Spring & Summer 2003: NCP Staff interviewed over 100 Chicago Lawn community leaders to get their input on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) in Chicago Lawn. During the SWOT analysis, the NCP staff connected with community leaders and studied their perceptions of what is working, and is not working, in our community. The SWOT analysis revealed that "neighborhood cohesion" - how residents relate to and are connected with each other - has changed dramatically during the past five to ten years, and that this is viewed as both a strength and weakness of Chicago Lawn. Because of the changes in its population, Chicago Lawn truly is a "new community".

November 2003: NCP staff held a meeting with over 175 community leaders to share the results of the SWOT analysis and to develop an initial agreement for moving forward.

January 2004: NCP staff held a second community meeting where everyone worked together to begin developing a Vision Statement for Chicago Lawn - a process where participants "envisioned" what Chicago Lawn should look like in the future. During the meeting, participants also started identifying new projects and programs that will help build a stronger Chicago Lawn. Thirty-six participants were commissioned by the community to form a NCP Task Force that meets monthly to help move the planning process forward.

March 2004: The Vision Statement for Chicago Lawn was completed, community issues were added to it, and the NCP staff began "mapping" Chicago Lawn's community assets.

April & May 2004: NCP Task Force members identified 77 projects and programs considered key to strengthening Chicago Lawn. Based on the information gathered at previous meetings, NCP staff developed and distributed a workbook describing the 77 projects and programs, and identifying the organizations responsible for leading each one. NCP staff then met with each lead organization to begin developing a work plan and action steps needed for the program or project's success.

Metropolitan Family Services and Lawn Terrace Apartments jointly proposed a new "intergenerational" project that brings seniors and children together on a weekly basis. The partnership successfully secured NCP support with a seed grant of $8,000 to launch the program. One of the components of this program will be an intergenerational gardening project, utilizing a volunteer, Ellen Garza, from the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program.

June - August 2004: The lead organizations continued to "fine tune" the 77 programs and projects. At the same time, the professional planning firm hired to write the community plan continues to work on an initial draft for review. In early fall of 2004, the NCP Task Force members will meet to finalize the plan.

November 2004: Over 700 community leaders and residents came together in the Eberhart Elementary School auditorium to hear presentations and approve of the Vision Statement and plan that taskforce members had created. Over 280 translation headsets were distributed; Juan Pablo, former SWOP organizer, simultaneously translated every speaker during the program.

After participating in a one-on-one exercise getting to know someone new, a series of speakers, residents in the community and Taskforce Members, brought groups of supporters on stage to highlight the eight strategy areas included in the plan.

The meeting closed with Jim Capraro and Betty Gutierrez leading a very dramatic "YES, WE CAN, SI SE PUEDE" chant, bringing people to their feet with excitement. Jim and Betty encouraged everyone to show their commitment to the vision and plan by signing the New Communities banner. This banner is a living testament to the power of the community to successfully complete over 60 projects and programs that have commitments from lead and partner organizations.

January 2005: NCP community leaders met to reconnect after the incredible November meeting to make a commitment to get to know each other in a deeper way.

May 2005: Earl Johnson and Edith Robles presented the Chicago Lawn NCP Plan to Mayor Richard M. Daley and Jonathan Fanton, LISC President, at the NCP Rollout Event with the 13 other participating neighborhoods. Each neighborhood organization received a commemorative plaque and boxes full of the printed plans to bring back to their communities.