YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> LOCATED ON CHICAGO'S SOUTH
SIDE, THE GRAND BOULEVARD
COMMUNITY IS HOME TO SEVERAL
HISTORIC INSTITUTIONS.
THE AREA IS ALSO KNOWN TO MANY
FOR ITS BRONZEVILLE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS PART OF OUR "CHICAGO TONIGHT"
"IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERIES"
REPORTER JOANNA HERNANDEZ AND
MARISSA NELSON SPENT THE DAY
SPEAKING WITH COMMUNITY AND
BUSINESS LEADERS ABOUT WHAT THEY
ARE DOING TO UPLIFT THE AREA.
JOANNA JOINS US WITH MORE.
>> BRANDIS EVERYONE WE SPOKE TO
HAD A STORY TO TELL ABOUT
SOMEONE OR A PLACE THAT IMPACTED
THEM HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THE EBENEEZER CHURCH BAPTIST
CHURCH IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES.
IT IS A CHICAGO CHURCH THAT HAS
BEEN HERE FOR 120 YEARS.
MANY INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE PASSED
THROUGH THE CHURCH LIKE MARTIN
LUTHER KING, JR., AND NOT TO
MENTION THE MUSICAL TALENT.
THIS CHURCH IS KNOWN AS THE
BIRTHPLACE OF GOSPEL MUSIC AND
IS HOPING TO RECEIVE A $900,000
GRANT FROM A CITY PROGRAM TO
HELP WITH REPAIRS AND
RENOVATIONS.
>> IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE ROOF,
TUCK POINTING, HVAC THINGS WE
HAVE TO REPAIR OR RESTORE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL EDIFICE.
IT IS ACOUSTICLY PERFECT IN HERE
AND IT IS A TREASURE FOR
CHICAGO.
AND WE WANT TO HAVE THIS SPACE
AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT
GENERATIONS OF CHICAGOANS TO
CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK OF
MINISTRY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE CHURCH
IS PROVIDENT HOSPITAL.
IT HAS GONE THROUGH SEVERAL
CHANGES.
IT IS A COOK COUNTY HOSPITAL
PROVIDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT
OF CARE TO THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE
HEALTH INSURANCE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE SPOKE WITH Dr. CLAUDIA
FEGAN WHO IS A CHIEF MEDICAL
OFFICER THERE AND TOUCHED ON THE
MAJOR MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
HAPPENING THERE INCLUDING
RESUMING AMBULANCE RUNS AND
MENTIONED THE CONCERN
SURROUNDING THE HOLIDAYS AND
COVID.
>> PATIENTS WITH COVID
INCREASING AND WE'RE HAVE BEEN
SEEING PATIENTS WHO COME IN WHO
HAVE NOT GOTTEN CARE, DELAYED
CARE WHO WERE HESITANT TO COME
OUT.
THE SENS ARE HIGH.
AND DIRECT DR. NGOZI EZIKE WILL
NOT ALLOW HOSPITALS TO GO ON
BYPASS.
WE DID THIS EARLIER IN THE
PANDEMIC THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT
AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT PATIENTS
CAN GET CARE AND HOSPITALS
CANNOT TURN ANYONE AWAY.
>> WITH CHRISTMAS AROUND THE
CONCERN AND CONCERNS OVER THE
OMICRON VARIANT THEY ARE ASKING
PEOPLE NOT TO LET THEIR GUARDS
DOWN.
THE GRAND BOULEVARD COMMUNITY IN
HER WARD HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST
VACCINATION RATES.
>> ZIP CODE 60653, WHICH IS
GRAND BOULEVARD COMMUNITY, THE
NUMBER IS BELOW THE 77%, CLOSER
TO 66, 67%.
WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO.
I THINK IT IS A LOT OF THE
MILLENNIALS WHO HAVE
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE VACCINE
AND PROBABLY SOME OF OUR SENIORS
WHO HAVE THAT SAME
MISCONCEPTION.
>> AND AS WE KNOW BUSINESSES
HAVE BEEN FEELING THE STRAIN OF
THE PANDEMIC.
WE HEAD UP TO CHICAGO'S CHICKEN
AND WAFFLES, DARNELL JOHNSON
OPENED IN 2008 AND IN THE HEIGHT
OF THE PANDEMIC THEY WERE
DEALING WITH STAFF SHORTAGES BUT
ABLE TO STAY AFLOAT.
>> WE WERE AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
WE STARTED THIRD PARTY LIVINGS
SEVEN YEARS AGO.
THIRD PARTY DELIVERY IS A
NUMBERS GAME.
IF YOU ARE DOING NUMBERS YOU
MAKE MONEY IF YOU ARE NOT DOING
NUMBERS DON'T GET INTO IT.
WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT WE WERE AT
THE TOP PLACES WHERE YOU CALL IN
TO GET FOOD.
>> AND THE CUSTOMERS HAVE
CONTINUED TO POUR IN.
THEY TOLD ME IT'S THE
HOSPITALITY AND THE GOOD FOOD
THAT BRINGS THEM IN.
>> WHEN OUR CUSTOMERS WALK
THROUGH THE DOOR WE TELL THEM
WELCOME TO OUR HOME.
THIS IS OUR HOME AND THESE DOORS
IT'S NOTHING BUT LOVE, AND GOOD
PEOPLE, SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE, AND
YOU KNOW WHEN THEY COME IN WE
SHOW LOVE TO THEM AND TREAT
EVERYBODY LIKE UTMOST RESPECT.
IT'S LIKE A SAFE HAVEN.
>> AND SPEAKING OF A SAFE HAVEN
WE ARE CIRCLING BACK TO PASTOR
DARRYL PERSON.
>> WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAY IS
WE NEED TO EQUALLY PROVIDE AN
EMPHASIS OF DEVELOPING OUR
SPIRITUALITY SO WE CAN FACE THE
CHALLENGES OF THIS WORLD.
AND BECAUSE YOU KNOW, NONE OF US
GET OUT OF THIS EXPERIENCE
UNSCATHEDDED AND YOU NEED SOME
SORT OF FOUNDATION TO ADDRESS
THE CHALLENGES THAT LIFE WILL
UNDOUBTEDLY BRING.
>> THE CHURCH IS GETTING READY
TO CELEBRATE ITS 120TH
ANNIVERSARY.
AND STAY TUNED NEXT WE TALK TO
AN ORGANIZATION WHO TOOK IT UPON
THEMSELVES TO BRING CHRISTMAS