God's Gang is a grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening the residents of the community with an all volunteer, staff. Perceived by many as a new organization, God's Gang was established by Grand Boulevard residents and St. Mary's A.M.E. Church members over thirty years ago. It has been maintained and supported primarily by donations and volunteerism.

In the middle 70's, God's Gang initially invited youth to St. Mary's AME Church on Sunday mornings for a nutritious breakfast. Some of the kids began to sing in the choir and dubbed themselves God's Gang. The group hosted an emergency feeding program they called Mother's Cupboard Food Pantry.

Today, God's Gang supports a variety of activities that enable youth and adults to choose a life of self-help at the same time they contribute to strengthening their community. The youth are engaged in urban agricultural and landscaping activities, as well as African dance and crafts. The newest entities under this umbrella are GrandMa's Hands to support grandparents raising their children's offspring and other youth guardians, and SSUGA, the South Side Urban Gardeners Association which will provide family and senior citizens opportunities and assistance to develop neighborhood/ backyard gardens.

There is no 'typical' God's Gang Volunteer. They work, attend school, raise their children or grandchildren, sometimes all of the above. Members and supporters of God's Gang serve as tutors, farmers, trip chaperones, teachers, choreographers, and tour guides. They dig holes, build greenhouses, pick the vegetables, feed the chickens, ducks and geese.

God's Gang provides urban farming, employment and training, life skills, after school and cultural awareness programs, mentoring, and recreational activities for the youth and families. The purpose of this project is to develop and implement an independent and all-encompassing urban agriculture program as a means of enhancing food security, economic self-sufficiency, and positive youth development for impoverished members of these communities. Run by the children and families it serves, the organization promotes food security, economic self-sufficiency, and positive youth development

While in the Robert Taylor Homes

Developed a volunteer base that included over 100 families from the Robert Taylor homes and the surrounding Grand Boulevard community

Mothers Cupboard food pantry served over 9,600 families

Trained 126 youth per year to run their own businesses

Maintained a 0% school dropout rate for all children involved in program

Maintained a 0% crime rate for all residents involved in program

Involved over 700 families from the Grand Boulevard Community as service providers and consumers.

Established the most successful food pantry in the city of Chicago and won the Greater Chicago Food Depository's prestigious Pantry of The Year award for 1999.

Supported over 20 children for trainings and conferences across the United States and Mexico

Founding Member, Public Housing Nutrition Network

Provided job training to an increasing number of youth annually through a variety of outlets and internships. The Worm / Fish Farm, and the food pantry were primary training facilities.
o Youth Maintenance Workers
o Youth Child Care Associates
o Youth Child Care Associates
o Stock Clerks
o Intern Organic Farmers
o Landscape Training

Since the Demolition of the Taylor Homes:

Collected and delivered to Mississippi and Louisiana 5,000 pounds of food and supplies for the Katrina relief effort, under the direction of Beloit youth director

Initiated the Backyard Urban Farm Programs

Initiated the Satellite Farm Programs

Sponsored 2 youth in the Border Patrol Training

Founding Member, South Side Urban Garden Association

Created the 3 stages of Black Experience Heritage Exhibit

Sponsor the Writes of Passage Youth Training

The board and over 50 of the Gang were guests on the Different Drummer TV program. Zoe' made us proud with reflections on what we do, and how we get it done.

A God's Gang team went to a three day training in East Troy, Wisconsin.

Our director's shadow went to Mexico to meet with other teens on food issues.

Mother Cupboard director, Ms Moore spoke near the United Nations in New York on poverty in America.

God's Gang members spent the weekend in a homeless camp and marched to bring attention to the plight of the poor at the Republican National Convention.

Built a new Talapia system in Altgeld Gardens.

We provide training in Vermiculture, at Garfield Park Conservatory led by one our youth directors.

2007 marked the opening of our farm stand in the Garfield Park Conservatory