Community Defense (CommDef)
Chicago, IL (South + West Side), USA · Founded 2020
Community Defense (CommDef) is a Chicago brigade focused on tenant defense, eviction blockades, and mutual aid on the South and West sides. We don’t run programs. We run protection.
When a landlord schedules an eviction, we show up. When a family needs a Sunday food run, we pull together. When ICE rolls into a block, we close the block. We are neighbors first and an organization second. Membership is open to anyone in our coverage area who can be counted on.
Current campaigns
- Eviction blockades. 24/7 hotline (773-555-0188) routes calls to the nearest defense crew. We’ve stopped 31 evictions this year.
- Block-by-block ICE watch. Trained spotters in 14 blocks on the Southwest Side. Real-time signal channels to coordinate rapid response.
- Sunday food runs. Weekly distribution of fresh groceries from partner co-ops to 80+ households. Pickup OR delivery; no questions, no application.
- Cook County jail bail bond fund. We post bond for political arrestees and for neighbors who can’t afford bail on minor charges.
How to plug in
Come to a Sunday food run as a volunteer first. Show up three Sundays. Then you can join the blockade and watch crews. We trust people who keep showing up.