Trending...
- Red5 Taps PubNub to Power the Next Era of Real-Time Interactive Streaming
- NEW MANAGEMENT BOOK: Creating a Joy-Centric Culture
- The World's First Fully Regenerative Economy: Securing Energy, Food, and a Clean Planet
CHICAGO – Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) today announced a corridor ambassador program that will provide on-the-street support for shoppers and businesses in targeted retail districts across the city.
The program will be operated by a dozen community-based organizations that will hire and train neighborhood residents to provide a friendly, welcoming presence on local streets. Starting in early June, ambassadors for each corridor will greet passers-by and provide information on wayfinding, parking, dining, and shopping. Ambassadors will also help connect people experiencing homelessness to city resources and coordinate with public safety agencies on potential safety hazards, medical emergencies, and possible criminal activity.
"The Corridor Ambassador program is an exciting new tool to create welcoming and safe neighborhood shopping destinations," said Mayor Lightfoot. "By partnering with established community organizations that employ local residents, we can help ensure that businesses and shoppers have on-the-spot contacts for any assistance they may need to have a positive experience."
"This program will complement the wide range of other investments we're making to support commercial corridors, including the $1.4 billion invested in Invest South/West neighborhoods," said Samir Mayekar, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Neighborhood Development. "By helping to boost foot traffic, corridor ambassadors will support our strong economic recovery across the city."
More on illi News
Ambassadors will wear brightly colored attire while providing a five- to 12-hour presence per day, five to seven days per week, depending on corridor needs. At least two ambassadors will work simultaneously in each corridor. More than 100 ambassadors are expected to be hired in support of the program, approximately six to 12 per corridor.
"This program will provide hyperlocal, concierge-like services directly to the people who visit, shop, and work along these corridors," said DPD Commissioner Maurice Cox. "The ambassadors will be greeting shoppers, talking to business owners, responding to questions, and making people feel welcome."
Participating organizations were selected through a DPD Request for Proposals (RFP) issued this March. Nineteen community-based organizations responded to the RFP, which was limited to low- and moderate-income service areas or shopping districts that saw a 15% or more drop in activity since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Selected agencies and targeted streets include:
Grants will total up to $5 million budgeted citywide for the program's initial year.
More on illi News
To maximize their impact, ambassadors will coordinate with Chicago Public School's Safe Passage program, which provides a trusted adult presence for students traveling to and from schools, and refer to local service providers as needed. They will also work with their local Chicago Police Department district, as well as Chambers of Commerce, Special Service Area managers, and other entities that are supporting Mayor Lightfoot's INVEST South/West community revitalization initiative and community safety initiatives.
The program is part of the Chicago Recovery Plan's ambitious $1.2 billion strategy for equitable economic recovery and support for thriving and safe communities.
The program will be operated by a dozen community-based organizations that will hire and train neighborhood residents to provide a friendly, welcoming presence on local streets. Starting in early June, ambassadors for each corridor will greet passers-by and provide information on wayfinding, parking, dining, and shopping. Ambassadors will also help connect people experiencing homelessness to city resources and coordinate with public safety agencies on potential safety hazards, medical emergencies, and possible criminal activity.
"The Corridor Ambassador program is an exciting new tool to create welcoming and safe neighborhood shopping destinations," said Mayor Lightfoot. "By partnering with established community organizations that employ local residents, we can help ensure that businesses and shoppers have on-the-spot contacts for any assistance they may need to have a positive experience."
"This program will complement the wide range of other investments we're making to support commercial corridors, including the $1.4 billion invested in Invest South/West neighborhoods," said Samir Mayekar, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Neighborhood Development. "By helping to boost foot traffic, corridor ambassadors will support our strong economic recovery across the city."
More on illi News
- Tuckwell Machinery Expands CNC Range to Support Australian Cabinet Makers
- The Inner Power of Emotional Self-Leadership
- Dr. Nadene Rose Shares the Secret to True Success: Faith, Obedience, and Divine Purpose
- Understanding Unexpected Death: Why Independent Autopsies Matter in Cases Without Clear Cause
- Epic Pictures Group Sets North American Release Date for the Thriller NO ORDINARY HEIST
Ambassadors will wear brightly colored attire while providing a five- to 12-hour presence per day, five to seven days per week, depending on corridor needs. At least two ambassadors will work simultaneously in each corridor. More than 100 ambassadors are expected to be hired in support of the program, approximately six to 12 per corridor.
"This program will provide hyperlocal, concierge-like services directly to the people who visit, shop, and work along these corridors," said DPD Commissioner Maurice Cox. "The ambassadors will be greeting shoppers, talking to business owners, responding to questions, and making people feel welcome."
Participating organizations were selected through a DPD Request for Proposals (RFP) issued this March. Nineteen community-based organizations responded to the RFP, which was limited to low- and moderate-income service areas or shopping districts that saw a 15% or more drop in activity since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Selected agencies and targeted streets include:
- Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council/Ashland Avenue and 47th Street
- Bright Star Community Outreach/35th Street and King Drive
- Calumet Area Industrial Development Commission/Michigan Avenue and 111th Street
- Centers for New Horizons/63rd and Halsted streets
- Greater Chatham Initiative/East 79th Street
- Magnificent Mile Association/Magnificent Mile and River North, and Central Loop
- Northwest Side Housing Center/Belmont, Diversey, Fullerton, and Grand avenues
- Puerto Rican Cultural Center/North Avenue
- St. Sabina/West 79th Street
- Uptown United/Broadway, Sheridan Road, and Argyle Street
- Westside Health Authority/Madison Street and Pulaski Road, and Chicago Avenue
Grants will total up to $5 million budgeted citywide for the program's initial year.
More on illi News
- Award-Winning REALTOR® Paige Coker Joins Corcoran DeRonja Real Estate
- Over 98% of crypto owners globally don't declare taxes, new report find
- Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson and BACP Announce Selected Organizations for the Neighborhood Retail Activation Program
- TicTac Group acquires French EdTech company Distrisoft
- Suburban Orthopaedics Expands Comprehensive Orthopaedic Care in Northwest Suburbs
To maximize their impact, ambassadors will coordinate with Chicago Public School's Safe Passage program, which provides a trusted adult presence for students traveling to and from schools, and refer to local service providers as needed. They will also work with their local Chicago Police Department district, as well as Chambers of Commerce, Special Service Area managers, and other entities that are supporting Mayor Lightfoot's INVEST South/West community revitalization initiative and community safety initiatives.
The program is part of the Chicago Recovery Plan's ambitious $1.2 billion strategy for equitable economic recovery and support for thriving and safe communities.
0 Comments
Latest on illi News
- Colony Ridge Communities Celebrates Successful Soccer Season Kickoff with Families and Youth
- Pregis Launches Sharp™ Lynx 18 Automated Bagger: Unlocking Packing Efficiency in Space-Constrained Fulfillment Operations
- EFA Announces 2026 Editorial Rate Chart
- NYC Composer/Educator Launches Debut Children's Book to Fantastic Reviews
- Red5 Taps PubNub to Power the Next Era of Real-Time Interactive Streaming
- Shoutout Joseph Neibich aka Nybyk
- Meet Joseph Neibich aka Joseph Nybyk of Beachwood Canyon
- LARUS Launches Business Continuity Framework for IPv4-Dependent Networks
- KeysCaribbean Offers 'Skip-the-Crowds' Savings With 15 Percent Off April Stays
- Supply & Demand Chain Executive Names Puga Sankara as Recipient of 2026 Pros to Know Award
- Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson Cuts Ribbon on TimeLine Theatre in Uptown
- AI Disruption Meets Marine Scale: Off The Hook YS, Inc. (N Y S E American: OTH) Targets Breakout Growth with NextBoat Launch and Aggressive Expansion
- Targeting the Billion-Dollar U.S. Countermeasure Market With AI-Driven Biodefense Platform: Lunai Bioworks (N A S D A Q: LNAI)
- New Global Standard for Transparency Across Critical Resources and Energy Markets: SMX (Security Matters) PLC (N A S D A Q: SMX)
- Forced Psychiatric Hospitalization Fails Vulnerable People: CCHR Urges Repeal Amid Rising U.S. Policies
- Surging Into High-Performance AI With $AMD Partnership, Patent Expansion, and Strengthened Balance Sheet: Avalon GloboCare Corp. (N A S D A Q: ALBT)
- Kiko Nation Launches Mobile App to Modernize Livestock Management and Digital Animal Registry
- NEW MANAGEMENT BOOK: Creating a Joy-Centric Culture
- Beyond Intranet Launches Unified Intranet Solution to Improve Employee Engagement and Organizational Alignment
- QuickTrack by Datalex Transforms Retail Promoter Management with Claude AI and Real-Time Insights