CHICAGO – February 14, 2024 – The Resurrection Project is excited to share that Raul I. Raymundo, CEO and Co-Founder of The Resurrection Project, will be honored as a 2024 Lincoln Laureate, as announced on Monday by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Laureates receive The Order of Lincoln, Illinois’ highest award for professional achievement and public service.

Mr. Raymundo has long understood the challenges and strengths of working-class and immigrant families. Mr. Raymundo is an immigrant from Mexico who grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood and earned a bachelor’s degree from Carleton College ‘88, Northfield, MN. He returned to Pilsen and co-founded The Resurrection Project (TRP) with a seed capital of $30,000 from six Chicago-area parishes in 1990.

Since its inception, TRP has leveraged this capital into more than $800 million in community investment, positively impacting thousands of individuals in the region. Guided by his leadership, TRP seamlessly blends asset building, community organizing, advocating for immigrants’ rights, and direct service to build healthier and more engaged communities. TRP is one of the region’s most creative and effective social impact organizations, working across every area of community life. TRP has built and preserved more than 1,000 units of affordable housing and created generational wealth for more than 150 first-time buyers from historically marginalized groups. It has developed several community assets such as immigration legal clinics, early childhood centers, senior satellite centers, community resource centers, and a charter school serving thousands of families.

Mr. Raymundo is an active civic leader and mentor. Over the years, he has mentored many individuals who are now leading social impact organizations and have senior positions in the not-for-profit and private sectors. He has co-founded several local and national organizations, is a trustee for his alma mater, Carleton College, and serves on several boards, including as Board Chair of Self-Help Federal Credit Union, with its multi-state operations and national policy impact. He is also a Co-Chair of the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) and board Chair for the National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB.) He serves on the boards of Start Early, Illinois Latino Agenda, and St. Anthony Hospital Ministry Board and serves on the leadership team for United Power for Action and Justice. In addition, Mr. Raymundo is a member of several financial institutions’ advisory boards, including Huntington Bank, CIBC, and BMO. 

Mr. Raymundo, his wife MariaLuisa, and their son and twin daughters are lifelong residents of the Pilsen neighborhood.

“For more than 50 years, the Lincoln Academy has honored Illinois residents who uplift our communities through their work, many of whom I have been inspired by,” said Raul Raymundo. “I am humbled and honored to be a recipient of this prestigious award. I am grateful to the Governor for this incredible recognition, and Ric Estrada, CEO of Metropolitan Family Services, for the nomination and continued support.”

«I couldn’t be prouder to announce this year’s Order of Lincoln recipients-Illinois’ highest honor for those undertaking irreplaceable work that uplifts their communities,» said Governor JB Pritzker. «This year’s impressive honorees include a former Illinois Supreme Court Justice, a Baseball Hall of Famer, Policy and Business Leaders, and one of the nation’s finest musicians. These talented individuals embody the spirit of our state, and I am honored to recognize them for their service and dedication to Illinois.»

The 60th Convocation will take place on April 13 at the Chicago History Museum and will honor the following individuals as Lincoln Laureate inductees:

• Raul I. Raymundo
• Lewis Collens
• The Honorable Rita B. Garman
• Alison Krauss
• Lester H. McKeever, Jr.
• James H. Thome
• Evelyn Brandt Thomas

Click here to read the full announcement from the Office of the Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker.

Click here to learn more about The Lincoln Academy of Illinois.

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About The Resurrection Project

The Resurrection Project (TRP) builds trusting relationships to educate and propel individuals, immigrants, and families to achieve their social and economic aspirations, stable homes, and equitable participation in their community. TRP is a leading provider of affordable housing, financial education, and immigration services on Chicago’s Southwest side.

During the past three decades TRP has worked to improve the lives of individuals and families by creating wealth, building assets, and engaging residents to be catalysts for change. Rooted in the Pilsen community, TRP’s impact now extends across the City of Chicago and through the State of Illinois; we are making steady progress towards leveraging and preserving more than $1 billion in community wealth by 2025. To learn more about our programs and services, visit us at www.resurrectionproject.org.