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  • Location
  • Little Village is a vibrant neighborhood four miles southwest of downtown Chicago. The Mexican-American culture of Little Village and nearby Marshall Square is evidenced by colorful murals and hundreds of Latinx-owned businesses and restaurants. Little Village lies in the South Lawndale community area of Chicago.
  • Demographics
  • Little Village is home to about 75,000 people—a largely Latinx population. Though the neighborhood’s 26th Street shopping district is one of the busiest and highest-grossing districts in Chicago, decades of systemic disinvestment have lead to a 67 percent low-income rate.
  • Looking back
  • Little Village was first settled by Germans and Czechs following the 1871 Chicago Fire. The industrial development of the 20th century continued the expansion of the neighborhood, attracting more residents. In the 1950s and 1960s many of the families moved to the Eastern European suburbs of Cicero and Berwyn where housing and employment opportunities for whites were expanding. At the same time, the expansion of the University of Illinois in Chicago (UIC) campus pushed Mexican families out of Pilsen and into Little Village. Today, Little Village is home to a large Latinx population and hosts Chicago’s largest Mexican Independence Day parade every September.
  • History of the Neighborhood Network
  • Little Village, a vibrant Latinx neighborhood, wanted a more resilient community for its residents; however, resources were lacking in the northeast part of the neighborhood—Marshall Square. A coalition of agencies and community organizations, already working together to share resources and training, provided the ideal partnership for the Little Village Neighborhood Network. Led by lead agency Latinos Progresando, the Neighborhood Network works with United Way to coordinate services for their schools and families to create healthier living and to stem domestic violence and street crime.

Little Village Community Vision

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Strengthening community conditions for education, access to health care, and promoting peace to reduce the impact of violence.

Neighborhood Network in Action

The Little Village Neighborhood Network, now composed of 33 actively participating agencies, is committed to supporting the health and well-being of residents in Little Village and Marshall Square.

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

Community Resiliency

  • The Network is focused on developing community resilience through health and education initiatives.
  • The Marshall Square Resource Network in Little Village has organized their network of participating agencies around creating a peaceful community with a wellness-focused mindset.

Coalition Highlights

The Little Village Neighborhood Network has worked together to create community programs and secure funding to build a peaceful community with a wellness-focused mindset.

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

Community Programs

  • In 2019, Marshall Square Resource Network (MSRN) held its most successful Peace March to-date. More than 400 community members, organizational representatives, and youth came together to march for peace.
  • The MSRN Education Committee developed a new Social Emotional Learning 201 curriculum that incorporates elements of Horticultural Therapy into existing social-emotional learning curriculum.
  • The Network secured nearly $60k in funding from People’s Gas to support violence prevention and SEL work with youth and adults experiencing domestic violence; professional development of Network agency staff through the Peer Skill Share program; and summertime peace-building activities.

Community Programs

  • During the summer of 2019, the MSRN Health Committee engaged over 35 individuals in a series of tours and gathered input from community residents on how to activate neighborhood green spaces. The series culminated in a health and play fair at La Villita park in the fall.
  • Latinos Progresando, Network partners and the Consulate General of Mexico co-hosted an immigration forum for CPS afterschool coordinators and assistant principals.

Hear from your neighbors and supporters

Jennifer Idrovo

Neighborhood Network Director, Marshall Square Resource Network

“We realize our streets aren’t the best places for our children to be. In order to promote a healthy lifestyle, we have to make them safe.”

Lori Flores Rolfson

VP Operations & Maintenance, Peoples Gas

“Peoples Gas has a rich history of caring for the communities it serves, which is why we partner with United Way and support its Neighborhood Network Initiative, [particularly] the efforts in Little Village. Together, we keep life moving by supporting programs that strengthen neighborhoods and support education.”
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