Chicago's Mayor Brandon Johnson recently took a stroll through the South Shore neighborhood, touting its dramatic drop in homicides as part of an encouraging citywide trend. However, his walk brought attention to the area's long-standing troubles and what's needed to keep things on track.
Community groups say that while crime is down overall, they're worried about the lack of funding for local programs. LaVonte Stewart, executive director of the sports and mentorship program Lost Boyz Inc., told Mayor Johnson that his organization had to lay off 60% of its staff after pandemic stimulus funds ran out last year. He's now turning to the city to fill that gap.
"We need proper funding, sir, so we can do what we need to do and keep the work going," Stewart said during a meeting with Johnson. "We're hurting over here, Mr. Mayor."
The Greater Grand Crossing police district has seen a significant decrease in homicides last year, compared to 2024, according to Chicago police data. However, community groups say that funding for programs like Lawrence Hall and Lost Boyz Inc. is still insufficient.
"We feel that change in violence," said Sean McGinnis, who helps lead the social services organization Lawrence Hall. "It's just we're very eager to keep it going. We know exactly what it is that made this happen, and we don't want it to be lost."
McGinnis expressed concern that much of the existing city funding isn't reaching South Shore, citing the recent rejection of their grant application for mentorship programs.
"The concern for us with the mentoring is we've had it for a long time," McGinnis said. "We've had incredible outcomes. We have meaningful relationships with kids from it, and mentors. And to lose that is just devastating."
Mayor Johnson acknowledged that there are issues with how funds are disseminated and an overall need for more funding exists, citing his recent battle over the city budget.
"I fought with everything in me to get a budget that would have been better situated, in my estimation, for the type of things that you're laying out," Johnson told community leaders.
Community groups say that while crime is down overall, they're worried about the lack of funding for local programs. LaVonte Stewart, executive director of the sports and mentorship program Lost Boyz Inc., told Mayor Johnson that his organization had to lay off 60% of its staff after pandemic stimulus funds ran out last year. He's now turning to the city to fill that gap.
"We need proper funding, sir, so we can do what we need to do and keep the work going," Stewart said during a meeting with Johnson. "We're hurting over here, Mr. Mayor."
The Greater Grand Crossing police district has seen a significant decrease in homicides last year, compared to 2024, according to Chicago police data. However, community groups say that funding for programs like Lawrence Hall and Lost Boyz Inc. is still insufficient.
"We feel that change in violence," said Sean McGinnis, who helps lead the social services organization Lawrence Hall. "It's just we're very eager to keep it going. We know exactly what it is that made this happen, and we don't want it to be lost."
McGinnis expressed concern that much of the existing city funding isn't reaching South Shore, citing the recent rejection of their grant application for mentorship programs.
"The concern for us with the mentoring is we've had it for a long time," McGinnis said. "We've had incredible outcomes. We have meaningful relationships with kids from it, and mentors. And to lose that is just devastating."
Mayor Johnson acknowledged that there are issues with how funds are disseminated and an overall need for more funding exists, citing his recent battle over the city budget.
"I fought with everything in me to get a budget that would have been better situated, in my estimation, for the type of things that you're laying out," Johnson told community leaders.
. On a more serious note, the city needs to get its act together and fund those community programs. It's like the mayor said, funds are being misallocated somewhere 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good grant application rejection? 
It's not like they need money to help kids or anything... just saying.
like he shows up and everyone's all hyped but then they start talking about the real issues 
community groups are low-key freaking out cuz funding for local programs is still super lacking 
like 60% of this one org had to lay off staff because pandemic funds ran out... what even is that?! 
mayor's all like "we need more funding" but like, where's the money coming from?! 
. The Mayor's visit was meant to be a morale booster, but it only served to highlight the area's systemic issues - namely, the lack of sustained funding for programs like Lost Boyz Inc. and Lawrence Hall 
. It's not just about throwing money at problems; it's about creating long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence in our communities 
. The Mayor's acknowledgment that there are issues with how funds are allocated is a step in the right direction, but we need more concrete action to ensure these programs receive the support they need 
.
. I'd love to see a more comprehensive approach that invests in community development and social programs rather than just touting "trends" and "successes".
he needs to put his money where his mouth is 
Lost Boyz Inc and Lawrence Hall are doing incredible work, but funding is a huge issue 
The city's budget battle is giving me hope - if Mayor Johnson can fight for better funding, maybe we'll see some real change 
They need proper funding to keep their programs going, and I'm sure it's not just about throwing money around, it's about making a real difference in people's lives 
, acknowledging the issues with fund distribution. What's needed is more of that budget battle energy 
!
The mayor's trying to spin this as a "citywide trend" but I'm not buying it. There's gotta be some hidden agenda here, like the city is just throwing money at community groups without actually addressing the root causes of crime. 
. The mayor might be trying to balance the books, but if that means sacrificing the people who need help most, then what's the point?