Co-Founder
Todd Belcore - 2012

History

SOCIAL CHANGE  was founded in 2012 by Todd Belcore, and a childhood friend Emile Cambry Jr. – two idealistic young men with firsthand experience with poverty, racism, and systemic inequality. We wanted to “do something” about the inequality that surrounded us but became frustrated and tired of hearing people and organizations with no lived experience or deep ties and relationships within our communities tell our stories – while dictating how to do it and without taking into account the endemic and systemic systems and barriers intrinsically intertwined with its root causes.

Fed up, we decided to leverage our own life experiences to create a vehicle to address fundamental inequities and empower underserved communities – which simultaneously would be led by those same communities – including ourselves. At that moment, SOCIAL CHANGE was born. SOCIAL CHANGE serves diverse populations, focusing on those who have been historically marginalized and underserved : low-income families, communities of color, and individuals with criminal records. 

WHAT SETS US APART? Programs are designed to address systemic injustices and specific needs via advocacy, organizing, direct action, legal efforts, and the arts(!) to create holistic, innovative systems to fuel lasting change and community empowerment. 

SOCIAL CHANGE is active in several states across the United States, which includes Illinois (headquarters), California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

Mission

At Social Change, our mission is to create a transformative impact within marginalized communities through a multi-faceted approach. Our history is rooted in addressing critical issues such as food insecurity, systemic injustices, and the overall health and well-being of the community. Over the years, we have established a range of programs and initiatives to support these goals, from health clinics and legal assistance to free farmers markets and civic engagement efforts.