211 Metro Chicago was a decade in the making. The free, confidential helpline was launched by United Way of Metro Chicago, the City of Chicago, and Cook County in January 2023. 2-1-1 connects Cook County residents to essential health and social service resources and is a natural extension of the critical work we have been doing for 90 years – the work of meeting our neighbors’ basic needs.
For more than a decade, United Way of Metro Chicago has been working alongside community partners through place-based, resident-led transformation. In 2023, we deepened this commitment in the suburbs through the launch of four new Neighborhood Networks: Elgin, Ford Heights/Chicago Heights, Harvey, and Park Forest/Richton Park.
Bridging the digital divide is crucial for building thriving communities. United Way of Metro Chicago and Comcast are helping get more Cook County residents online – and connected to essential resources.
United Way of Metro Chicago had been working to launch a 211 helpline for the region for more than a decade. Now, eight months into operating it and serving as Executive Director, I see the benefit 211 is having and understand now more than ever the unique nature of the needs facing Chicagoans and Cook County residents.
The expansion of the Neighborhood Networks represents our commitment to the south suburbs of Chicago – and furthers the impactful work driven by local nonprofits in the community. It’s also a testament to the power of partnerships – and what we can accomplish when we come together across different sectors.
When you look at the Chicago region, what do you see? Do you see the challenges that we face? Or do you see a promising future? At United Way of Metro Chicago, we’re committed to seeing this promise, a future with stronger, more equitable communities where all people can thrive. This can only happen when we come together. Because when we’re united, positive change is truly possible.
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.
The Southland community came together at the Tinley Park Convention Center on April 27 for April Food Day 2023. Thanks to generous donors and 150+ volunteers, more than 90,000 pounds of food was collected and distributed to 10 local food pantries, replenishing shelves in advance of the summer months when donations tend to wane – but the need remains.
For Monika Payne, April Food Day is a family affair. Each year, sporting a t-shirt with bold “LIVE UNITED” lettering on the front, Monika joins her brother and extended family at the Tinley Park Convention Center.
We have a food system that leaves too many people hungry or without easy access to healthy grocery options. At our next installment of the Neighborhood Exchange, meet some people who are working to disrupt the system by providing healthy, sustainable food options for our most disinvested communities.