United Way of Metro Chicago’s very first Neighborhood Network launched in Brighton Park more than a decade ago. Now, after years of hard work and community-led vision, the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council Service Center is a beacon of hope — and opportunity — on the Southwest Side.
United Way of Metro Chicago hosted panelists Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina, Kate Maehr of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Maribel Martinez of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council to discuss current challenges affecting community safety and stability — and how we’re responding.
Comcast and United Way of Metro Chicago are committed to advancing digital equity and helping our neighbors get the tools they need to succeed – one connection at a time.
Brighton Park is a family-oriented community made up of immigrants. With neighborhoods shifting due to gentrification, immigrant families seek to stay connected to their new communities and their culture.
A few weeks ago, more than 400 youth from six Brighton Park schools met to tackle some of the challenges they face in their community — from police violence and unhealthy relationships to adultism and violations of immigrants’ rights.
Throughout parenthood, mothers and fathers often find themselves wishing for instructions on how to raise their children to be successful in school and in life. Though no such manual exists, some neighborhood organizations supported by United Way of Metro Chicago are providing parents with the next best tool – parent leadership programs.
In the winter months of 2016, Claudia Gonzalez*, a mother of three living in Brighton Park, unexpectedly lost her job. Though she aggressively searched for alternative employment, she couldn’t keep up with rent payments for her apartment.