CHICAGO, IL - June 20, 2025 – United Way of Metro Chicago joined leaders from Austin Coming Together (ACT) and the Westside Health Authority (WHA) on June 19, 2025, to mark the grand opening of the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, located in the revitalized former Emmet Elementary School building—one of the 50 Chicago Public Schools closed in 2013—at 5500 W. Madison St. on Chicago’s West Side. The Juneteenth celebration brought together government, corporate, philanthropic, and community leaders, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, U.S. Congressional Rep. Danny K. Davis, and representatives from BMO, Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC) and Lamar Johnson Collaborative.
“Through the Austin Neighborhood Network, United Way of Metro Chicago works alongside Darnell Shields and Austin Coming Together, plus leaders from business, philanthropy, government and nonprofit, to bring the community’s vision to life,” said Sean Garrett, President and CEO of United Way of Metro Chicago. “The opening of the Aspire Center is one example of the impact of the Austin Neighborhood Network in action and one step toward true community transformation, built from and led by Austin residents.”
The grand opening ceremony began with a press conference and ribbon cutting, followed by a community celebration including tours of the center, workforce technology demonstrations, food trucks, wellness activities and a “Freedom Village,” where hundreds of families and residents reflected on the past, present and future of Austin through interactive experiences as they celebrated Juneteenth.
Conceived as a hub for workforce training, education and economic empowerment, the Aspire Center’s opening is the culmination of a seven-year campaign to reclaim and repurpose the shuttered school building under a community-led vision. The state-of-the-art space fulfills key components of Austin’s Quality-of-Life Plan, “Austin Forward. Together,” serving as a catalyst for both economic mobility among residents and for economic development and revitalization in the Austin neighborhood. In its first five years, the center is projected to create 50 new jobs, help increase the incomes of more than 500 Austin households and facilitate financing for new businesses or property for more than 250 residents.
“Through the Aspire Center, we are creating a place where Austin residents can be empowered, imagine beyond barriers and aspire to the future they deserve and have long envisioned for themselves,” said Darnell Shields, Executive Director of Austin Coming Together. “The Aspire Center is a model for what’s possible when a community rallies to take ownership of its own destiny, charting a path towards an innovative and prosperous future.”
The Aspire Center is a joint project of Austin Coming Together and the Westside Health Authority. The 76,000 square foot property, purchased by WHA in 2018, will house four anchor tenants – Austin Coming Together, Westside Health Authority, Jane Addams Resource Corporation and BMO – each providing services and resources tailored for the Austin community. As a founding partner of United Way of Metro Chicago’s Neighborhood Network Initiative, BMO is the lead philanthropic investor in the Aspire Center and a long-time supporter of the Austin Neighborhood Network. As a committed community partner, BMO is supporting the mission of the Aspire Center and will be opening a branch within the facility, providing financial education, coaching and banking services to help residents make real financial progress. The BMO branch is scheduled to open in late summer.
“BMO believed in the vision for the Aspire Center and its promise for the Austin community from the beginning, which is why we became a cornerstone philanthropic funder to the project,” said Darrel Hackett, CEO, BMO U.S. “Witnessing its journey from concept to groundbreaking to grand opening has been truly inspiring and is a shining example of neighborhood-led transformation that aligns with our purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. We look forward to deepening our commitment to the Aspire Center and driving progress for the people of Austin with the opening of our BMO branch.”
In addition to the commitment of its anchor tenants, the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation was made possible by collaborative funding of multiple partners, including more than $5 million from United Way of Metro Chicago, the single largest investment in the organization’s history. The investment reinforces United Way’s commitment to place-based, community-led transformation through the Neighborhood Network Initiative, which is working in 17 Chicago neighborhoods and suburban communities, including Austin, to bring community vision to life, create new economic opportunities and systematically transform neighborhoods.
Other contributions include investments of $250,000 or more to the ASPIRE campaign. Multimillion-dollar investors include the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, United Way of Metro Chicago and BMO. Other large investors include the Chicago Community Trust, We Rise Together: for an Equitable and Just Recovery, the Pritzker-Traubert Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. Other strategic investment partners include JP Morgan Chase and Deloitte.
To learn more about the Aspire Center, its anchor tenants, and the services and resources it will offer, visit the Aspire Center website at acwichi.org.
About the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation
The Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation is a joint venture between Westside Health Authority and Austin Coming Together, created to operate independently of—but in service to—its anchor tenants and the broader Austin community. The Center will serve as a seamless and collaborative hub for high-performing workforce training and wealth-building programs.
About United Way of Metro Chicago
United Way of Metro Chicago brings together business, government, philanthropic, individual and community leaders to deliver funding and resources while amplifying the expertise of nonprofit organizations across greater Chicago. We help individuals meet their basic needs and work alongside neighborhood partners to address local priorities and create communities where all people can thrive. United, we are building a stronger, more equitable Chicago region. For more information, visit LIVEUNITEDchicago.org.
Media Contact
Kris Adamik, 312.906.2291,
kris.adamik@LIVEUNITEDchicago.org