Dr. King Chose North Lawndale.
So Did We.
In 1966, Dr. King moved here to fight for dignity. Today, GCC is paying residents to restore pride in their own blocks. 1 person. 1 block. $100. Same day.
No phone necessary · Group activity · Food provided
$100
Per Block
paid same day
Group
Activity
no phone needed
Free
Food After
community meal
The Legacy
A Movement Born on Hamlin Avenue
"The slum of Lawndale was truly an island of poverty in the midst of an ocean of plenty."
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1966
- 1966
Dr. King Moves to North Lawndale
Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta moved into a $90/month apartment at 1550 S. Hamlin Avenue — a building with no lock on the front door, dirt floors, and the overpowering smell of urine. He chose North Lawndale deliberately, to live among the people he was fighting for.
- 1966
Tenants Paid to Fix Their Own Building
King organized rent strikes against slumlords. The SCLC became trustees of the building — collecting rent and hiring the tenants themselves as laborers at $2.00/hour to make repairs. Residents invested in their own home.
- 1968
The Fair Housing Act
King's Chicago Freedom Movement — born in North Lawndale — led directly to the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The fight that started on Hamlin Avenue changed federal law.
- 2026
GCC Carries the Torch
Sixty years later, GCC brings the same idea full circle: pay residents to restore their own community. Same neighborhood. Same principle. New era.
The Need
North Lawndale by the Numbers
Decades of disinvestment have taken their toll. But research proves that cleaning and greening neighborhoods reverses the damage.
72%
Population Lost
125,000 → 34,477 since 1960
27.6%
Homes Vacant
Higher than 94% of US neighborhoods
63.9
Life Expectancy
20 years below wealthiest Chicago areas
42%
Poverty Rate
Nearly 4x the national average
29%
Less Gun Violence
Near greened vacant lots (UPenn Study)
4.3%
Property Value Rise
Year 1 — up to 13% by year 6 (Wharton)
69%
Less Depression
Among residents below poverty line (JAMA)
77:1
Return on Investment
$2,500 invested → $193,500 community value
Sources: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, JAMA Network Open, Columbia University
How It Works
Simple. Together. Paid.
No app required. No phone necessary. Just show up, clean with your neighbors, and get paid.
Meet at Community Center
Show up at the designated meeting point. No app download, no account — just come as you are.
Clean 1 Block Together
Work as a group. Pick up litter, clear debris, restore beauty. It's a community activity, not a solo gig.
Eat Together
After the work is done, we share a meal. Building community is as important as cleaning it.
Get Paid $100 Same Day
1 person = 1 block = $100. No waiting. No runaround. Money in your hands before you go home.
The Vision
What Clean Blocks Mean for North Lawndale
This isn't just about picking up trash. It's about reversing decades of disinvestment — one block at a time.
Property Values Rise
Studies show property values near cleaned lots increase 4.3% in year one and up to 13% by year six. Your home is worth more when your block is clean.
Crime Drops
Philadelphia research found 29% less gun violence near greened lots. Clean blocks signal that a community is cared for and watched over.
Pride Returns
When residents see their neighbors investing in the block, it sparks a cycle of care. Pride is contagious — and it starts with one clean block.
Jobs Created Locally
Every dollar paid to a GCC worker stays in North Lawndale. Real money for real work — no middleman, no waiting, no corporate overhead.
"The social planning that might reverse this trend of degradation… will bring new life and new hope to the slums of this city."
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., North Lawndale, 1966
Join Us
Be Part of the Movement
Sign up to join the next North Lawndale community cleaning event. No commitment required — just your name and a way to reach you.