South Shore residents are preparing to lace up their sneakers for the community’s first South Shore Health Economic Development (S.S.H.E.D.) 5K Walk/Run, an event that organizers say will highlight the neighborhood’s strengths while promoting fitness, unity, and new business opportunities. The event is scheduled for Saturday, September 20, 2025, beginning along the 79th Street corridor.
Michael Daniels, block club president and one of the founders of the walk/run, says the idea grew out of his group’s involvement with similar events on the West Side. “We were actually helping the west side of Chicago and in the surrounding areas run their 5K, and we saw the impact on that community and the businesses joining in, and actually flourishing now over the last 10 years from that positive foot traffic that came through there,” Daniels said.
Seeing how the 5K boosted commerce and morale in other neighborhoods, Daniels and Mark Patton, vice president of the Constance Association, believed South Shore deserved its own. “We wanted to bring what we helped put together on multiple occasions to our side of town so we can try to bring those same big box companies and showcase our neighborhoods and community,” Patton said. “You can do all of that by walking or jogging through our community.”
The walk/run route will start at 79th Street and Cornell Avenue and extend to 79th and Paxton Avenue, including adjoining blocks such as Paxton, Bennett, and Euclid. For Daniels, the location underscores the group’s goal: to bring positive activity to streets often stigmatized by crime and disinvestment. “Foot traffic eliminates negative foot traffic,” Daniels explained. “The way that you get rid of riff raff is by offering them jobs. We want to put people in a situation so that they can make legal money, feel part of a community, and be proud of it.”
Daniels said the effort is also about addressing why some younger residents have been reluctant to invest in the neighborhood. “I was speaking to a couple of younger people about why they would not buy a house here, and they said because of the culture,” he recalled. “They would rather go further north or to the suburbs. And I asked them, is it the neighborhood or is it the culture? That’s what we’re working on—changing the culture.”
The event will combine fitness with economic outreach. Organizers are working with local businesses and institutions, including Jackson Park Hospital, to bring vendors and health resources to participants. The South Shore Chamber of Commerce is also helping to spread the word. “Any new businesses that come in, we want them to be out to see that there’s a chance for them to grow,” Daniels said.
Patton echoed that the goal is to reshape perceptions of South Shore. “What better way to shift the narrative in our own community than to bring this to our side of town?” he asked. “We want people to see that not only does it look good here, but you could possibly flourish here. Take a look at what we have.”
The event is also about reclaiming public spaces. Daniels said that for too long, some streets have been dominated by loitering and illicit activity, discouraging families from walking outside. “If we can bring something positive, maybe a café where people can sit out and enjoy some food, like they’re doing in Hyde Park, that’s what we’re trying to bring back here,” he said. He compared the potential transformation of 79th Street to the development seen in Hyde Park and on the North Side, where older two-story buildings have been converted into pubs and eateries.
As a block club president for 15 years, Daniels believes grassroots organizations are essential to making such change. He cited Subco, a coalition of block clubs in South Shore, which meets weekly to discuss issues, engage with aldermen, and bring concerns to local police commanders. “We need to bring together not just the elderly, but the youth also,” Daniels said.
Organizers are frank about the challenges facing South Shore from a lack of investment in commercial corridors to cultural issues that discourage homeownership among young families. Still, they see the 5K as one way to show that the neighborhood is capable of positive change. “I would like them to see South Shore as a thriving community that’s prospering, that is for the young and the old, that businesses want to come in because there’s profit and prosperity for them here,” Daniels said.
The 5K will also serve as a litmus test for future growth. Daniels said success in year one simply means completing the event. Patton added that he hopes it will become an annual event, attracting larger numbers each year. “I would like to see other dignitaries come out and not just support from the sidelines, but actually participate,” Patton said.
For Daniels, pride comes from the neighborly communication that has grown during his tenure as block club president. “We’ve connected with the community, not just the neighborhood,” he said. “We’ve been able to bring a positive vibe. People look to us to help with community activities because they see the success that we’re having here on our block.”
Although he may not walk the full course on race day, Daniels said he plans to take part alongside residents. Above all, he wants participants to leave inspired by what they see in South Shore. “What I want people to take away is that the community can come together and do something positive,” he said. “We’re adding more communities down the street, touching a lot of homes. I want people to see that this is not always going to be a negative issue, but something positive that comes out of South Shore.”
The event is sponsored by Constance Associations and supported by local partners. In an earlier outreach message, Patton said the goal is to “shift the narrative in and around our homes from hoods back to communities.”
Community members can get involved by registering to walk, run, volunteer, or sponsor through the S.S.H.E.D. website, southshorehed.org.