October 26, 2015
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Diana Pando, 312-498-4067
On October 22, more than 800 of Chicago’s civic, business, and community leaders celebrated The Resurrection Project’s (TRP) 25^th Anniversary Gala. At the culmination of the event, TRP announced an unprecedented $25 million Imagine More Campaign. This campaign will fund the organization’s Vision 2020 plan, a strategic initiative to leverage an additional $460 million in neighborhood reinvestment to transform troubled communities into communities of promise.
The Imagine More Campaign has already secured $16.5 million in gifts and pledges, including a $10 million challenge grant by a generous anonymous donor. The leadership cabinet for this campaign includes: J. Thomas Hurvis, co-founder and chairman of Old World Industries; James W. Mabie, partner at William Blair & Co.; Jose Luis Prado, former president of Quaker Oats North America; and John Rowe, chairman emeritus of Exelon Corp.
“The Resurrection Project began 25 years ago as a community-based effort with a modest $30,000 in initial investment,” said James W. Mabie. “Such campaigns are typically reserved for larger cultural and academic organizations, but given TRP’s leadership and success in leveraging more than $346 million in community investment to improve the quality of life in several neighborhoods, the organization is positioned to have a successful campaign.”
“As a civic leader and philanthropist, I want to invest in successful models and groups with strong track records,” said J. Thomas Hurvis. “The Resurrection Project has a proven track record of transforming communities. Talk is cheap. They don’t’ just talk about what they want to do; they have done it. I am confident they will do it again given their model and leadership.”
Tom Hurvis, himself has invested a significant donation to TRP’s campaign. “We encourage others to invest in this campaign and build a philanthropic legacy to create a stronger and more vibrant Chicago.” said J. Thomas Hurvis.
The gala program closed with J. Thomas Hurvis, Co-Founder of Old World Industries and the JPMorgan Chase Foundation accepting TRP’s Faith and Values in Action Awards for their unwavering commitment to strengthening Chicago communities through their leadership in the Imagine More Campaign.
“JPMorgan Chase is proud to support The Resurrection Project’s campaign with a $1 million investment,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, Head of Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase. “We are committed to helping individuals and families get access to innovative financial capability programs that increase the stability and resiliency of their communities.”  This commitment by JPMorgan Chase secures a dollar-for-dollar match from the challenge grant provided by an anonymous donor.
 “Through our Vision 2020 plan, we will do more in five years than we’ve done in the last 25 by transforming thousands of lives and changing the path of troubled neighborhoods into communities of promise,” said Raul Raymundo, TRP’s CEO. “We are also grateful and thankful to our donors and campaign cabinet members for their leadership in our Imagine More Campaign.”
“The Resurrection Project has a solid record of building healthy communities and are leading the way with innovative solutions to strengthen communities,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Their contribution to Chicago neighborhoods is invaluable because they are helping individuals and families improve the quality of their lives.”
 “The Resurrection Project’s Imagine More Campaign is an opportunity for business leaders and philanthropists to work together toward building a vision that improves the quality of life for individuals and families,” said Governor Bruce Rauner. “TRP’s proven Community Resurrection Model is an opportunity to expand beyond the neighborhoods they serve and beyond Illinois to become a national model that transforms communities in a positive way.”
If you wish to know more about the Imagine More Campaign, please contact TRP’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Julio Guerrero, at 312-880-1136 or [email protected].
 ABOUT TRP:
After 25 years and an initial seed capital of $30,000 from area parishes, The Resurrection Project has become a powerful and effective social enterprise that seamlessly blends community development, community organizing, and advocacy with human services delivery to create vibrant, healthier and involved communities. Our efforts have resulted in leveraging $346 million in community investment.