Community Male Empowerment Project

CMEP CONTINUED ITS MISSION OF REDUCING CRIME, CHANGING LIVES, REBUILDING COMMUNITIES, AND RESTORING HOPE. CMEP'S SUCCESS IS DRIVEN BY STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH BANKS, THE CITY OF CHICAGO, AND THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY STABILIZATION TRUST (NCST). THESE ORGANIZATIONS OFTEN HOLD TITLE TO, AND FACILITATE CMEP'S ACQUISITION OF DISTRESSED PROPERTIES. CMEP ALSO SERVES AS A COURT-APPOINTED RECEIVER FOR ABANDONED PROPERTIES.IN EXECUTING ITS INITIATIVES FOCUSED ON JOB READINESS AND LIFE SKILLS, CMEP CONTINUED TO ACQUIRE FORECLOSED OR ABANDONED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES FOR REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYED FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MAKE THE NEEDED REPAIRS. REHABBED PROPERTIES ARE SOLD TO LOW-TO-MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, CMEP REVITALIZED CHICAGO COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. INTEGRAL TO CMEP'S MISSION ARE COUNSELING SERVICES AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. THE SERVICES INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION TRAINING, MENTORING, SOCIAL SERVICES, LIFE SKILLS, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION TRAINING. SUCH SERVICES AND TRAINING PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS, WHO ARE OFTEN FORMERLY INCARCERATED, UNEDUCATED, OR OTHERWISE AT RISK OF BEING VICTIMS OR PERPETRATORS OF GANG VIOLENCE, WITH THE HELP NEEDED TO IMPROVE THEIR LONG-TERM EARNING POTENTIAL AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.