The Power of Home:
We believe that building and sustaining strong communities helps everyone. Communities are stronger when people of 'all incomes' call a neighborhood home. We strive for economic diversity and a mix of incomes in housing for both families and seniors. A strong community is a place where residents achieve their personal aspirations for success, and that success generates community wealth and well-being. We work to create opportunities for resident success in neighborhoods that are strong and as well as areas with unrealized potential.
About
Community Life
Community Life is our place-based model that uses stable housing as a platform for residents and neighborhoods to achieve success, with measurable outcomes and delivery in four practice areas: youth development, education, workforce development and asset building.
Families and seniors with low incomes and inter generational poverty face a host of challenges to getting ahead. Our unique access to households of all incomes allows us to meet people at home and connect them with resources tailored to their needs and assets.
We engage local partners whose unique expertise expands opportunities for success. We build on our strengths of connecting and supporting residents to access high quality programming. We leverage data and evidence to understand needs and develop effective strategies that improve educational, social and economic success for 5,200 residents, half of whom are children.
Meet Armekar Wright and her family
About 8 years ago, our family moved to Oakwood Shores. During the last 8 years we have watched the community develop into what it is today. We watched new phases of the property be built over the years. We even helped build the community playlot behind my apartment with the help of Home Depot.
Ms Wright Participating in Kaboom Playground
build at Oakwood Shores-Summer 2010
We enjoy calling Oakwood Shores our home. It’s a place where we spend time with friends and family. A place for my children to play. A place for our family to be part of fun programs and activities. Throughout the last year, my daughter, Taliyah participated in the girls mentoring program. She really enjoyed that program. She attended the UChicago Donoghue Elementary which was walking distance from our home where she met friends that life in the neighborhood. She has always attend afterschool and summer programs at Oakwood Shores including the new Art & Recreation Center at Ellis Park. We also had a chance to set up a table at the annual flea market event which was a unique experience.
Ms. Wright and Daughter mentorship program's Annual Mother Daughter Tea T
Ms. Wright registering family for Spring Egg Hunt
In addition to the fun programs, I serve on the Resident Liaison Committee. As a resident liaison, I share information about what’s going on in our community and plan activities with other resident liaisons. This helps me to get to know my neighbors and meet new neighbors at they move in.
As I mentioned before, we have watched the community develop. Over the last year, we watched the Bronzeville Mariano’s development. I was excited to have a new grocery store in the neighborhood and an opportunity to share my love for baking as an employee. With the help of the community life team, I was able to obtain employment in the bakery department at Mariano’s. I enjoy working there because I can walk to work. I am also close enough that I can come and cover shifts for team members when they can’t come to work.
Our family has grown alongside the community. We are proud residents of Oakwood Shores.
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