Brighton Park Community Vision

Advancing outcomes for families through the delivery of comprehensive social services based in community schools.

Neighborhood Network in Action

The Brighton Park Neighborhood Network is focused on making their community safe for all residents by providing comprehensive wrap-around social services and community-led initiatives.

Select “next” to read more about the Network’s progress.

Building a Safer Brighton Park

  • After adopting a charter and creating an infrastructure to support the work of the coalition, the Brighton Park network has seen parents and residents taking an active role in their neighborhood by convening large groups of people to address neighborhood issues.
  • A Parent Mentor program was established, and Chicago Public Schools’ standardized testing shows that classrooms with a parent mentor demonstrate a +3 point differential in test results and improved academic achievements.

Coalition Highlights

The Brighton Park Neighborhood Network is developing ongoing support and programs in community schools to advance the positive outcomes for families.

Select “next” to read more about our coalition highlights.

Education Supports

  • Five full-time counselors are now embedded in six neighborhood schools.
  • Brighton Park schools have become sanctuary schools for families concerned about deportation; the school has hosted 65 immigration workshops engaging nearly 3,000 community members.
  • Gads Hill opened a new state-of-the-art Brighton Park Early Learning Center. This location provides comprehensive early childhood education for 124 children ages birth-5 years and vital services for the families of Brighton Park.

Improved Access to Physical and Mental Health Care

  • Expanded mental health services include the hiring of a Domestic Violence Counselor, Community-Based Family Therapist, and School-Based Counselor.
  • Esperanza Health Centers, a top-ranked Federally Qualified Health Center serving low-income and uninsured residents of Brighton Park, is a model health center that weaves together wellness, medical care, social services, and recreation for residents.

Hear from your neighbors and supporters

Richard Morris

Burroughs Elementary School Principal

“There are a lot of variables that contribute to student success—or lack of, in some cases—but having parents and teachers in there is huge. Parents are lesson-planning with teachers, working with small groups of kids, [and] working directly for the academic success of the kids in the classroom.”

Ellie Forman

Vice President, Corporate Community Relations

“Mesirow’s deep-rooted commitment to the Brighton Park Neighborhood leverages United Way’s approach to increasing high school graduation rates through holistic support for the whole family. By virtue of our partnership with United Way, our activities – volunteerism, mentorship, donations, collection drives and more – can be amplified to make an even greater difference.”

Give Money.

Invest in people. Invest in your neighborhood. Invest in a stronger Chicago.

Donate

Give Time.

Share your time. Share your talents. Share your love for community.

Volunteer
Pause Animation