Pastor Corey Brooks is the founder and Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and founder and CEO of Project H.O.O.D Communities Development Corporation. Pastor Brooks attended Ball State University, University of Florida, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Grace Theological Seminary. He has been pastoring since 1990. He established New Beginnings Church of Chicago in November 2000 in the heart of Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhood – this opportunity was his first glimpse into the despair in the city of Chicago served as the catalyst to his ongoing efforts to date.

Pastor Brook’s efforts received national acclaim when he spent 94 days living on the roof of a rundown motel, located across the street from the church. It had become a center of drugs, prostitution, and violence. Within three months he raised enough money to buy the building and tear it down. The land is now earmarked to be the location of a 23 million dollar state-of-the-art community center. The goal of the proposed community center is to offset violence, provide the support necessary to make the neighborhood a safer place, and give children the tools to reach for a brighter future.

Pastor Brooks and his wife Delilah have fully invested in the community of Woodlawn on Chicago’s South Side. He and his wife are spearheading a community initiative called Project H.O.O.D. to revitalize the neighborhood. Through it, they are raising up a new generation of peacemakers, problem solvers, and entrepreneurs. Current Project H.O.O.D. programming includes a Core and Carpentry Level I course, which places participants in entry-level construction jobs post-program, an entrepreneurship course and separate business workshops for aspiring and new business owners, a co-working office space for business owners, job placement programs and community-wide events including The World’s Largest Baby Shower.

Most recently, Pastor Brooks was appointed Illinois Director for St. Francis Community Services, Inc. – an organization dedicated to the needs of children and youth since 1945.