Black Men United (BMU)

BMU’s workforce development program focuses on at-risk youth to keep them out of the juvenile justice system and recently released criminals to reduce recidivism. BMU states its targeted demographics are out of school youth, students enrolled in the free or reduced-price lunch program, families enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, unemployed individuals, and families whose household income does not exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty line. ¹

Programs

Housing

On July 3, 2025, Black Men United purchased and renovated a 24-unit apartment building located at 1010 Greenwood Avenue in Maywood, Illinois for $2 million as part of its low-income housing efforts. BMU noted that, as part of the program, rent in the building is based on a person’s ability to pay and is not based on apartment size. BMU was able to make the purchase after receiving a $2 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. ⁴

The building was officially opened after a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 27, 2025. The ceremony was attended by leadership from BMU, Illinois’ Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker (D), Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Welch (D-Westchester), and Maywood Mayor Nathaniel George Booker. In his speech, Governor Pritzker showed support for the housing project and BMU’s  other community programs adding that, “as long as I am governor…the state of Illinois will remain in the game for all of you.” ⁵

Community Supplies Drive

On June 19, 2022, BMU held a community supplies giveaway at the Juneteenth Peace Rally at Kenwood Academy in Hyde Park. The supplies included food, furniture, and clothes. The president of BMU, John Harrell, stated that their supply drives aim to “share a different narrative about Black men in America as positive and productive and progressive.” ⁶

International Aid

On March 26, 2022, BMU worked with Nortia Logistics to send pallets of medical supplies to Ukraine one month after the start of the Russia-Ukraine War. The pallets included masks, gauze, medical gowns, sanitizers, wipes, and shoe covers. BMU president John Harrell stated the organization supports Ukraine: “the people of Ukraine are now our family. Glory to Ukraine.” ⁷

Leadership

John Harrell is the president, CEO, and co-founder of Black Men United. He is a preacher and community activist who studied at the Midwest Theological Institute, and as of May 2026, he was listed as the pastor for the New Hope Baptist Church in Westside Chicago and the Proviso Missionary Baptist Church in Maywood. As of May 2026, Harrell was the director of governmental relations and external affairs for United Trust Bank, a position he held since 2020. ⁸

Harrell is a member of the Westside NAACP and the Rainbow Push Coalition. Harrell is the chairman of Convoy of Hope, the Congressman Danny K. Davis Task Force in Economic Development, and the Village of Broadview Business Association, as well as sitting on the board of Loretto Hospital. In addition to being a co-founder of BMU, he is also noted as a co-founder of the City of Chicago’s 1,000 Jobs for 1,000 Youth program. ⁸

Finances

In 2023, Black Men United claimed $3,937,446 in revenue ⁹ with $1,812,626 ¹⁰ of that coming from government grants. An emergency fundraising nonprofit, Givenkind, granted BMU $2,067,696 in the 2023 fiscal year, ¹¹ resulting in over 52 percent of BMU’s total revenue coming from Givenkind and over 46 percent coming from government grants. It was also granted $50,000 by the Weitz Family Foundation in the 2023 fiscal year. ³ In the 2024 fiscal year, BMU claimed $4,619,612 ¹² in total revenue, with $2,636,096 coming from government grants. ¹³ Givenkind granted BMU $1,558,145 in the 2024 fiscal year ¹⁴ resulting in over 33 percent of BMU’s revenue coming from Givenkind and over 57 percent coming from government grants. ¹³