The 1937 Foundation

The 1937 Foundation’s mission is to help people see past trauma to heal and build a healthy and financially sustainable life experience. We build resilient communities and self-sufficient individuals by providing equitable access to the resources and opportunities necessary for individuals and communities to recover from trauma. We put vulnerable people and their communities firstt, and promise to help them heal and grow through adversity. By helping participants recover from violence-induced trauma, we can remove barriers to progress for individuals and their communities. From our set of evidence-informed programs and services, The 1937 Foundation team customizes a plan per community, as the problems that plague our nation’s marginalized are real and the solutions are personal. The 1937 Foundation, a Chicago-headquartered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 2020. In addition to government and Foundation grants, the charity is funded by private donors, major gifts, corporate contributions and in-kind supporters. Funding includes a three-year grant commitment from the State of Illinois, for a total of $2.3 million. The Foundation received the merit-based grant from the R3 – Restore, Reinvest & Renew – program, which is funded by state cannabis tax dollars. The Foundation is affiliated with The 1937 Group, Chicago’s first social-equity, vertical-integrated cannabis company which was also established by Ambrose Jackson. The name "The 1937 Group" is inspired by the Marihuana Act of 1937, which fueled racial discrimination against Mexican-Americans and Blacks, and widespread imprisonment for what is now a legal activity in the majority of the United States.