>> MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT JOINED
RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS
IN ENGLEWOOD EARLIER TODAY FOR
THE OPENING OF THE NEW GO GREEN
COMMUNITY FRESH MARKET.
>> A COMMUNITY NEEDS SOME BASIC
THINGS.
ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD OF COURSE
IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
AND WE HAVE TO RECOMMIT
OURSELVES NOT ONLY HERE BUT IN
EVERY FOOD DESERT ACROSS OUR
CITY.
>> IT'S DESIGNED TO BE AS
CONVENIENT AS A NEIGHBORHOOD
CORNER STORE BUT WITH FRESH
PRODUCE, A VARIETY OF HEALTHY
OPTIONS AND MEALS COOKED
ON-SITE.
AND AS COMMITTEE CHICAGO'S NICK
BLUMBERG REPORTS IT IS ONE PART
OF AN EFFORT TO BRING NEW LIFE
TO ENGLEWOOD.
>> A 30 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY GAP
NINE MILE AS PART WHICH FOUND
THE STREETERVILLE RESIDENT AND
LIVED TO 90 AND ENGLEWOOD LIVED
TO 60.
>> THAT IS THE LARGEST AGE GAP
IN THE COUNTRY GO GREEN IS AN
EFFORT AIMED TO BRIDGE THAT GAP.
>> IT'S COLLECTIVE EFFORT
INCLUDING TEAMWORK ENGLEWOOD
FIRST PROJECT THE GO GREEN
COMMUNITY FRESH MARKET AT
63rd AND RACINE.
>> THE GOALS ARE TO MAKE HEALTHY
FOODS ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE
TO THE COMMUNITY AND DO IN A WAY
THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT A SPECIALTY
FOOD STORE.
SEE US LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD
GROCERY STORE.
>> AND THE PLACE THAT COOK AND
STORE KEEPER JAHARI FULTZ SAYS
RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE EASY
ACCESS TO.
>> MY AUNT LIVES RIGHT THERE.
SHE HAS TO TRAVEL AND SHE IS
OLDER.
AND SHE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE LIKE
A PERSON LIKE ME ALWAYS
AVAILABLE TO HELP HER.
SO IT'S GOOD THAT SHE COULD JUST
COME HERE
>> THE MARKET IS SET TO FEATURE
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND CLASSES AND
FRESH FOOD MADE ON-SITE.
>> MY FAVORITE RIGHT NOW IS THE
CHICKEN WRAP THE CHICKEN TACO
WRAP.
IT IS DELICIOUS.
AND WE HAVE A WIDE ARRANGE OF
OPTIONS AVAILABLE THAT THE
COMMUNITY WILL LOVE.
>> IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT CREATING
A PLACE TO BUY PRODUCE AND
GROCERIES, GO GREEN SAYS IT'S
TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO
TACKLING HISTORIC DISINVESTMENT.
SOUTH OF THE MARKET SITS THE
FORMER T WOODS ACADEMY ONE OF
THE DOZENS OF C.P.S. SCHOOLS
SHUTTERED IN A WAVE OF CLOSURES
IN 2013.
GO GREEN IS WORKING TO TURN IN
INTO THE REGENERATOR WHICH WILL
INCLUDE UNITS FOR PEOPLE
RETURNING FROM INCARCERATION.
>> RETURNING CITIZENS MANY COME
HOME TO ENGLEWOOD STRUGGLE WITH
REEASTBOUND INDUSTRY AND
SUCCESSFULLY REENTERING SOCIETY.
>> IT'S SET TO FEATURE HEALTH,
WELLNESS AND JOB SUPPORTS.
LEADERS ARE ADVOCATING FOR
REOPENING THE RACINE GREEN LINE
STOP THAT HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE
1994 CREATING A MILE LONG GAP.
>> ENGLEWOOD RESIDENT
RESPECTABLE TO ACCESS 280,000
JOBS WITHIN A 30-MINUTE TRAVEL
RADIUS COMPARED TO ONE MILLION
JOBS FOR A NORTH SIDE RESIDENT.
>> IT IS AN EFFORT WITH A LOT OF
ANGLES BUT THE PEOPLE BEHIND GO
GREEN ON RACINE SAY A HOLISTIC
APPROACH IS THE ONLY OPTION.
>> YOU PROVIDE A PLACE TO SLEEP,
HEALTHCARE, A PLACE TO EAT,
GREAT DINING OPTIONS IT ALL
CIRCULATES WITHIN THE ECONOMY OF
THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS A BENEFIT
FOR EVERYONE.
>> AND WHILE THEY ARE
CELEBRATING THE GRAND OPENING OF
THE GO GREEN MARKET LEADERS SAY
THEY KNOW THERE'S MUCH MORE TO
DO SINCE THE PROJECT IS DRIVEN
BY PEOPLE ROOTED INTO THE
COMMUNITY.
>> WE TAKE A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE THAN FOLKS WHO COME
THROUGH.
THERE IS A LONGER TERM ENDEAVOR
AT STAKE.
>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M
NICK BLUMBERG.
>> GO GREEN ON RACINE RECEIVED A
LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT
FROM THE CITY LAST YEAR AND HOPE
TO BREAKDOWN ON THE REGENERATOR
IN 2023.
AS FOR THE RACINE GREEN LINE
STATION, THE CTA TOLD WTTW NEWS
IT IS AWARE OF THE REQUEST BUT
THAT THE STATION WOULD NEED AN
ESTIMATED $100 MILLION OF WORK
OR MORE BEFORE IT CAN GO BACK
INTO SERVICE WITH NO FUNDING
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.