With funding from the Steans Family Foundation, Delta designed a unique reuse strategy for a vacant eight-acre industrial site in North Lawndale. The site will combine a transitional jobs program and urban horticulture business called Windy City Harvest. Besides growing organic produce, Windy City Harvest will produce a crop of trained, work-ready employees with the skills needed to rebuild their families and community.

Windy City Harvest is a non-profit organization staffed by the Chicago Botanic Gardens, with assistance from the Chicago Christian Industrial League, North Lawndale Employment Network, and ARAMARK. Delta created the organization’s business plan, managed negotiations that convinced the City of Chicago to donate the site, organized partners in the venture, and helped raise the necessary capital. The ten-year goal is to train and employ 450 community residents.

Windy City Harvest will grow organic lettuces, tomatoes, other vegetables and fruits, as well as bedding plants. Trainee-workers will process, package, distribute, and sell the crops directly at retail markets, as well as wholesale to various customers. The program will certify participants in food safety and production, work safety, customer service, horticulture, and materials handling to qualify trainees for a range of employment opportunities after their transitional job has ended.