Southwest Organizing Project

THE SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT'S (SWOP) MISSION IS TO BUILD A BROAD-BASED ORGANIZATION OF CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, AND JEWISH FAITH INSTITUTIONS, LOCAL SCHOOLS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTHWEST CHICAGO, WHICH WILL ENABLE FAMILIES TO EXERCISE COMMON VALUES, DETERMINE THEIR OWN FUTURE AND CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER TO IMPROVE LIFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. TO THIS END, LEADERS OFSWOP HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS RACIAL, ETHNIC, GENERATIONAL AND FAITH DIFFERENCES AND TO BRINGING THE COMMON CONCERNS OF THEIR INSTITUTIONSINTO THE PUBLIC LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY AS THEY DEVELOP THE CAPACITY TO ACT COLLECTIVELY AND "STAND FOR THE WHOLE."

EDUCATION-RELATED ORGANIZING:SWOP WORKS WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION AVAILABLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE, TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN SCHOOLS, AND FOR EDUCATORS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. SWOP RUNS THE PARENT MENTOR PROGRAM, PLACING PARENTS IN CLASSROOMS AS PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL GROUP ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS. SWOP RUNS THE TEEN REACH AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM TO OFFER ENRICHMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TO STUDENTS. SWOP ORGANIZERS ENGAGE PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PRINCIPALS IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING ACTIVITIES TO BUILD POWER TO IMPROVE SCHOOLS. THIS WORK IS FUNDED BY THE ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (ISBE), CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS (CPS), INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS, AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS. THIS WORK BENEFITS THE PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND EDUCATORS AT THE 22 SCHOOLS WHERE SWOP WORKS.

HEALTHCARE-RELATED ORGANIZING:SWOP WORKS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IN SOUTHWEST CHICAGO HAS ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE. SWOP, PARTNERING WITH MANY OF ITS MEMBER INSTITUTIONS, IS A LEADER IN RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH VACCINATION AND TESTING DRIVES. SWOP LEADS THE SOUTHWEST SYSTEM OF CARE (SWSOC), A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO ENSURE ACCESS TO NEEDED SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN LOCAL SCHOOLS. SWOP PARTNERED WITH MARQUETTE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE AND ESPERANZA HEALTH CENTER TO OPEN A HEALTH CENTER AT THE SCHOOL. SWOP COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS ARE WORKING WITH FAMILIES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO ACCESS THE HEALTHCARE SERVICES THEY NEED. THIS WORK IS FUNDED BY THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH (CDPH), THE CHICAGO COOK WORKFORCE ALLIANCE, AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS. THIS WORK BENEFITS ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CHICAGO LAWN, GAGE PARK, WEST ELSDON, WEST LAWN, AND ASHBURN COMMUNITIES.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES WERE PERFORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACHIVING AN ECONOMICALLY STABLE, OPEN, MULTIRACIAL COMMUNITY WITHIN CHICAGO'S SOUTHWEST NEIGHBORHOODS. AT THE HEART OF SWOP'S WORK IS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: A STRATEGY OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO SHARE COMMON SELF-INTERESTS SO THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD POWER TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. SWOP'S ORGANIZERS AND LEADERS WORK THROUGH MEMBER INSTITUTIONS TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN PUBLIC LIFE. THESE ORGANIZERS AND LEADERS CONDUCT ONE TO ONE MEETINGS TO BUILD AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MOTIVATES EACH PERSON AND TO INVITE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN COLLECTIVE ACTION ON ISSUES THEY CARE ABOUT. THIS WORK IS FUNDING BY PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATE DONATIONS, INDIVIDUAL GIVING, AND EARNED INCOME. THIS OWRK BENEFITS THE 40,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF SWOP'S MEMBER INSTITUTIONS.