to violence. According to the City of Chicago’s Violence Reduction Dashboard, more than 17% of all shooting victims in 2025 were age 19 or younger. Youth also compose a larger percentage of the neighborhood population in North Lawndale (28%) and Little Village (24%) compared to the city overall (22%)—and in North Lawndale, youth face violence at a higher rate than youth for the city overall, with shooting victims ages 19 or younger comprising about 22% of all shootings in the neighborhood in 2025 compared to about 19% for the city overall in 2025, according to the Dashboard.

“A youth and community center is more than a building — it is a community's promise, written in brick and mortar, that every young person deserves a place to belong, to feel safe, grow, and thrive,” said Mark Rodriguez, CEO of the Lohengrin Foundation. “Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities responds by investing in community-led and youth-centered capital projects that directly address local needs while creating spaces that strengthen neighborhoods and expand opportunity for Chicago’s youth. By funding two projects in neighboring communities—with shared histories, challenges, and aspirations—the Lohengrin Foundation also aims to amplify the deep, lasting impact of these catalytic developments.”

Together, these projects will add over $60 million in new investments and contribute to increased development on Chicago’s West Side.

The One Lawndale Recreation Center: A First-of-Its-Kind Recreational Hub Bridging North Lawndale and Little Village

Spanning 120,000 square feet, the One Lawndale Recreation Center will address a long-standing gap in year-round recreational infrastructure. The Center will be the first comprehensive recreational sports complex of its kind on Chicago’s West Side, featuring multi-use courts, indoor turf fields, a boxing gym, a wrestling room, a full-service fitness center, and flexible event space for community gatherings.

The project was designed through intentional collaboration between organizations in both North Lawndale and Little Village, including input from youth in both neighborhoods. Programming will be delivered by trusted local partners including, New Life Centers and Lawndale Christian Health Center, alongside Little Village–based organizations such as Enlace Chicago. One Lawndale Recreation Center will also be overseen by an Advisory Board that includes members from both neighborhoods.

“We are incredibly proud to be selected through Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities” said Dr. Richard Townsell, Executive Director at Lawndale Christian Development Corporation. “The One Lawndale Recreation Center is about bringing joy, connection, and opportunity to the West Side—and creating a space that bridges North Lawndale and Little Village at a time when so many forces seek to divide communities of color.”

Part of LCDC’s $53 million capital campaign, the center complements a new trade school and the 1600 Lawndale Business Hub, helping create a broader ecosystem of opportunity on the West Side.

Floreciendo: La Villita Erie House Center: A Culturally-Affirming, Intergenerational Anchor for Little Village Families

Erie Neighborhood House is launching Floreciendo: La Villita Erie House Center, a new intergenerational, youth-focused space serving families in Little Village. The 22,000-square-foot, five-story Center will include a full-size gymnasium, flexible classrooms, an arts studio, counseling and therapy offices, teen and technology lounges, a community kitchen, outdoor green spaces, a rooftop playground, and children’s gardens. Designed through extensive community engagement, the Center reflects neighborhood identity while prioritizing safety and accessibility.

The Center will allow Erie Neighborhood House to double the amount of people it serves in the neighborhood to more than 8,000 people annually and significantly expand its youth programming to serve young people every day, after school, and during the summer. The Center responds directly to priorities identified in the Little Village Quality of Life Plan, the Mi Chi, Mi Futuro participatory youth research project, and ongoing community input, including the need for violence prevention, mental health care, youth enrichment, job training, and access to essential resources.

“This investment honors the voices of families and young people who have shaped this vision from the beginning,” said Cristina De La Rosa, Executive Director at Erie Neighborhood House. “The Floreciendo: La Villita Erie House Center will be a place of healing, culture, and opportunity—where youth feel seen, supported, and empowered to imagine their futures.”

Deepening Impact by Amplifying Philanthropic Resources

Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities was originally designed to support the development of a single youth and community center. Understanding the unique opportunity for community bridge building and to have an even deeper impact, the Lohengrin Foundation strategically adapted its investment approach by partnering with other peer foundation partners, including the Steans Family Foundation, to activate and leverage additional philanthropic funds to collectively support two awardees with their capital projects.

For more information about the project winners and the Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities initiative, please visit www.lohengrinfdn.org.

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