Ten years after Emmet Elementary School closed, community leaders and their partners broke ground on the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation in the school’s parking lot. More than 100 guests gathered in Austin to celebrate the next step in the development of this catalytic investment in their neighborhood.
ITW’s legacy began with a magazine ad. Chicago financer Byron L. Smith was interested in investing in a manufacturing business in the early 1910s and ran an ad in The Economist. A small group of tool inventors responded, and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) was born.
All throughout the city and suburban region—no matter the circumstances—people have found ways to connect and support each other, to celebrate diverse cultural traditions and our shared humanity, from tree and Menorah lightings to parades and winter markets.
Lisa and Lamar Johnson, co-founders of Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC), a mission-driven architecture firm, are leaving their mark across the city. From skyscrapers in the Loop to community centers in disinvested neighborhoods, the Johnsons are shaping a workforce culture that puts human service at the forefront of their business.
Austin is one of Chicago’s largest communities, yet residents have limited access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Austin’s lead Neighborhood Network, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has been able to respond to this imminent need through the city’s Protect Chicago Plus program that prioritizes vaccinating communities hit the hardest by the pandemic.
Last year, when Renay Hopkins lost her job, it was a frustrating and laborious effort to find a new one. While searching, she moved in with her grandmother to save some money. She recommended that Renay visit Austin Coming Together (ACT), a social service organization and United Way partner in her southwest neighborhood.