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Special Service Area #31 – Servicing areas on Clark, Damen, Lawrence, Montrose, Wilson and along the Ravenswood corridor. 
Hello neighbors,
I’m Gene Wagendorf III, executive director at the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce (GRCC). I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be part of this community. Over the past twelve years, some of them pretty tough ones, I’ve had a front-row seat to the best of Ravenswood. I’ve watched neighbors from every walk of life step up for one another, support local businesses, volunteer their time, and work together to make this a welcoming, vibrant, deeply connected place. That’s one of the things I love most about this community. When someone needs a hand, Ravenswood has a way of showing up.
That spirit is embodied by the remarkable nonprofit and community organizations that call Ravenswood home. Every day, they strengthen our neighborhood in ways that are easy to overlook but impossible to replace. They help ensure families have enough to eat, connect people with housing and mental health services, prepare residents for meaningful careers, care for our parks and gardens, and create spaces where everyone feels they belong. They remind us that a great neighborhood isn’t defined only by its restaurants, shops, and festivals. It’s also defined by the people who make it a place where others can find support, dignity, and hope.
Today, I’d like to ask you to show up for one of those organizations: Awakenings.
For more than 15 years, Awakenings has provided free, trauma-informed art programs for survivors of sexual violence. There is no insurance to navigate, no referral required, and no cost to participate. Just a safe, welcoming place where survivors can process their experiences, reconnect with themselves, and heal through creative expression. At a time when demand for these services continues to grow, Awakenings has also lost key grant funding and is operating in a broader philanthropic environment that has become more constrained and uncertain. That makes support from the community they call home more important than ever.
As neighbors, we can make a real difference here. To that end, GRCC is helping Awakenings launch a new monthly giving program, and I want to invite you to be part of it.
Right now, we’re looking for 20 neighbors who can commit to supporting Awakenings with a monthly gift. Recurring donations, even modest ones, help provide steady, reliable support that keeps their programs free and accessible. It’s a simple, meaningful way to help ensure this kind of healing work continues in our community.
If Ravenswood is a place where we show up for one another, this is one of those moments to do exactly that. I hope you’ll consider joining me in supporting Awakenings and helping ensure survivors in our community continue to have access to creativity, care, and healing.
To support Awakenings’ work and join the “Ravenswood 20,” click awakeningsart.org/elementor-page-15725.
