>> COREY BROOKS BROUGHT ATTENTION TO HIS WOODLAWN COMMUNITY , TO RAISE FUNDING FOR A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER.

THEY JUST HAD AN $8 MILLION DONATION FROM THE McCORMICK FOUNDATION AND $20 MILLION HAS BEEN RAISED, SO FAR.

THE FOUNDER AND SENIOR PASTOR OF NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH IS HERE.

WELCOME BACK TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT".

>> I APPRECIATE IT.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, AGAIN.

SO, TELL US ABOUT YOUR VISION .

>> I'VE BEEN AT IT FOR A WHILE.

IT'S A TRANSFORMATION IN HELPING OUR COMMUNITY.

WE ARE TEACHING FINANCIAL LITERACY AND AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS , WITH CONSTRUCTION, ELECTRICAL, AND AUTOMOTIVE.

HEALTHCARE.

WE HAVE AN OLYMPIC -SIZED SWIMMING POOL, WE HAVE RESTAURANT.

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON .

>> AND THE TV STUDIO, IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN.

>> YES.

ABOUT BEING BEHIND THE CAMERAS, NOT JUST IN FRONT.

THERE ARE SOME GOOD SOCIAL MEDIA OUT POST.

>> SO, WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE RESOURCES?

>> OUR FACILITY IS WELCOME TO EVERYONE , ESPECIALLY THOSE RIGHT IN THE AREA, OF WOODLAWN.

WE INVITE EVERYONE TO BE PART OF THIS .

IT'S NOT JUST THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO .

>> YOU'VE TRIED TO RAISE ATTENTION FOR THIS PROJECT BEFORE , LIKE CAMPING OUT ON THE ROOFTOP OF YOUR BUILDING.

WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?

>> WE NEED A MODEL.

CHICAGO IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND IT GETS LOOKED AT AS A PLACE WHERE THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN ARE NOT GOOD.

WE CAN HELP CREATE A MODEL TO SOLVE ISSUES OF POVERTY , TO SOLVE ISSUES OF CRIME AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS TO OTHER PLACES.

WE THINK IT WILL BE A TREMENDOUS BLESSING.

>> WE JUST SAW SOME PICTURES , WHAT WAS THIS EXPERIENCE LIKE?

>> I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT DURING THE DAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY.

BUT AT NIGHT , THAT'S WHEN IT'S COLD AND YOU WERE WONDERING, ARE YOU CRAZY, SHOULD YOU DO THIS, SHOULD YOU DO THAT.

IT'S A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND I WOULD NOT TRADE IT.

LIKE YOU HAVE $1 MILLION THAT WAS JUST ANNOUNCED .

>> I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL MEET OUR GOAL AND THE REASON WE WANT TO BUILD THIS , WE WANT TO INVEST IN PEOPLE AND WE WANT TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON HELPING AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

I BELIEVE WE WILL REACH OUR GOAL.

>> YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY.

YOU STARTED THIS 11 YEARS AGO.

HAS A SECOND LONGER THAN YOU HOPED?

>> IT HAS.

IT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF MY LIFE .

WE ARE GOING TO START A SCHOOL FOR YOUNG BLACK BOYS , SO I NEED TO WORK ON THIS AND GET MORE PEOPLE.

IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME , I KNOW MY PURPOSE, I KNOW MY CALLING.

>> FROM ONE GARGANTUAN PROJECT TO THE NEXT BIG >> REST WHEN YOU DIE.

>> THERE YOU GO.

SO THIS IS ALL READY TO GO?

>> WE ARE GOING TO START TICKING UP THE DIRT , WE HAVE TOWERS GOING UP , AND WE HAVE A WONDERFUL ARCHITECT.

WE HAVE ASSEMBLED A GREAT ALL-STAR GAME.

>> IS IS ALL PRIVATELY FINANCED?

ARE REFINANCING ANY SITUATION WITH CPS?

>> WE'VE HAD 20,000 NEW DONORS ACROSS THE STATE.

OUR LARGEST GIFT WE JUST RECEIVED IS FOR THE NAMING RIGHTS.

IT'S ROBERT R McCORMICK LEADERSHIP.

>> OKAY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS , THERE ARE MIGRANTS NOW ARRIVING.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF USING SCHOOLS LIKE THIS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY ?

ARE YOU AFRAID THAT IT PITS COMMUNITIES IN NEED AGAINST EACH OTHER?

>> THERE SHOULD BE ROOM TO HELP BOTH , ESPECIALLY WITH A FACILITY LIKE OURS.

I JUST GOT AN EMAIL , THAT THEY SPENT $6.9 MILLION , AND THAT CONCERNS ME.

THERE'S A NEED TO HELP PEOPLE AND I'M VERY MUCH FOR HELPING IMMIGRANTS AND I AM VERY MUCH FOR HELPING OUR COMMUNITY FIRST.

THERE'S A LOT OF POVERTY IN OUR CITY, SO TO ADD TO THAT ?

>> SO THE ISSUE OF ALLOCATION.

WE ALSO ARE TALKING ABOUT M.A.

ORAL ELECTION.

YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN THE PAST.

IS THERE A PERSON YOU ARE GETTING BEHIND?

>> I BELIEVE , REGARDLESS OF WHAT PEOPLE SAY, THAT THE MAYOR IS VERY INTELLIGENT AND HAS HANDLED THIS WITH GRACE FOR MONTHS .

I THINK THAT SHE HAS A REALLY GOOD SHOT .

SHE'S REALLY SMART , AND I THINK THAT WHOEVER WINS, WE JUST HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB FOR CHICAGO.

THERE'S TOO MUCH GOING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND CHICAGOANS NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO SOLVE THESE ISSUES.