Park District has renovated four leased village parks since 2020
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Forest Park’s four pocket parks ha been recognized statewide for their transformation over the last five years.
On Oct. 24, the Illinois Association of Park Districts awarded the village and Park District of Forest Park the Best of the Best award for Intergover nmental Co operation for the improvement of the four pocket parks.
In 2020, involved parties came to an of ficial agreement for the village to lease the four pocket parks to the park distric for $1 a year. Popelka Park, Rieger Pa and, most recently last November, Remembrance Park have opened with new play ground equipment. At the small, unnamed
try out the new playground at Rieger Park.
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins has advocated for reform of mass transit in northeast Illinois for years. He has aimed to improve safety on the CTA trains serving Forest Park and to secure state reimbursement for the rising number of ambulance calls to the CTA station on Des Plaines Avenue As part of a flurry of legislative actions as the fall veto session closed on Oct. 31, state lawmakers
HOSKINS on page 8 See POCKET PARKS on page 3
TODD BANNOR
Man arrested at CTA station for pulling knife on police
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Police responded to the CTA Blue Line Forest Park station the morning of Oct. 30 for a re port of a man waving a knife. He was also banging on windows and threatened to kill someone, according to the police report. Police saw the man yelling at people and, when they approached the man, he pulled out a knife. Police told him to drop it, which he did. Police then detained him. He was charged with aggravated assault and two warrants, one for retail theft and another for ag gravated assault on a transit employee.
Domestic trouble
trying to relocate the woman from the apar tment, she became irate and re peatedly refused medical services, according to the police report. Police told her she had to go to the hospital because she could be overdosing, and members of the Forest Park Fire Department confirmed that the woman was overdosing. She was taken to Rush Oak Park Hospital.
Aggravated assault
On Oct. 26, police responded to a Hannah Avenue residence at 3 a.m. for an aggravated assault. The caller told police that two people with masks on were trying to steal his neighbor’s catalytic converter and pointed a gun at him before fleeing in a U-Haul truck. The catalytic converter was still attached to the car, and the neighbor said he’d sign complaints if the offender was located.
Battery
On Oct. 24, police responded to a Roosevelt Road address after a man called around 3 a.m. to ask police to escort him up to his apar tment, since his roommate’s stepson had several people living with him for the last three months. Police re ported the man was upset and appeared intoxicated, later walking away from police. About 20 minutes later, police returned to the residence for a disturbance. According to the police re port, the apar tment had an odor and there was trash on the floor. Poported that there were over a dozen people in the kitchen and three juveniles sleeping in a bedroom. Their parents were instructed to take them somewhere else the night after their names came back clear. One man was arrested for an active warrant out of DuPage County, and police made a DCFS re port for the involvement of the children.
Police were dispatched to the CTA Blue Line Forest Park station on Oct. 27. Upon arrival, security told police that they asked a woman to get of f the train because there was an unconscious subject on the train, then the woman hit security. According to police, the woman spoke incoherently, but told police she was attacked, choked, scratched and raped by security. She was taken into custody and discovered to be missing out of Chicago since the previous day. She was charged with battery, obstructing her identification to police and resisting an officer.
Assisting re department
Police were dispatched to a Roosevelt Road address around 2 a.m. on Oct. 26 for a woman who was overdosing. Police reported that the woman was conscious and breathing but appeared intoxicated and could barely stand without the help of a man with her. The man said the woman was drinking and taking Klonopin, and that he administered Narcan to her. Upon
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department re ports, Oct. 24-30 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
POCKET PARKS
Cooperation recognized from page 1
park at 1138 Lathrop Ave., playground equipment was removed and grass was planted last year to create a bit of green space.
During her commissioner’s report at the Oct. 27 council meeting, Voogd recalled the moment when then-Village Administrator Gillian pitched the idea to lease the parks.
“Tim had been an advocate for leasing the parks to the park district for some time, and it made a lot of sense to me,” Voogd said. “All of our fellow taxing bodies are doing amazing work in our community and are so supportive of each other. It’s truly a testament to the fact that when we’re working together, wonderful things really do happen.”
“It’s a great way to show, when two government entities in the same community come together, what we can accomplish,” said Jackie Iovinelli, executive director of the park district. “The reason we got to where we got to is the fact that, in the moment when the idea was first brought about, both boards
The IAPD award “recognizes park districts and the units of gover nment with which they have an agreement that maximizes tax dollars and benefits residents throughout the community,” said Peter Murphy, IAPD’s President and CEO. “The board and staff of the Park District of Forest Park and the Village epitomize the meaning of this award. Their shared vision to improve the health and neighborhood parks to c c b on behalf of the park district, while Jessica Voogd, commissioner of public property, did so for the village.
“It truly was a very nice award. It was very meaningful,” Gillian told the Review of the award. He was village administrator about five years ago when he brought the idea to lease the village-owned pocket parks to the park district to address long-overdue updates that they needed
“I knew that the village would never have the funding to do justice to those parks,” Gillian said. “Therefore, all the residents in town were being denied that benefit.”
Above: Village and park dist rict o cials accept their Illinois Association of Park District’s trophy
Le : Before and a er aerial shots of Popelka Park, Rieger Park and Remembrance Park
that the village supported the park district in its process of getting grants to renovate the parks. “The village trusted us, we worked our tail off with their help, and this is a way to say, ‘Thank you.’”
Gillian said he first went to Iovinelli with the idea of the pocket parks, since he couldn’t pitch the idea to the village without the park district’s buy-in. Iovinelli said, at the award ceremony, she asked Gillian, “Could you ever imagine that, five years ago, when we sat at breakfast and discussed this, this is where we’d be sitting today?”
When asked what her favorite thing about
escribed the scene at Remembrance Park when she leaves work in the evenings.
“When I drive past that park every night, there’s 50 to 100 people shoved in a little bitty park, smiling and laughing,” Iovinelli said, adding that the splash pad is one of her favorite features. “This is exactly what we intended to do, and we did it.”
Gillian also has a soft spot for Remembrance Park. He was village administrator when park renovations started, so he was involved in fundraising for the project, and says the memorial is an important feature for the community
But most of all, Gillian’s favorite thing about the pocket parks is “the way they’re being used,” he said. “It’s rare that you drive by and don’t see somebody there.”
“I don’t know if you’ve driven by any of them recently, but they’re always bustling with kids running around and playing,” Voogd said of the parks at the Oct. 27 council meeting. “And they are now also safer and more inclusive, and they’re just lovely.”
Iovinelli told the Review that the pocket parks are “a safe place, families are getting joy, they’re getting back out into the world and enjoying what the park has to offer, and it’s because the village and the park district came together and did it.”
PHOTO PROVIDED
Brown Cow gets new owners
A er 22 years, Connie Brown sells her ice cream store to two Oak Park couples
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
The Brown Cow, a beloved ice cream shop on Madison Street, got new business and building owners this week.
On Nov. 4, Oak Park residents Andi and Gustavo de Fraga, and Sarah and Nick Stewart, officially became the new business partners running the Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor and Creamery. It was also the last day that Connie Brown scooped ice cream before retiring from the business Brown started selling ice cream in Forest Park over two decades ago. In July, she announced she was putting the building and business up for sale. Brown said she’ll help transition the company to the Stewarts and Gustavo de Fragas over the next month be-
fore taking time to rest and be with her family.
“With a lot of thought over the past year, and with the mortgage up for renewal and my three children now adults, I have decided it is time to find new owners who will continue to grow the brand and retire from the ice cream business,” Brown previously told the Review. “The company has grown to a point where it requires increased time and resources to allow it to continue to grow. Essentially, the business I started 22 years ago when I was just 28 years old has outg rown me.”
“This community has been my chosen family,” Brown added. “Thank you for being a part of our lives.”
Brown Cow is located at 7347 Madison St.
Forest Park’s rat situation continues
Calls for residents to limit food options for rodents with the holidays looming
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Over the last couple months, Forest Pa has been experiencing a spike in the number of rats around town.
“We’ve had an outbreak of rats that’s literally without precedent,” Steve Glinke, director of the village’s department of public health and safety, told the Review in September. “Never have I seen anything like this,” he added, saying that residents are re porting rats in locations that historically haven’t experienced them.
at the end of the Oct. 27 council meeting.
it’s not addressed.”
Nero said the village has received about r calls about rodents since Auile the village typically issues than 15 court appearances a month residents who have overgrown yards or debris collecting outside, since August, een nearly 150 citations for such offenses, or about 50 a month. that lead to an increasing rat population largely include the build-up of
Nero said that, since garbage is picked ay throughout the village, residents should try not to put out trash on the curb until Wednesday evening.
50% discount from the usual price. Nero said staf f frequently works with Smithereen six days a week and has 77 bait stations around the village.
“We’re a community 14,000 strong here, and yet, we are relying heavily on the acts of a few to manage a pretty significant issue,” Nero said. “We have to keep the village clean, respectable and really rat free.”
To curb the presence of rodents in your neighborhood:
■ Wait until the night before trash pickup to put your garbage at the curb.
■ Make sure your garbage isn’t overflowing and compost bins are rodent-proof.
Ryan Nero, commissioner of public health and safety, reiterated concer n about the increasing number of rodents in the village during his commissioner’s re port
“We have distributed, maintained and re plenished more rat control poison in the last eight weeks than we did all of 2024,” Nero said. “We are seeing some progress. But to move the needle as we get into fall, and you got gourds and pumpkins and that kind of stuf f that go out for Halloween, and at Thanksgiving, extra food scraps, and things like that can compound the issue if
“If you see your neighbors putting trash out on Sunday night, that’s a problem, right? It only takes a conversation, and we have a lot of renters in town, and sometimes people just don’t know,” Nero said.
Glinke previously told the Review that the village offers to sponsor a free rodent treatment to residences heavily affected by rodents. He also suggests an ongoing treatment plan with Smithereen Pest Management Services for $150 for three visits, a
■ If you have a bird feeder, be sure to re gularly sweep up seeds.
■ Pick up dog poop so the rodents don’t have anything to feed on.
■ Re gularly mow your grass and manage weeds to restrict the options rats have to burrow
■ If you see rats near your residence, try to first have an idea about where they are nesting or eating before contacting the village
TODD BANNOR
Connie Brow n, founder and owner of e Brow n Cow Ice Cream parlor, hugs a young employee at the celebration of her sale of the business.
‘Elektra’ opens at Madison Street Theater
Rarely produced adaptation of Sophocles’ tragedy launches Forest eatre Company’s rst year-round season
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Forest Theatre Company is launching its first year-round season at Madison Street Theater in Oak Park with the play “Elektra.”
“Elektra” will run from Nov. 13 through Nov. 30 and is Ezra Pound’s adaptation of the Greek tragedy by Sophocles. The play follows Elektra, who sets out to avenge her father’s murder while awaiting the return of her brother, Orestes
“It’s a play about retribution, revenge and the justification for violence,” said Richard Corley, producing artistic director of Forest Theatre Company.
Elizabeth Hope Nahulak, an Oak Park resident who plays Elektra, wanted to be a part of the production to adapt a Greek classic to a modern audience.
“She has so much grief and anger and confusion going on inside her,” Nahulak said of her character, adding that truthfully performing such a wide range of emotions was one of the hardest parts of the play. “I’m al-
ways looking for projects to grow and deepen my own vulnerability. I think that’s important for audiences, especially today, to be reminded why we’re human.”
Pound’s translation of “Elektra” is rarely produced, according to Corley
Though he spent much of his life in Europe, Pound, an American poet, translated the play while he was in a stateside mental hospital after being arrested for treason in his support for Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
“It seems very personal that a man who had been on the wrong side of history and was an artist was, in some sense, trying to justify himself, but at the same time, delving into a kind of moral quandary that proved impossible to solve,” Corley said.
In his translation of “Elektra,” Pound uses a lot of mid-century American slang, along with a fair amount of ancient Greek. And because Pound wrote his adaptation of “Elektra” in 1949, Corley and the play’s designers decided to set their version in the years following World War II.
Cindy Moon is the costume designer for “Elektra” and helped create an on-stage postcreate looks representative of the time period, Moon researched historical hotos and fashion magazines.
riginal “Elektra,” the titular character is treated as a slave and kept in a cage, th the play set in 1949, Moon lektra as an asylum patient — not ound when he wrote his version. escribed the play as both epic and ntimate — Epic because of the ideas and language presented onstage, and intimate betakes place in a 40-seat theater, here the audience sits on all
onflict is going on onstage, it makes the audience a part of it,” Nahulak r the audience feels involved mmediately raises the stakes for ich I think makes a way more e.”
Cast of characters
While Nahulak plays Elektra, Avery-Slade Fountain plays her brother Orestes. Both ac-
tors are associate artists at Forest Theatre Company — meaning the company prioritizes these artists and asks that they prioritize the company, Corley said.
As associate artists, Nahulak and Fountain “get to work more frequently together on these projects and have more artistic input,” Nahulak said. “It helps me feel comfortable and safe in the environment in which I’m working, so that furthers the process of vulnerability and empathy.”
Though Nahulak and Fountain are consistent actors with Forest Theatre Company, other actors and the show’s design team are mostly new to the group. Corley said many are from Oak Park, Berwyn, River Forest and Chicago.
These are the areas Corley is trying to target to get funding for, and audiences to, his shows
“Our ultimate goal is to be a year-round professional theater for the near wester n suburbs. We’re building something here, hopefully that can be a destination theater for Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, Berwyn, Maywood, all these surrounding communities.”
Moon said she largely wanted to be a part of “Elektra” because of how close it was to her Oak Park home when, as a freelance costume designer, she often has to travel to Chi-
cago for work
“I just want to do something here in this community with folks generally from this area,” Moon said. “You can drive 20 minutes and get to Drury Lane, or you could drive into the city, but there’s this weird gap in these near west suburbs, so it’s nice that there’s someone who’s really committed to bringing that level of professional theater to this area.”
Corley hopes the play’s audience, wherever they’re from, comes away from seeing the show feeling more connected to humanity through a story that resonates across time
“People have always grappled with questions of ‘How do I deal with traumatic pain and suffering in my life? What do I do with it? When I have suffered injustice, what choices do I make in my life because of that?’” Corley said. He wants viewers to consider those questions long after they leave the play
“There is a real emotional battle that will happen in the audience of ‘Do we support this? Do we not support this? Who do we like? Who do we not like?’” Moon agreed. “The ending is very unresolved. I really like pieces that challenge the audience.”
“Elektra” is showing at Madison Street Theater, 1010 Madison St. in Oak Park, from Nov. 13 through Nov. 30. Buy tickets and learn more at https://www.forest-theatre.org/
PHOTO PROVIDED
Elizabeth Hope Nahulak, who plays Elektra, and Michael Rogalski during rehearsals.
PHOTO PROVIDED Richard Corley, producing artistic director of Forest eatre Company.
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Constitution Court parking lot may get upgrade
Village applies for a grant to address stormwater runo on Madison Street
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Constitution Court may be next on Forest Park’s list of making streets, alleyways and parking lots more sustainable.
Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution at the Oct. 27 council meeting that allows the village to apply for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA) green infrastructure grant opportunities. In its application, the village requests $818,362 to install permeable pavers, new underdrain s, catch basins, storm sewer connections and a rain garden at the Constitution Court parking lot.
The goal is to create a more sustainabl e parking lot of f of Madison Street by slowing the amount of stormwater and removing pollutants from it before it enters the sewer system.
“The west side structures are crumbling, so that needs to be fixed, and the asphalt is in disarray,” Stella said at the meeting. Though the public works department has been patching the west side of the lot, “the whole thing needs to be done,” he said.
Stella said that just redoing the parking lot’s asphalt and restriping would cost about half the amount of the grant, but likely only last a decade. So the village wants to overhaul the parking lot, which Stella said would extend the life of the lot by about 40 years
“The maintenance is less. You don’t have to keep up with potholes,” Stella said of a more sustainable Constitution Court parking lot. He added that the village would likely need to re place the lot’s aggregate every five years.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be over $1 million, so the village would front about $272,000.
At the Oct. 27 meeting, Commissioner Maria Maxham asked about the current status of the parking lot and whether it needs to be redone right now.
“I would love to see Constitution Court redone,” Maxham said. “My questions just come from an abundance of caution and concern about our financial priorities.” The village projects a $15 million deficit in fiscal year 2026.
Sal Stella, the director of the public works department, said the east part of the Constitution Court parking lot was redone four or five years ago, but the west side wasn’t.
Commissioner Michelle Melin-Rogovin said that an update to the Constitution Court parking lot would help with flooding in the area. She recounted periods of heavy rainfall in 2023 and 2024 that left Thomas Avenue residents with flooded basements, as she then helped them get FEMA funding for dama ge
“We still don’t have the combined sewers in that area. So the work that we’re doing for that is on our agenda tonight for the alley improvements,” said Melin-Rogovin, referencing a passed agenda item that approved an intergovernmental ag reement with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to create another green alley. She added that making Constitution Court greener “would go a long way to help that, until we’re able to do sewer separation as well.”
JESSICA MOR DACQ
Ferrara’s new Nerds ‘raise the bar ’
Not exactly a walk in the park to create, says brand manager
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
It’s bigger! It’s juicer! It’s Nerds’ new Juicy Gummy Clusters!
Ferrara announced in September that Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters have hit store shelves. The new candy — made in Forest Park at 7301 W. Harrison St. — is similar to Nerds Gummy Clusters, with hard Nerds candy surrounding a gummy center, but this version is twice as big and has a drop of juice in the middle.
The launch of Juicy Gummy Clusters is Nerds’ largest since standard Gummy Clusters came out in 2020, according to
HOSKINS
CTA to reimburse
from page 1
passed a bill that adds $1.5 billion in funding to public transit and creates a new entity to oversee the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to sign the bill, which would go into effect in June
The bill includes an amendment that requires the CTA to reimburse Forest Park, Oak Park, River Forest and Rosemont for the costs of police and fire personnel responding to CTA stations. The municipalities will be reimbursed annually after submitting an itemized billing statement.
Hoskins said the village estimates it would be reimbursed up to $950,000 for the fire department’s responses to CTA stops. That doesn’t account for the cost of police responses, which the village hasn’t looked at yet.
The bill replaces the Regional Transportation Authority that currently oversees the CTA, Metra and Pace with a newly created Northern Illinois Transit Authority to standardize fares, service and infrastructure across the three transit entities.
In recent years, Forest Park has seen a sig-
Michael Butler, a Nerds brand manager at Ferrara Candy Company.
“After five years of the original Nerds Gummy Clusters candy becoming a topseller in the sugar confections category, we saw an opportunity to take that success to the next level with a bold new twist that amplifies the multisensorial experience fans know and love,” Butler told the Review. “It really is a product that plays into all the senses. It’s me ga, crunchy, gummy, and now, juicy.”
When Nerds developed the Gummy Cluster over five years ago, it wasn’t necessarily a walk in the park to create the candy.
“It is a more complex product,” a senior plant director at Ferrara previously told the Review. “It’s not as simple as some other gummies because it requires the Nerds to fuse with the gummies.”
Butler said creating Juicy Gummy Clusters had its own difficulties.
“Scaling up the candy and adding a juicy
nificant increase in emergency calls to the Blue Line terminal at 711 Des Plaines Ave. A decade ago, Forest Park first responders got about 200 CTA-related emergency calls, about 160 of those at the CTA Forest Park Blue Line station. Last year, there were nearly 500 calls to the Blue Line terminal, or about 12% of all emergency calls. This year, first responders are on pace to exceed 600 calls to CTA stops, but there have been few additional resources to help with the increase.
center introduced new challenges, especially in maintaining the right texture and flavor balance,” Butler said. “Ferrara’s technical teams worked in partnership with our Forest Park factory team to ensure the juice complemented, rather than overwhelmed, the candy.”
Currently, Juicy Gummy Clusters only come in one flavor: Bold Strawberry Punch. They can be found at Target and Walmart and are rolling out to other retailers nationwide. There will be 2.65-ounce, 4.5-ounce and 7.15-ounce packages with a suggested retail price between $2.49 and $6.49.
Ferrara Candy Company, with its factory in Forest Park, bought Nerds in 2018, when it was a $50 million brand. Last year, Nerds did $850 million in sales.
“Five years ago, Nerds transformed the candy landscape with the launch of Nerds Gummy Clusters candy,” said Katie Duffy, vice president of global brands at Ferrara,
in a statement announcing Juicy
Clusters. “And now, we’re raising the bar again.”
“We just want to support our first responders. We want to see safe trains, and we want the public to feel like we hear them,” Hoskins told the Review. “When I hear from residents that they don’t feel safe on the train, I want them to know that I’m listening to them, and I’m sharing their concerns with our partners, whether it’s at the county level or the state level.”
The new bill also addresses public safety by creating a transit ambassador program to help with rider issues and a law enforcement task force made up of the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, Chicago Police Department, Metra police, Illinois State Police and suburban police departments.
“We see this as a start. I don’t know that the
passage itself will have a dramatic impact on public safety,” Hoskins said of the bill, though he acknowledged the creation of the taskforce and said Forest Park could have a seat at the table.
The $1.5 billion transit overhaul is funded by diverting money from the state tax on motor fuel and the state road fund to mass transit. The bill will likely raise sales tax, plus increase tolls by 45 cents on the Illinois Tollway (the first increase in 13 years) to raise an estimated $1 billion annually for roadwork
Passing this bill prevented an impending fiscal cliff for Chicagoland mass transit.
Advocating for Forest Park
Hoskins — along with village officials Village Administrator Rachell Entler, Fire Chief Lindsey Hankus and Police Chief Ken Gross — has vocally supported the transit reform bill for months, meeting with legislative staff, representatives, CTA and county leadership to discuss the strain that CTA operations put on the village’s emergency responders and resources.
Hoskins spent Wednesday and Thursday in Springfield before the bill was passed early Friday morning. There, Hoskins, Entler and Hankus advocated for the amendment that would reimburse Forest Park by speaking with legislators, including the lead negotiators for the House, the Speaker’s office, senators and labor officials
“We were letting people know that we were there to support the transit reforms,” Hoskins said. “We’re just trying to represent the residents as best we can.”
Hoskins said Forest Park officials are talking with Oak Park and River Forest to try to quantify the fiscal impact that emergency calls to CTA stops have on all three communities.
“Thinking about it not just as a Forest Park perspective, but a tri-village perspective,” Hoskins said, and “how much our three suburbs service the wider county.”
“The village is deeply grateful for the continued collaboration and support from our state legislators, county officials, the CTA, and the governor’s office,” Forest Park officials said in a statement. “Their partnership is essential in working toward a sustainable solution—not only for Forest Park, but for other municipalities along the Blue and Green Lines facing similar challenges.”
Gummy
PHOTO PROVIDED
RORY HOSKINS
Halloween on parade
Field Stevenson’s Halloween parade took place Friday with a full crowd waiting to see the creative work from the upper elementary school. Viewers could enjoy the delights including zombie baristas and cheerleaders, horror movie favorites like Ghostface, Evil Scarecrow and Pennywise from It. Celebrating the lighthearted side
of Halloween were Teletubbies, Minecraft creations, dinosaurs, and K-Pop stars. Bob Ross, Harry Potter and Star Wars. Families could be seen filling the streets collecting candy from neighbors and celebrating a feast of friendly Halloween action.
Jill Wagner
Photos by JILL WAGNER
Rallying cry from Illinois leaders on Straw indictment:
‘We refuse to be silent’
Progressive leaders decry ‘politicalization’ of DOJ
By BILL DWYER Contributing Reporter
As the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s showed, it helps to have a rallying cry when faced with a daunting struggle.
Those throughout the Chicago area either impacted by or actively fighting against the immigration enforcement actions of the Trump administration heard such a rallying cry from their elected leaders Oct. 30 after the Department of Justice indicted 6 people for their protests at the ICE detention facility in Broadview. Among those indicted was Oak Park Village Trustee Brian Straw.
The open letter from Gov. JB Pritzker and others came as a bill (HB1312) protecting illegal immigrants from ICE actions in certain places, like courthouses and hospitals, is headed to Pritzker’s desk to be signed into law.
“We refuse to be silent,” Pritzker and others said loudly and clearly in their letter
Pritzker was joined by Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County Board president Toni Preckwinkle atop a list of 130 elected officials in northern Illinois who spoke out in detail against the federal effort.
Other signatories were U.S. Representative Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4), Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, 27th Ward Alderman Walter Redmond Burnett, 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin and 1st District Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps, along with members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, the Cook County board, the Chicago City Council and more than a hundred county, municipal and township office holders.
All signaled their solidarity with the six protesters who were indicted for stopping a US Customs and Immigration Enforcement vehicle during a protest in Broadview the mor ning of Sept. 26. Straw, one of multiple public officials among the so-called “Broadview Six,” has called the charges “baseless” and vowed to “continue to stand with and protect our im-
migrant neighbors.”
“The politicization of our justice system crosses a fundamental line that should alar m anyone who cares about democracy and the rule of law,” the letter states. “This is not what democracy looks like, and we cannot accept it as nor mal.”
“Congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, County Board candidate Cat Sharp, Committeeperson Michael Rabbitt, Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw, Joselyn Walsh, and Andre Martin now face prosecution for simply exercising their First Amendment rights,” the letter states
The DOJ action, the signatories said, “follows a disturbing national pattern, from the indictment of Rep. LaMonica McIver in New Jersey to the charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, for mer FBI Director James Comey, and dozens of others who have challenged the Trump administration.” Federal prosecutors, they say, “are being weaponized to punish political opponents and silence dissent.”
“The politicization of our justice system crosses a fundamental line that should alar m
anyone who cares about democracy and the rule of law. This is not what democracy looks like, and we cannot accept it as normal,” Pritzker and the other signatories said.
“Federal agents have grabbed residents off the streets without warrant or explanation, including U.S. citizens. They fatally shot an unarmed civilian during a traffic stop. They have caused multiple high-speed collisions in residential neighborhoods. They have pepper-sprayed innocent bystanders and peaceful protesters across Cook County and outside the Broadview ICE facility, including faith leaders and candidates for office.”
“Masked ICE agents have transformed everyday life for thousands of our constituents,” the elected leaders wrote. “Parents won’t send their kids to school, workers are choosing to stay home, and families are skipping doctors’ appointments for fear of being picked up off the street.
“We refuse to be silent,” the letter signatories said. “And we will continue standing with every resident who speaks out against what this administration is doing to our communities.”
SMALL BITES
Restaurants are stressed.
Let’s save them, again
Support our cornucopia of deliciousness
Big eating season is upon us. It starts with dessert on Halloween, then becomes a progressive meal from Thanksgiving, to Christmas, to New Year’s … then desser t again on Valentine’s Day. Hold onto your waistline!
At Takeout25’s owners and managers meeting there was talk about the stress that many, if not most, of our dining establishments are under these days. Whether it’s economic pressures to stay home or immigration action fears and restaurants are feeling the pinch. Consider picking up your Covid sta to order or eat out once a week. our menu options then; no
Gyumon Japanese BBQ is open! The stunning dining room at 105 N. Marion St., in Oak Park started serving up meals last week. Here’s the deal: all-inclusive dining comes at two levels $45 per person or $55 (which includes a wider range of options).
ppetizers, soup, entrees, dessert and select beverages are all included. The protein list is extensive: wagyu beef, marinated chicken, shrimp, pork sausage, squid and more. Each table is fitted with a yakiniku g rill. S’mores at the end of the meal is a special indoor treat.
Ecuadorian food began as a weekend specialty, but it is now available daily at Golden Pizzeria, 6606 W. North Ave., Chicago. Owner Marta Pilco started out ing in pizza restaurants, but she has epreneurial plunge. Her menu features extensive Italian options, including very generously sized pizza slices, but it’s food from her home country that caught my attention. Encebollado is the national dish of Ecuador – a silky soup with tender flakes of tuna, pickled red onions, yucca, all floating in a rich broth. You can also try bolones, salchipapas, and more. Grab a can of Inca Kola!
There’s a new sushi shop, Happy Izakaya, inside and upstairs at Habrae, 7230 Madison in Forest Park. The OPRF Chamber of Commerce cel-
PROVIDED
Takeout 25 Community Cookbook release party is set for Nov. 8 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Book Loft, 1047 Lake St. in Oak Park. In honor of the group’s fifth anniversary, 25 local restaurants shared their recipes. It’s also packed with info about the history and evolution of dining in our community. Perfect for holiday gift giving!
Congrats to Anfora Wine Merchants, which leads off the Chicago Tribune’s recent ar ticle about the best places to sip and savor wine in the suburbs. Also mentioned were Cooper’s Hawk, Citrine Café, Hemmingway’s Bistro and Autre Monde Cafe & Spirits. In fact, all the locations mentioned for vino in the ‘burbs were around here!
Alice and Friends’ Ve gan Kitchen is up and running in the old Munch space on Marion.
If you missed the invitation to meet at Bobby’s Eastside for the first incar nation of Eats-out – where local food lovers gathered, ate well and talked turkey –you’ll have another chance come January when we give the gathering another go.
Got news, questions or ideas for this column? Email them to us at Eats@oakparkeats.com. RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Ecuadorian encebollado soup at Golden Pizzeria
ebrates achievement in the local business community at its annual Spotlight Soiree on Nov. 19. Earlybird tickets are available now for $35.
Eats-out with Ann Farrell, Risé Sanders-Weir and Paul Clark at Bobby’s Eastside
OPINION
OUR VIEW
Hoskins’ transit win
There has rightly been a lot of coverage about the fiscal clif f that has faced every public transit agency in the Chicago metro area. There were plenty of machinations in Springfield, most recently during the now-ended fall veto session. Just a week back, it seemed as if the combo of transit reform and added funding was about dead
It got resurrected in the final hours of the session. So now there will be both reform – with the end of the RTA and arrival of a new oversight agency – and necessary funding.
Deep within that funding plan is a major win for Forest Park and its mayor, Rory Hoskins. The Mayor has been lobbying for multiple years to secure state reimbursement for the escalating number of ambulance runs the village makes to the Blue Line terminal on Desplaines Avenue And he got it included in the bill.
The village estimates it has spent nearly $1 million annually the past couple of years sending paramedics to the el station. That doesn’t include the cost of police response. That is a major cost to a small village which is always counting nickels.
So kudos to Hoskins for building his political alliances in state gover nment and working them effectively for this very fair and necessary revenue source for Forest Park
Pocket parks honored
We’ve been touting the meaningful collaboration between Forest Park’s village gover nment and the park district on remaking the long-ignored pocket parks for a long time.
Nice to see these entities, which have not always played well together, being recognized by the Illinois Association of Park Districts with its Best of the Best Award for intergover nmental cooperation.
Representatives of both the village and parks were present on Oct. 24 to accept the award for what they have jointly accomplished
Four small but lovely park spaces have now bloomed across the village The village has long owned these parks but did little but cut the grass The long-term lease deal gave the park district, which had both the financial resources and the expert talent, the incentive to invest in these neighborhood parks.
The upgrades are like night and day. And when we spend time in Forest Park, it is plain to see that our neighbors have found these newly polished jewels
How now Brown Cow?
A final thanks to Connie Brown, the founder of the Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor. This week, she is tur ning over the ownership of the iconic gathering space to new proprietors.
Good for her in recognizing the business needed new talent and energy and then steering it into the hands of two couples who will move it ahead while, we hope, nurturing the deep community ties this place h
A feel-good immigration story
St. Paul Thai Lutheran Church will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a festival service in a recently restored sanctuary featuring Thai classical dance and special music. Following the service, worshippers will move to the social hall and treated to a spectacular buffet of Thai food and shopping at a holiday market.
The Thais want to share their pride and sense of accomplishment with the entire community and therefore they invite everyone to share their joy by joining them at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov.16 at the church, located at the cor ner of Brown and Dixon.
HOLMES
A 40th anniversary is in itself a cause for celebration, but what will make this event an especially celebratory occasion is the journey the members have taken to get where they are today
In 1985 a small group of Thais living in Chicago for med what was then called the Thai Community Church of Chicago and asked Rev. Pongsak Limthongviratn, who was working on a PhD at the time, to act as their weekend pastor.
They worshipped at a Japanese church near Wrigley Field for a few years and moved to Forest Park in 1992 where they rented space from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, the congregation that owned the white stucco church building with two steeples at 7416 Dixon.
What they told St. Paul’s members was that their plan was to rent for 5-10 years, save their money and purchase a building of their own. They even had a cardboard model of what that facility might look like At the time, St. Paul’s was the stronger congregation of the two, and the members liked the idea of helping another small church pursue its dream. As St. Paul’s became gradually weaker, the Thai congregation got stronger. About 15 years later, St Paul’s members accepted the reality that, because of declining membership, the congregation before long would have to close, but as a last act of faithfulness to their sense of purpose, they, in effect, “wrote the Thais into their will.”
That in itself is a good story, but the fact that the Thais are not only still around but thriving is evidence that they beat the odds. The Rev. Dr. Pongsak, who is now president of the Bangkok Institute of Theology in Thailand, told me a few years ago that ethnic congregations usually don’t last more than 30 years. New immigrants are highly motivated to support
an organization that speaks their language, loves their food and shares a common culture. Their children, however, grow up in this country and therefore speak English as their first language, love pizza, have been assimilated into American culture and join churches that are more in tune with the culture in which they grew up
The fact that this group is 10 years beyond that 30-year projection makes the Nov. 16 event even more a cause for thanksgiving.
What the Thai members are also grateful for is not just surviving but alive with energy, a sense of purpose and looking to the future with expectation. Leaning into the future, the congregation has invested almost $100,000 — painting, upgrading, replacing the old boiler, adding a full bathroom complete with a shower next to the classrooms in the basement — to restore the 126-year-old building to a “like-new” condition.
That kind of investment reveals that the congre gation expects it just might be around for another 40 years.
Part of this spiritual vigor is a generational shift Rev. Pongsak’s strong leadership kept the congregation on course for 30 years, but with many of the original members getting up in age, there was some anxiety about the future.
When he retired and moved back to Thailand, the created power vacuum in the church was quickly filled by younger Thais who spoke English well, were professionals, and who drove BMWs or family-size mini-vans. The mini-vans parked outside the church at 3 p.m., when worship begins, correlates with the number of small children in the congregation’s Sunday school.
Another way the Thai church has beaten the odds is the diversity of people at worship. Out of the 20-30 people in church on a typical Sunday, four will be Black and six will be white — one-third to one-half of those present.
While that DEI mix is an aspiration of most mainline churches, research reveals that when it comes to religion, birds of a feather tend to flock together
You might say that this small group of religious folk is counter-cultural in many and pleasing ways.
To learn more about this ongoing successful immigration story, go to the congregation’s website, www. saintpaulthai.com.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO BORROW FUNDSAND RIGHT TO PETITION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Ordinance Number O-46-25, adopted on October 27, 2025, the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”), intends to enter into a Loan Agreement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,465,000.00 and bearing annual interest at an amount not to exceed the maximum rate authorized by law at the time of execution of the Loan Agreement, for the purpose of paying the cost of certain improvements to the public water supply system of the Village. A complete copy of the Ordinance accompanies this Notice.
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that if a petition signed by 1,068 or more electors of the Village (being equal to 10% of the registered voters in the Village), requesting that the question of improving the public water supply system of the Village and entering into the Loan Agreement is submitted to the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the publication of this Notice, the question of improving the public water supply system of the Village as provided in the Ordinance and Loan Agreement shall be submitted to the electors of the Village at the next general primary election to be held under general election law on March 17, 2026. A petition form is available from the office of the Village Clerk.
/s/ Megan Roach Deputy Village Clerk Village of Forest Park Cook County, Illinois
ORDINANCE NO. O-46-25
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE OF FOREST PARK, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, TO BORROW FUNDS FROM THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY LOAN PROGRAM
(Lead Service Line Replacement Project – Stage 3)
WHEREAS, the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”), operates its public water supply system (the “System”), pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, Division 139 of the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-139-1 et seq.) and the Local Government Debt Reform Act, 30 ILCS 350/1 et seq. (collectively, the “Act”); and WHEREAS, the Mayor and Village Council of the Village (“Corporate Authorities”) have determined that it is advisable, necessary and in the best interest of the public health, safety, and welfare to improve the System by construction and installation of the following: replacement of lead water service lines (public and privately owned portion), together with any land or rights in land and all electrical, mechanical or other services necessary, useful or advisable to the construction and installation (the “Project”), all in accordance with the plans and specifications prepared by the consulting engineers of the Village, which Project has a use-
ful life of not less than seventy-five (75) years; and WHEREAS, the estimated cost of construction and installation of the Project, including engineering, legal, financial and other related expenses is Two Million Four Hundred Sixty-Five Thousand Dollars ($2,465,000.00), and there are insufficient funds on hand and lawfully available to pay these costs; and WHEREAS, the Corporate Authorities of the Village have determined that it is advisable, necessary and in the best interest of the Village to secure a loan (the “Loan”) from the Public Water Supply Loan Program (the “Program”) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (“IEPA”), in the aggregate principal amount of Two Million Four Hundred Sixty-Five Thousand Dollars ($2,465,000.00) to provide funds to pay a portion of the cost of the Project, with the remaining cost of the Project paid from other Village sources; and WHEREAS, the Loan shall bear an interest rate as defined by 35 Ill. Adm. Code 663, which does not exceed the maximum rate authorized by the Bond Authorization Act, as amended, 30 ILCS 305/0.01 et seq., at the time of the issuance of the Loan; and WHEREAS, the principal and interest payments of the Loan shall be payable semi-annually, and the Loan shall mature in twenty (20) years, which is within the period of useful life of the Project; and WHEREAS, the Loan shall be repaid from revenues of the System (the “Dedicated Revenue Source”) and the Loan is authorized to be accepted at this time pursuant to the Act; and WHEREAS, the Village does not have any outstanding debt obligations which encumber the Dedicated Revenue Source, but the Village has two existing IEPA loans, IEPA Loan L17-6160 and IEPA Loan L177101, to fund Stages 1 and 2 of the Project; and WHEREAS, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Village is authorized to borrow funds from the Program in the aggregate principal amount of Two Million Four Hundred Sixty-Five Thousand Dollars ($2,465,000.00) to provide funds to pay the costs of the Project; and WHEREAS, in accordance with the Program, the Village is eligible to have up to 100% of the principal of the Loan forgiven by the State of Illinois; and WHEREAS, the Loan to the Village shall be made pursuant to a loan agreement, including certain terms and conditions between the Village and the IEPA (the “Loan Agreement”).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and Village Council of the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois, as follows:
SECTION 1. INCORPORATION OF PREAMBLES. The Corporate Authorities hereby find that the recitals contained in the preambles are true and correct, and incorporate them into this Ordinance by this reference.
SECTION 2. DETERMINATION TO BORROW FUNDS. It is necessary and in the best interests of the Village to construct the Project for the public health, safety and welfare, in accordance with the plans and
PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES
Village is only seeking a loan for which 100% principal forgiveness or some lesser amount is available and, to the extent that principal forgiveness in an amount satisfactory to the Village is not available and provided for the Project, the Village has determined that it will not be seeking a loan for the Project.
the maximum rate authorized by law at the time of execution of the Loan Agreement, for the purpose of paying the cost of certain improvements to the public water supply system of the Village. A complete copy of the Ordinance accompanies this Notice.
specifications, as described; that the System continues to be operated in accordance with the provisions of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, 415 ILCS 5/1 et seq.; and that for the purpose of constructing the Project, it is hereby authorized that funds be borrowed by the Village in the aggregate principal amount (which can include construction period interest financed over the term of the Loan) not to exceed Two Million Four Hundred Sixty-Five Thousand Dollars ($2,465,000.00), the principal of which may be forgivable up to 100% in accordance with the Program.
SECTION 3. PUBLICATION. This Ordinance, together with a Notice in the statutory form (attached hereto as Exhibit A), shall be published once within ten (10) days after passage in the Forest Park Review, a newspaper published and of general circulation in the Village, and if no petition, signed by electors numbering 10% or more of the registered voters in the Village (i.e., 1,068) asking that the question of improving the System as provided in this Ordinance and entering into the Loan Agreement therefore be submitted to the electors of the Village, is filed with the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this Ordinance and notice, then this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect. A petition form shall be provided by the Village Clerk to any individual requesting one.
SECTION 4. ADDITIONAL ORDINANCES. The Corporate Authorities may adopt additional ordinances or proceedings supplementing or amending this Ordinance, providing for entering into the Loan Agreement with the IEPA, prescribing all the details of the Loan Agreement, and providing for the collection, segregation and distribution of the Dedicated Revenue Source, so long as the maximum amount of the Loan as set forth in this Ordinance is not exceeded and there is no material change in the Project or purposes described herein. Any additional ordinances or proceedings shall in all instances become effective in accordance with the Act or other applicable laws. This Ordinance, together with such additional ordinances or proceedings, shall constitute complete authority for entering into the Loan Agreement under applicable law.
However, notwithstanding the above, the Village may not adopt additional ordinances or amendments which provide for any substantive or material change in the scope and intent of this Ordinance, including but not limited to interest rate, preference or priority of any other ordinance with this Ordinance, parity of any other ordinance with this Ordinance, or otherwise alter or impair the obligation of the Village to pay the principal and interest due on the Loan to the Program without the written consent of the IEPA.
SECTION 5. LOAN NOT INDEBTED-
NESS OF THE VILLAGE. Repayment of the Loan to the IEPA by the Village pursuant to this Ordinance is to be solely from the Dedicated Revenue Source, and the Loan does not constitute an indebtedness of the Village within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory limitation. The foregoing notwithstanding, the
SECTION 6. APPLICATION FOR LOAN. The Mayor of the Village is hereby authorized to make application to the IEPA for the Loan through the Program, in accordance with the loan requirements set out in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 663.
SECTION 7. ACCEPTANCE OF LOAN AGREEMENT. The Corporate Authorities hereby authorize acceptance of the offer of the Loan through the Program, including all terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement as well as all special conditions contained therein and made a part thereof by reference. The Corporate Authorities further agree that the funds obtained through the Loan shall be used solely for the purposes of the Project as approved by the IEPA in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement.
SECTION 8. AUTHORIZATION OF MAYOR TO EXECUTE LOAN AGREEMENT. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to execute the Loan Agreement with the IEPA and all such other documents as may be necessary to obtain the Loan. The Corporate Authorities may authorize by resolution a person other than the Mayor for the sole purpose of authorizing or executing any documents associated with payment requests or reimbursements from the IEPA in connection with the Loan.
SECTION 9. SEVERABILITY. If any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Ordinance is held invalid, the invalidity of such section, paragraph, clause or provision shall not affect any of the other provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 10. REPEALER. All ordinances, resolutions, orders, or parts thereof, which conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such conflict, are hereby repealed.
ADOPTED by the Council of the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois, this 27th day of October, 2025
AYES: Maxham, Nero, Voogd, Melin-Rogovin, Hoskins
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
APPROVED by me this 27th day of October, 2025.
/s/ Rory E. Hoskins
Rory E. Hoskins, Mayor Attested and Filed in my office, And published in pamphlet form this 27th day of October, 2025.
/s/ Megan Roach
Megan Roach, Deputy Village Clerk
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF INTENT TO BORROW FUNDS AND RIGHT TO PETITION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Ordinance Number O-46-25, adopted on October 27, 2025, the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”), intends to enter into a Loan Agreement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,465,000.00 and bearing annual interest at an amount not to exceed
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that if a petition signed by 1,068 or more electors of the Village (being equal to 10% of the registered voters in the Village), requesting that the question of improving the public water supply system of the Village and entering into the Loan Agreement is submitted to the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the publication of this Notice, the question of improving the public water supply system of the Village as provided in the Ordinance and Loan Agreement shall be submitted to the electors of the Village at the next general primary election to be held under general election law on March 17, 2026. A petition form is available from the office of the Village Clerk.
/s/ Megan Roach Deputy Village Clerk Village of Forest Park Cook County, Illinois
Published in Forest Park Review November 5, 2025
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.
The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-6699777.
ERS GENERALLY, AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS
Defendant 25 CH 1934 CALENDAR 59
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on November 24, 2025, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-10-118-014.
Commonly known as 43 South 20th Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Altman, Strautins & Kromm, LLC d/b/a Kluever Law Group, 200 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1880, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (312) 236-0077. SMS001399-25FC1
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS INC. Plaintiff, -v.WAYNE WASHINGTON, DESRI H. WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Defendants 2022 CH 11715 1444 MORRIS AVENUE BERKELEY, IL 60163
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on June 25, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on November 20, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: LOT 150 IN J. W. MCCORMACK’S WESTMORELAND, BEING A SUBDIVISION IN THE WEST 1/2 OF FRACTIONAL SECTION 8, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, NORTH OF THE INDIAN
ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
BOUNDARY LINE, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Commonly known as 1444 MORRIS AVENUE, BERKELEY, IL 60163
Property Index No. 15-08-105036-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence.
The judgment amount was $300,141.11.
Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition.
The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, contact JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650,
Chicago, IL, 60602 (312) 5419710. Please refer to file number 22 0025. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650 Chicago IL, 60602 312-541-9710
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 2022 CH 11715 I3274849
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION MCLP ASSET COMPANY, INC., Plaintiff, -v.BEATA AVILA; FILEMON AVILA; MEB LOAN TRUST IV; Defendants. 2022CH05568
430 S La Grange Rd, La Grange, IL 60525
NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 8/19/2025, an agent of Auction. com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on December 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on 12/3/2025 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.
Commonly known as 430 S La Grange Rd, La Grange, IL 60525 Property Index No. 18-04-330014-0000; 18-04-330-027-0000 The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $429,968.64 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction.com by entering 430 S La Grange Rd into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www. auction.com prior to placing a bid. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g)(l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: Diaz Anselmo & Associates, LLC (630) 453-6960 please refer to file number 1496-180706. Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602872-225-4985 You can also visit www.auction.com. Attorney File No. 1496-180706 Case Number: 2022CH05568 NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
I3275153
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION Plaintiff, -v.ADELYN V ANDERSON, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING BY AND THROUGH ITS AGENCY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Defendants 2022 CH 09721 1708 WASHINGTON BOULEVARD MAYWOOD, IL 60153 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on June 3, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 9, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:
Commonly known as 1708 WASHINGTON BOULEVARD, MAYWOOD, IL 60153
Property Index No. 15-10-323004-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence.
The judgment amount was $245,940.54.
Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, contact CHAD LEWIS, ROBERTSON ANSCHUTZ SCHNEID CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 6400 SHAFER CT, STE 325, ROSEMONT, IL, 60018 (561) 241-6901. Please refer to file number 22-044489. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2022 CH 09721
I3275329
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION MCLP ASSET COMPANY, INC. Plaintiff, -v.-
CHRISTINA M. SERRANO, OLIVIA MEDELLIN
Defendants
2023 CH 07058
2308 STRATFORD AVE WESTCHESTER, IL 60154
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on August 28, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 1, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 2308 STRATFORD AVE, WESTCHESTER, IL 60154
Property Index No. 15-29-209037-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $326,460.04.
Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The
Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, contact CHAD LEWIS, ROBERTSON ANSCHUTZ SCHNEID CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 6400 SHAFER CT, STE 325, ROSEMONT, IL, 60018 (561) 241-6901. Please refer to file number 23-133284. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
CHAD LEWIS ROBERTSON ANSCHUTZ SCHNEID CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC 6400 SHAFER CT, STE 325 ROSEMONT IL, 60018 561-241-6901
E-Mail: ILMAIL@RASLG.COM
Attorney File No. 23-133284
Attorney ARDC No. 6306439
Attorney Code. 65582
Case Number: 2023 CH 07058
TJSC#: 45-2253
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2023 CH 07058 I3275289
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 8/25/2025, an agent of Auction. com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on December 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on 12/3/2025 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.
Commonly known as 532 CLAYTON RD, HILLSIDE, IL 60162 Property Index No. 15-08-317022-0000
The real estate is improved with a Residential Property. The judgment amount was $229,826.07 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction.com by entering
532 CLAYTON RD into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www. auction.com prior to placing a bid. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g)(l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES PC (630) 794-5300 please refer to file number 14-25-01154. Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602872-225-4985 You can also visit www.auction.com. Attorney File No. 14-25-01154 Case Number: 2025CH01974 NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. I3275423
Forest Park Review, November 5, 2025
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC
Plaintiff vs. CONRAD BOND AKA CONRAD BOND SR; ALICIA BOND; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA), N.A.; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendant 24 CH 8337 CALENDAR 62 NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on December 8, 2025, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-16-103-036-0000. Commonly known as 3607 Monroe St., Bellwood, IL 60104. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Diaz Anselmo & Associates P.A., 1771 West Diehl Road, Suite 120, Naperville, IL 60563. (630) 453-6960. 6706-207388
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Plaintiff vs. JULIE FOX, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF DOROTHY G LEE, DECEASED; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF DOROTHY G LEE
A/K/A DOROTHY LEE; PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES, LLC; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS; CORTEZ BROADNAX; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF RO-
SHUNDA BROADNAX-JOHNSON
Defendant 25 CH 1291
CALENDAR 58
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on December 9, 2025, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-15-320-025-0000. Commonly known as 2018 South 20th Avenue, Broadview, IL 60155.
The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLP, 1 North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, Illinois 60602. 312-3469088. 24-20061IL INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
intercountyjudicialsales.com I3275651
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR RESIDENTIAL ASSET MORTGAGE PRODUCTS, INC., GMACM HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST 2007-HE3
Plaintiff,
-v.-
GWENDOLYN W. WILLIAMS, FOREST PARK-WASHINGTON SQUARE CONDOMINIUMS
Defendants 2024CH06280 7449 WASHINGTON STREET APT 502 FOREST PARK, IL 60130
NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on May 27, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 2, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 7449 WASHINGTON STREET APT 502, FOREST PARK, IL 60130 Property Index No. 15-12-430035-1034
The real estate is improved with a residence.
Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition.
The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876
THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300
E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com
Attorney File No. 14-24-04036
Attorney ARDC No. 00468002
Attorney Code. 21762
Case Number: 2024CH06280
TJSC#: 45-2563
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2024CH06280 I3275752
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF2 ACQUISITION TRUST Plaintiff, -v.STEVE DEINES, SANDRA DEINES
Defendants 2024CH07549
200 S CARYL AVE NORTHLAKE, IL 60164
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 17, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30
AM on December 3, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 200 S CARYL AVE, NORTHLAKE, IL 60164
Property Index No. 15-05-102003-0000
The real estate is improved with a residence.
Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876
THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2024CH07549 I3275759
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2005-OPT4, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-OPT4 Plaintiff, -v.-
CHARLES E. SILMON, CASSANDRA SILMON, DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE OF HSI ASSET SECURITIZATION CORPORATION TRUST 2006-OPT2, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-OPT2, STATE OF ILLINOIS - DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS
Defendants 2020CH05803 529 49TH AVE BELLWOOD, IL 60104
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on April 16, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 4, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 529 49TH AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104
Property Index No. 15-08-408051-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence. Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required
by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876
THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300
E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com
Attorney File No. 14-20-05247
Attorney ARDC No. 00468002
Attorney Code. 21762
Case Number: 2020CH05803
TJSC#: 45-2715
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2020CH05803 I3275794
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Trustee of LSRMF MH Master Participation Trust II Plaintiff, -v.-
Jerzy Bagan; Irena Bagan; Malgorzata Kowalewska; Jakub Wdowicki; Viking CRC Incorporated d/b/a CRC Concrete Rasing and Repair; Neema Bayran; PNC Bank, National Association; Unknown Owners and Nonrecord Claimants Defendants. 2024CH00788 1934 BELLEVIEW AVE, WESTCHESTER, IL 60154
NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 1/13/2025, an agent of Auction. com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on December 8, 2025 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on 12/10/2025 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.
Commonly known as 1934 BELLEVIEW AVE, WESTCHESTER, IL 60154
Property Index No. 15-20-415075-0000
The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $264,237.75 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction.com by entering 1934 BELLEVIEW AVE into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www.auction.com prior to placing a bid. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g)(l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES PC (630) 794-5300 please refer to file number 14-24-00038. Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602872-225-4985 You can also visit www.auction.com. Attorney File No. 14-24-00038 Case Number: 2024CH00788 NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. I3275931
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Ethe organizations tha strengthen and sustai our communities And r mar of Fo and Chicago’ organizations mak connected, cared fo r, and supported. Their missions dif fer, but their purpose is shared: to make life here better for everyone. Whether addressing hunger, housing, mental health, or education, they approach their work with compassion and collaboration, building
ether than any one -
light this incredible netnonprofits and own . As a commuve e of connecting neighbors to these ve .
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Max Reinsdorf Interim Executi ve Director
■ Friends of the Children brings long-term mentorship Page B4
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■ Public-private par tnerships provide possibilities for philanthropy Page B23
Because the West Cook YMCA is more than a gym
It’s a community. It’s a purpose. It’s a place to belong
Dear Community,
As the seasons shi , we are reminded that each new beginning brings opportunity. A chance to rekindle connections, renew our purpose, and grow together. At your local YMCA, this is a season of growth, healing, and hope for all, for individuals, families, and our entire community.
Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead
Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea
Marketing & Adver tising Associate Emma Cullnan
Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls
Development Manager
Mary Ellen Nelligan
Circulation Manager Jill Wagner
Senior Advisor Dan Haley
Special Projects Manager Susan Walker
e Y has always been more than a gym. It is a welcoming home for all. Where every person is seen, supported, and empowered to thrive in spirit, mind, and body. Whether you are taking your rst step toward wellness, reconnecting a er time away, been coming to your Y for years or decades, or facing new challenges, you belong here.
We are also growing in new ways, o ering expanded programs, services, classes, and hours designed to meet evolving needs and goals. From creative arts to health support groups, from youth development to wellness classes, we are planting seeds of joy, connection, and possibility.
Come to the Y to showcase your talents, meet new friends, reconnect with longtime ones, and discover new abilities you did not know you had. Whether you are here to re ect, to move, to create, or simply to belong, this is your place.
To our neighbors, local businesses, and families, thank you. We are better together, and this new season is just the beginning of a bright, hopeful future together.
Here is to growing and caring for each other, together. For a better us.
With care and gratitude,
Your Local YMCA
Friends of the Children brings long-term mentorship to West Side youth
Mentoring over many years o ers stability and oppor tunity for at-risk children to thrive
By HECTOR CERVANTES Contributing Reporter
Friends of the Children–Chicago is taking a long-term approach to breaking cycles of poverty, trauma, and violence on the city’s West and South Sides by pairing children with full-time, professional mentors for more than a decade.
Executive Director Taal Hasak-Lowy emphasizes that the program goes beyond traditional volunteering, providing consistent, personalized support that helps children build life skills, succeed academically, and stay on a positive path into adulthood
“We expanded to the South Side about three years ago. What we’ve seen is that many of the families we work with tend to be transient, they move around a lot because of interpersonal or community violence,” Hasak-Lowy said.
She said while families often move between neighborhoods, the challenges they face remain largely the same in both communities. Both areas are deeply under-resourced, with families contending with food and housing insecurity, interpersonal violence, limited transportation, and underfunded schools
The program does not allow families to enroll on their own; staff instead proactively identify children facing challenging circumstances. Referrals come from schools, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and community partners, focusing on youth as young as four to six. A central part of the approach is building trust with caregivers, which can take several months. This ensures that parents feel confident enrolling their children, knowing the program offers long-term, consistent support
The organization does not receive federal funding directly, which has provided some insulation from current budget cuts, though COVID-related funds from the state and county have already been spent.
“We had hoped to qualify for out-of-school grants, but as
Illinois faces reductions in federal support, the overall pool of grant funding is shrinking. That’s concerning. I deeply believe in what we do. No one serves children and families the way we do and while Chicago is a wealthy city overall, when public funding declines, we hope corporations and individual donors will step up to help fill that gap,” Hasak-Lowy said.
Sustainability is a top priority, with efforts focused on diversifying funding through partnerships with corporate
sponsors, foundations, and individual donors. Leadership emphasizes sharing the program’s impact more broadly to show how early investment in children produces lasting results. By demonstrating the effectiveness of the model, they aim to inspire continued support and ensure long-term stability for mentors and youth.
FILE PHOTO
Taal Hasak-Lowy, exec utive director for Fr iends of the Children’s Chicago Chapter.
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN
Moving towards safety, empowerment, and a future
Elena came to Sarah’s Inn seeking counseling to begin healing from the lasting e ects of domestic violence. Even a er ending her abusive relationship, Elena realized she had internalized her abuser’s voice. Her inner self-talk was critical and demanding, leaving her feeling that she must comply with others’ wishes and stay silent to avoid upsetting them. is pattern was a ecting her personal relationships and her professional life, limiting her con dence and sense of self-worth.
At Sarah’s Inn, Elena received individualized counseling that helped her recognize these patterns and begin shi ing them. She participated in safety planning and support groups, where she could share her experiences, hear from others who had faced similar
challenges, and practice setting boundaries in a supportive environment. Counselors guided her in developing assertive communication skills—learning to say “no,” voice her needs, and con dently share her ideas at work. She began by taking small, manageable steps and gradually worked up to more challenging situations, gaining con dence with each success.
Over time, the support she received at Sarah’s Inn helped Elena reclaim her voice and sense of agency. She found the strength to hold her expartner accountable for his behaviors that were harming their daughter and to leave the relationship that had become verbally abusive. With the tools, guidance, and community provided by Sarah’s Inn, Elena moved toward safety, empowerment, and a future in which her voice and choices truly mattered.
Sarah’s Inn • sarahsinn.org
The Neighborhood Bridge Provides Mother with Support and Advocacy
This year, The Neighborhood Bridge made a life-changing difference for a mother from one of our partner schools. She was facing a Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) case that threatened her family’s stability. Overwhelmed and unsure where to turn, she was introduced to The Neighborhood Bridge by her school’s social worker.
Our Advocate Program quickly connected her with a trusted family law attorney who provided the guidance and representation she needed. Through coordinated support and advocacy, the misunderstanding that led to the DCFS case was resolved and ultimately dismissed.
The mother described the experience as “a lifeline during one of the hardest moments of my life.”
Stories like hers reflect the mission of The Neighborhood Bridge—to ensure that no family faces crisis alone. By bringing together schools, service providers, and volunteers, we help families access resources ranging from legal aid and mental health counseling to housing support and essential household items.
Every gift to The Neighborhood Bridge helps strengthen the safety net for local families, transforming moments of crisis into stories of hope and resilience.
Byline Bank Fosters Growth and Unity in Oak Park Community
As a nancial institution, Byline Bank is well-versed in the art of investing. But as a community bank, Byline understands that its role extends beyond just accepting investments; it also actively invests back into its community.
In the last year, Byline Bank gave over $30,000 in grants, over $35,000 in sponsorships, and Byline employees volunteered over 200 hours with organizations that serve Oak Park and River Forest.
“Our involvement in the community is organically driven,” said Susie Goldschmidt, Byline’s Oak Park and River Forest Market President. “We’re here; we get to know local organizations who are on the ground and problem-solving, and we get to know local people who ask us to get engaged—we try to answer those calls.”
In answering the call, Byline has helped advance a number of Oak Park and River Forest initiatives including those related to animal welfare; the arts; diversity, equity and inclusion; education; nancial literacy; food
security; mental health; and family support. Some highlights include the following:
• e arts. Byline sponsors Music & Potlucks, the Oak Park Festival eatre, the Ballet Legere, Forest eatre Company, Momenta Dance Company, Madison Street eatre, Heritage Chorale, the Michael Teolis Singers, and One Voice for Arts. ese sponsorships enhance access to locally driven entertainment and provide the community with an opportunity to come together and unite behind its shared love of the arts.
• Diversity, equity and inclusion. Byline supports organizations such as Way Back Inn, Oak Park and River Forest Infant Welfare Society, the Oak Park Area Lesbian & Gay Association, Oak Leyden, rive Counseling Center and the West Suburban Special Recreation Association. ese e orts contribute to fostering a more inclusive and equitable community—a place where success is attainable for all.
• Food security. Byline Bank is deeply committed to Beyond Hunger, a charitable organization dedicated to combating hunger through various programs and services. Byline provides essential community development grants for operational needs and sponsors the nonpro t’s annual fall bene t concerts. Goldschmidt also sits on the Beyond Hunger Resource Development Committee.
Byline’s community involvement is not limited to traditional philanthropy within nonpro ts. “We of course give where there’s a pressing need,” Goldschmidt said, “but we nd it’s meaningful to invest in the economic ecosystem and the community as a whole.” For example, during lunch meetings at its Oak Park and River Forest branches, Byline arranges for catering from nearby eateries—a small yet meaningful way of supporting the local economy, Goldschmidt notes.
Consistent with its status as the top Small Business Administration lender in Illinois,
Byline advocates for local businesses as a member of the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce and a sponsor of Takeout 25. Goldschmidt also serves as president of Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance and as a member of the Village of Oak Park Business Association Council.
In addition, Byline has a presence at most Oak Park and River Forest community events, including the Memorial Day parade, Oaktoberfest and Downtown Oak Park ursday Night Out.
“We want Oak Park and River Forest to thrive,” Goldschmidt said. “Well-functioning charities, well-supported businesses and a tight-knit community equates to more opportunities for our customers, their families and our employees who live and work here. We’re giving back and pitching in because it’s what neighbors do.”
e Women Empowered By Byline Employee Resource Group had all hands-on deck at Sarah’s Inn, with a contribution of items on their wish list, organizing the donation intake and tying Purple Ribbons around town in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Beyond Hunger team members and board members came together and attended the 5th annual Healthy Chef Challenge to increase the impact the organization makes in the community.
Members of Byline’s Oak Park and River Forest branches—along with their families—marched in the River Forest Memorial Day Parade.
Byline Banks Asian Employee Resource Group for the 4th year participated in e Dragon Boat Race for Literacy. It carries over the spirit of Chicago, promotes Asian culture, and aims to help the neighborhood literacy programs.
MENTORING
Connections
built year by year
from page B4
Many of the board members and supporters, including board president Jeannie Affelder, come from Oak Park and River Forest, communities where residents move freely between neighborhoods and care deeply about the safety and well-being of their neighbors. This strong local involvement helps guide and support the organization’s work in Chicago by fostering a network of engaged and committed community members.
“They understand that if communities like Austin, right next door, don’t have their basic humanitarian needs met, there will be negative outcomes that affect everyone. Our supporters recognize that to create a thriving city, you have to start early by supporting children so they stay on a positive trajectory,” said HasakLowy.
The program relies on full-time, paid mentors rather than volunteers, emphasizing that they are trained professionals rather than babysitters. Before working with youth, mentors complete a month of training focused on understanding how trauma affects the brain and behavior and on helping children regulate emotions and develop essential life skills
“Each mentor works full time with a roster of eight children and spends about four hours a week one-onone with each of them. That consistency and longterm commitment, staying with a child for 12 and a half years, is what transforms lives. They may not have the same mentor the entire time, but the program stays with them through graduation,” HasakLowy said.
Being a champion, as defined by the organization, means that mentors greet each child with genuine enthusiasm and care, ensuring every young person feels seen, valued, and understood as an individual. Mentors celebrate successes while providing consistent support and love when children face challenges or make mistakes. The role emphasizes showing children their inherent worth and helping them feel supported and encouraged at every step.
“Across our network, 92% of our youth go on to postsecondary education, full-time employment, or military service. I often say we’re not just a mentoring program; we’re a human rights organization. No child is destined to be involved in violence,” Hasak-Lowy said. “If a family doesn’t have support, it’s no surprise that negative outcomes follow. But when you consistently love children, support them, and help them build skills, great things happen. It’s not a complicated equation, children on the South and West Sides of Chicago deserve the same level of support as any other child.”
The Three Pillars: Where Philanthropy Becomes Who Our Youth Are
“Icannot put into words the impact FPP has had on my life”. These words from Phyllis, a 2024 Future Philanthropists Program graduate currently attending Ohio State University, are far from rare. We hear sentiments like that from hundreds of young people and adult community mentors, like Chris, who said he’s “never seen a program so comprehensive and exciting – one that will truly change our community for the better”.
philanthropists in the truest sense of the word – lovers of humankind. With mentor support, rigorous learning, and hands-on experience, students gain the skills and confidence to lead meaningful community impact for life.
Launched in Oak Park in 2010, the Future Philanthropists Program inspired what is now the Three Pillars Initiative (TPI), a growing national movement currently in 13 communities cultivating the next generation of benevolent changemakers.
At TPI, we believe forming a more perfect union begins with people who care, give, believe in the future of their community, and empower others to do the same. That’s what we create: youth
High school juniors learn the art, science, and business of philanthropy by analyzing community needs, interviewing nonprofits, and allocating real grants. As seniors, they lead full fundraising campaigns, creating a sustainable impact cycle.
A recent study conducted by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy found that every program participant reported becoming a better leader and community member. The stories are unique, but the message is the same: TPI changes local lives to change national communities.
Learn more at threepi.org.
Three Pillars Initiative • threepi.org
Hope in action: Volunteers suppor ting migrants in Oak Park
How volunteers meet migrants’ diverse needs
By HECTOR CERVANTES Contributing Reporter
The Migrant Ministry is a volunteerdriven ef fort, made up of several local parishes and others to support asylum seekers in Oak Park and in the Chicago area.
Since its founding in June 2023, the ministry has provided essentials like food, clothing, and toiletries, along with access to social services, ESL classes, and immigration support Operating out of the St. Edmund Center on Oak Park Avenue, the Migrant Ministry has also helped resettle migrant families, guiding them as they adjust to life in the United States.
The Migrant Ministry is led by Celine
oversee its operations and support services for migrants. Rev. Carl Morello, pastor of the Catholic Communities of Oak Park and Neighbors, actively supports the Migrant Ministry.
“It’s been a beautiful ministry. But what’s happening now across the country is affecting us. People are no longer arriving as they once did. Migrants are afraid, and immigration overall has slowed. Our ministry is now in a period of transition. While we still offer English classes and maintain the clothing closet for those who need shoes or children’s clothing, our volunteers are adjusting to this new reality,” Morello said.
The Migrant Ministry focuses on three key areas: providing essentials through
such as ESL classes; and accompanying families through a mentorship program that pairs volunteers with migrant families for guidance and support.
“The level of support we get is beyond belief; people donations simply because they want to znica said.
e serves on the for Iskali in Maywood and has been olunteer with the ministry. Iskali, founded in cente Del Real, seeks to create a space for young people to encounter God and celebrate their cul-
create a sense of trust and solidarity,” Crowe said. Crowe is also an occasional opinion columnist for Wednesday Journal.
Morello said the ef fort began about two and a half years ago when Texas started sending busloads of migrants to Chicago and the community responded by providing blankets, tents, food and showers.
“It’s been a beautiful ministry. But what’s happening now across the country is a ecting us. Migrants are afraid and immigration overall has slowed.”
“I think the Migrant Ministry, especially in the early build a lot of trust. When new arrivals living in the Austin PoPark residents and others distributed around 6,000 winter coats in the middle of January. That immediate response to need really helped
RE V. C ARL MORELLO Pastor of Oak Park Catholic churches
“We see that many migrants are afraid to come out. That’s the situation now. At one point, we served 300 to 500 or more migrants every Tuesday and Thursday when the center was open. But now, because of space limitations and fewer people arriving, things have changed,”
The Migrant Ministry is preparing to move to a new location, though a lease ag reement has not yet been finalized.
“The stories that the immigrants share about their lives are interesting. It’s not
TODD BANNOR
A migrant with a volunteer points to the her home countr y of Cuba on a map at the Saint Edmund Migrant Center on February 1, 2024.
TODD BANNOR
Migrants eat breakfast at the Saint Edmund Migrant Center in 2024.
A migrant picks out sweaters at the Saint Edmund Migrant Center last year.
Celine Woznica, the director of program development, v iews a binder with information about ICE and the ministry’s response protocols at the Centro San Edmundo at 200 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park, Feb. 20. Woznica said the Migrant Ministry is “dug in”, a er recent immigration actions by the Trump administration, and is currently taking precautions to continue their support to local migrants.
only about giving donations, but also about having someone walk with a family and accompany them when needed. We have volunteers assigned to individual families, with two to three mentors per family,” Rudnik said.
One of the most striking aspects of the ministry for Morello has been its ability to bring the community together. He often tells volunteers that while migrants have
traveled thousands of miles to reach Chicago, the community is also crossing borders — of denomination and faith, to support one another. In turn, the migrants have inspired a renewed sense of community and compassion among those who help them.
“Except for the Native Americans, we are all immigrants. We are constantly pivoting and changing with the needs of immigrants in our community,” Woznica said.
A Unique Community Filled with Genuine Compassion
On a sunny summer day, a new volunteer, Helen, took on the brave task of learning how to drive manually.
Tim, a L’Arche Chicago core member, was even braver for agreeing to sit in the back seat as Helen practiced driving around the neighborhood.
Learning to drive manually can be a scary task, but Tim made a point to keep Helen’s mind distracted from any anxiety.
Tim took the ride as an opportunity to get to know Helen. He asked her all sorts of questions about her interests, hometown, and favorite local food spots. Before they knew it, Helen had mastered the new skill, and Tim found a new friend. Now, over a decade later, the pair remain close friends, enjoying trips to local restaurants and spending afternoons lost in conversation.
Our mission extends beyond providing holistic, around-the-clock support for core members (adults
with intellectual/developmental disabilities). Since opening our first home 25 years ago, L’Arche Chicago has become home to dozens of decade-long friendships, like the one between Tim and Helen. Throughout the years, we’ve consistently found value in the importance of sharing everyday moments of life together. Sitting around a table sharing a meal, taking a walk to the local park, playing Uno, or even learning how to drive manually are such simple but treasured moments for our community. It is in these moments that mutual relationships develop, and we take time to celebrate the gifts of every individual. As our community continues to grow and new friendships begin to blossom, we’ve continued to find joy in the simple moments our community spends together. Helen shares that L’Arche Chicago is a “unique community filled with genuine compassion.”
TODD BANNOR
Kick off the holiday season by exploring all the ways you can participate in programs at the West Cook YMCA that fit your needs and your schedule::
• In-Person at the Y
• Zumba • Nutrition Seminars
• Water Fitness
• Lap Swim
• Cycle
• Meditation & Yoga
• Live-streaming at the Y
• Live-streaming on YMCA360
• Lunch & Learn Sessions
• On-demand on YMCA360 TAKE A TOUR TODAY.
• Book Clubs
• Game Nights
• Walking Clubs
Stop in for a tour and we will show you all that the Y has to offer to meet your needs. Tour guides are available by reservation.
JOIN ONLINE
Receive $0 Joiner Fee and 50% off first month when you join online.
LEARN MORE
FIND COMMUNITY & CONNECTION AT YOUR WEST COOK YMCA
AQUATICS
Something for Every Season of Life For All
PERSONAL TRAINING
$0 JOINER FEE & 50% OFF FIRST MONTH IT’S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO JOIN THE WEST COOK
At the West Cook YMCA, we believe wellness is a lifelong journey and we’re here for every step. Whether you’re young or young at heart, navigating a diagnosis or simply looking for connection, you belong here.
For Youth
Build confidence, character, and friendships through:
• School’s Out Specials
• Family Workouts
• Youth Sports Leagues
Swimming is a life skill as well as great exercise and a challenging sport. All year, the Y offers drowning prevention and swim lessons for all ages, a swim team for the more competitive swimmer, and lifeguard and additional certification courses for those who want to lead the community in being safe.
For Life After Retirement
Stay active, social, and inspired with:
LEARN MORE
• Summer Day Camp Adventures
For Families
Create healthy routines and lasting memories with:
• Wellness & Fitness Classes
• A Cozy Reading Nook
• Nutrition Seminars for Smart Meal Planning
WHAT’S NEW AT THE Y?
We’re expanding to meet your needs:
• New Classes & Programs
• New weight and cardio equipment
• Extended Gym, Pool, & Facility Hours
• Extended Kids Zone Days & Hours
For the Individual
MEMBERSHIP FOR ALL
• Water Fitness Classes
• Walking Clubs
Whether you need a check-up here and there or regular motivation and structure, our personal trainers are here to help you. Each package contains an initial Fitness Consultation to determine your goals and what each session will include. Sessions are 30 or 60 minutes in length.
KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON
Fuel your personal growth and well-being with:
• Meditation & Mindfulness Classes
TAKE A TOUR TODAY.
prevent and manage chronic diseases. We offer programs throughout the year to address arthritis support, cancer wellness, childhood weight management, diabetes prevention, hypertension management, and weight loss.
• Strength & Weight Training Programs
LEARN MORE
• Game Tables for Cards, Chess & More
For Those Recently Diagnosed
Find strength, support, and guidance through:
• Chronic Disease Management Programs
Kick off the holiday season by exploring all the ways you can participate in programs at the West Cook YMCA that fit your needs and your schedule::
• Diabetes Prevention & Support
• In-Person at the Y
• Parkinson’s Wellness
LEARN MORE
Find Your Place. Fuel Your Potential.
Stop in for a tour and we will show you all that the Y has to offer to meet your needs. Tour guides are available by reservation.
JOIN ONLINE
Receive $0 Joiner Fee and 50% off first month when you join online.
At the West Cook YMCA, discover connection, purpose, and a stronger spirit, mind, and body— in every season of life.
WE ALSO OFFER FITNESS, SPORTS, TRAINING & CERTIFICATIONS, AND SO MUCH MORE.
• Live-streaming at the Y
• Cancer Recovery Support
• Live-streaming on YMCA360
• On-demand on YMCA360
LEARN MORE
PROGRAMS FOR ALL
AQUATICS
Swimming is a life skill as well as great exercise and a challenging sport. All year, the Y offers drowning prevention and swim lessons for all ages, a swim team for the more competitive swimmer, and lifeguard and additional certification courses for those who want to lead the community in being safe.
LEARN MORE
PERSONAL TRAINING
CHRONIC DISEASE RISK
Whether you need a check-up here and there or regular motivation and structure, our personal trainers are here to help you. Each package contains an initial Fitness Consultation to determine your goals and what each session will include. Sessions are 30 or 60 minutes in length.
LEARN MORE
MANAGEMENT
Providing evidence-based programs prevent and manage chronic
We offer programs throughout address arthritis support, cancer childhood weight management, prevention, hypertension management, weight loss.
LEARN MORE
$100
$250
(Diabetes,
Donate now at westcookymca.org/give or contact us at 708 383 5200 to learn more about legacy giving opportunities.
We All Have a Y Story! What’s Yours?
Come share your Y story and help others create theirs.
When you give, you’re strengthening the spirits, minds, bodies, and communities of tomorrow.
LetyourlegacyliveonatyourWestCookYMCA.
Give today. Grow tomorrow. Leave a legacy forever.
Finding Belonging and Wellness at the West Cook YMCA
At the West Cook YMCA, healthy aging is more than just tness, it is about fostering a vibrant, connected community where older adults rediscover purpose, joy, and friendship. For many, the Y has become a lifeline, a place where isolation is replaced with inclusion, anxiety fades into laughter, and every visit reinforces that you are not alone.
Take Joan, for example. A er retiring and losing her husband within the same year, she found herself struggling with loneliness and a lack of direction. Days felt long and quiet, and she missed the simple rhythm of connection. A friend encouraged her to try a group exercise class at the West Cook YMCA, and from the moment she stepped through the doors, everything began to change.
Joan was welcomed warmly, not just
by sta , but by a community of people navigating a new season of life. She began attending Yoga and Aqua Fitness classes, which helped her strengthen her body, but the most powerful transformation happened internally. She found friends to talk with over co ee a er workouts. She laughed again. She felt seen and valued.
e West Cook YMCA is intentional about creating programs that support the whole person: spirit, mind, and body. For healthy aging adults like Joan, these programs are
Because the West Cook YMCA is more than a gym. It’s a community. It’s a purpose. It’s a place to belong.
more than workouts; they are lifelines. Whether it is a meditation workshop, a low-impact tness class, or simply a shared conversation in the member lounge, members experience daily reminders that they belong.
As stress, anxiety, and loneliness continue to rise among everyone, the Y stands as a beacon of hope. Members report feeling more energized, connected, and emotionally balanced. Many say their blood pressure has improved, their sleep is better, and they feel a renewed sense of purpose.
“It’s not just the exercise,” Joan shares. “It’s knowing that someone is happy to see me. at I matter. at I still have something to o er.”
e West Cook YMCA isn’t just a gym. It is a community built on the belief that everyone deserves to feel strong, included, and hopeful.
- Linda L
Because the instructor reminds class members to do each exercise with good form, these reminders have become an everyday lifestyle: to feel good in my skin, to meet my goals, and to age gracefully.
- Susie S
I joined because as I have aged, I understand the importance of staying active to be able to continue to do the things I have looked forward to in retirement. I had a goal to hike the Alps and in September of 2024 accomplished that goal! A trip I will never forget!
- Patti F
Being a member of the YMCA and participating in the classes is about more than just tness—it’s also about being part of a supportive community that keeps me motivated to take care of myself, both physically and mentally.
- Janis S
St Angela School
- we are all family
St. Angela School has proudly served the Austin community for over a hundred years. Our hallways, our stairwells, our classrooms—all of them echo with the voices of generations of children who have lived in the tidy bungalows of this neighborhood. An anchor for the neighborhood and a safe haven for the children, St. Angela has a rich history and a determined belief in the future.
Everything we do at St. Angela School is part of one continuing story. Many things have changed over the decades, but we have retained essential elements that keep our past with us. The statue of St. Angela that adorned the church facade now stands in
our gardens. The cornerstone of the church is part of the beautiful mural on our south wall. The bricks engraved with memories and expressions of gratitude now welcome children and visitors alike to the Menard Street entrance to the school. This means that when the children enter the building after lunch or recess, they are learning more about their history, and about the strong tradition of community that is its hallmark.
During this Season of Giving, we invite you— whether you have direct ties to St. Angela or not—to invest in these children. It will be their story that determines the future of Austin, of Chicago, and beyond. They are part of our extended neighborhood—we are all family.
All proceeds benefit our shelter and are needed this year more than ever!
Liberty Cultural Center
A6445 27th Place, Berwyn
Bake Sale • Raffle • Holiday Fun!
Visit Santa on Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Shelter!
Pets with their people are welcome!
Thanks to our sponsors Berwyn Park District & VS Printing FREE Parking available!
Inspiring the Next Generation Through Books and Belief
t Our Future
Reads, our mission goes beyond donating books. It’s all about unlocking potential. Since 2021, we’ve provided free books to over 12,000 individuals across Chicagoland. We help families, classrooms, shelters, and after-school programs access stories that inspire and empower.
One of our most significant partnerships this year has been with Youth Crossroads. Through regular volunteer visits to Mission Curiosity, our Oak Park bookstore, students explore, organize, and choose free books to take home, often for the first time. More than that, they’ve discovered something deeper: the belief that their ideas matter.
During a recent workshop, our executive director, Franklin Taylor, talked about starting a
mission-driven business.
By the end, students were full of ideas, from launching a baked goods business to auto detailing and even inventing mop-sole sneakers. These were plans, not daydreams, sparked by encouragement and fueled by imagination. Moments like these show why we do what we do. Books are just the beginning. What we’re really sharing is the permission to dream bigger. If your organization wants to help people discover their voice, passions, and potential, we’d love to partner with you. Visit ourfuturereads. com to see the growing list of partners making an impact with us.
Find us at 319 Madison St. Oak Park, IL • Info@OurFutureReads.com | (773) 969-9676 • ourfuturereads.com
by Carrie Summy, president and CEO of the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation
As we close out the year, one truth is unmistakable: strong communities don’t happen by accident. ey are built with intention, care, trust, and shared responsibility. In a time when the needs of our neighbors continue to grow, and local organizations nd themselves needing to do more with less, we must get creative. We must work together. And we must be generous with our time, our compassion, and our support.
At the Oak Park–River Forest Community Foundation, we witness every day how philanthropy fuels possibility. A scholarship keeps a student moving toward a dream. A trusted volunteer helps a family secure housing. A multi-year grant gives a small organization the strength to grow instead of just survive. Whether the spark is a $150 gi or a brand new initiative to honor a loved one, each act of generosity strengthens our collective resilience. Our nonpro t partners are facing incredible pressures. e Foundation
is committed to meeting this moment, by investing in organizational strength, by supporting collaboration and innovation, and by bringing people together to solve our most pressing local challenges. When residents, funders, business, civic and community leaders all row in the same direction, lasting impact follows.
As you consider your year-end giving, we encourage you to focus locally, this year in particular. Be generous. Support the organizations that make this region
Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation • 708-848-1560
Sponsored Content
Avibrant, a place of belonging, and full of joy and possibility. And if you want to deepen that impact, we are here to help.
To learn more or to make a year-end gi , visit oprfcf.org
e Foundation is committed to meeting this moment, by investing in organizational strength, by supporting collaboration and innovation, and by bringing people together to solve our most pressing local challenges.
Community Foundation O ers Professional Development to Local Nonpro t Leaders
s part of its goal to strengthen the local nonpro t sector’s impact on the overall quality of life in our communities, the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation has launched the Nonpro t Excellence program, a training series focused on professional development and leadership for community-based organizations serving the greater West Side.
“We are out and about, actively listening to our community leaders. e message is crystal clear: they are facing a wide array of signi cant challenges, across many di erent issue areas. ey need funding. ey also need peer-to-peer support,” said Carrie Summy, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “ e Foundation is in a unique position to serve as a collaborative bridge between organizations that may be doing similar work in di erent geographies or elds, and to create
opportunities for nonpro t leaders to learn from and be resources for each other.”
e Nonpro t Excellence program grows out of Impact Excellence, a longrunning Foundation initiative for local leaders.
Nonpro t Excellence will provide multiple opportunities for learning and exchange, including workshops, seminars, executive roundtables and other events. ese programs address core elements of capacity building and sustainability, such as an organization’s mission and vision, human resources issues, board governance and infrastructure, technology, marketing and
fundraising strategy.
e program will launch o cially in January 2026, although the Foundation recently o ered a workshop on contingency planning in light of recent budget cuts and signi cant changes occurring at federal and state level, which was well attended and received. “ e information was super current and all extremely actionable” said one attendee.
“Nonpro t Excellence is key to our commitment to serve as a local resource and a trusted, valued partner for our social sector,” Summy said. “We are here to serve those helping our most vulnerable
community members, and we’re going to do that in as many creative ways as we can.” Programming is o ered free of charge, and events will soon be posted on the Nonpro t Excellence page of the Foundation website, oprfcf.org. Local nonpro t executives and sta interested in participating in the program are encouraged to contact Program Director Elizabeth Chadri at 708-848-1560 or by email at echadri@oprfcf.org for more information.
With federal cuts looming, local nonpro ts are ‘living in a state [of ] absolute fear’
Community support more critical than ever
By LEAH SCHROEDER Contributing Reporter
Lynda Schueler has worked at Housing Forward for nearly 27 years. Never before has she seen attacks like the ones her nonprofit, and others across the nation, are currently facing, the housing agency’s CEO said.
“The whole industry right now is feeling under attack,” said Schueler.
With Trump administration executive orders, budget freezes and funding cuts looming, local nonprofits have been forced confront what the changes in policy could mean for their organizations – and for the people they serve.
not yet experienced funding cuts, a number of immediate changes stemming from executive orders or budget freezes have left the nonprofit feeling rattled.
Currently, the largest challenge Housing Forward is facing is the threat to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding that was promised to the nonprofit.
While Schueler’s Housing Forward, an organization designed to prevent homelessness and respond to housing crises, has
HUD funding has historically been the most stable form of funding for Housing Forward and makes up a large portion of the funding they receive. HUD funding can also be accessed immediately to fund services, according to Schueler, a contrast to other public funding streams which nonprofits have to wait to be reimbursed for.
Any change to this funding would impact Housing Forward’s 2026 budget significantly, Schueler said, and would “mean a loss of housing for those that [they] serve.”
“Threats to that particular component of the continuum of housing that we offer would be devastating, and those individuals would absolutely return to homelessness because there are no other alternative types of housing,” Schueler said. “All housing right now is being threatened… and this is at a time when homelessness is increasing.”
The political turmoil has put Housing Forward in a “defensive tion,” Schueler said. The or nization is working to dev contingency plan, a task that has proven difficult, with a high de gree of uncertainty defining the current political moment.
Housing Forward is now waiting to hear directly from HUD and will use the inform they receive to determine ho they can sustain the housing they currently offer. Wi federal funding though, the from the state and county will not be enough to sustain the nonprofit.
er said. “This is a time for communities to really step up and make an impact on the neighbors that are in greatest need
John McIlwain, executive director at The Children’s Clinic in Oak Park, said his organization is experiencing similar difficulties. For The Children’s Clinic, which provides pediatric health care regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, changes to Medicaid will likely have the largest impact on how they can serve their patients e all, McIlwain said, the uncertainty of what threats will materialize is causing the most
“It’s traumatizing for those on the front lines who are hearing what’s happening at the federal level and seeing what’s happening on TV…” Schueler said. “We’re feeling under attack at all levels and not being able to have the resources to support the need that is out there.”
For concerned community members, Schueler said Housing Forward is in need of support now more than ever “There is no doubt there will be cuts to the services and housing that we offer,” Schuel-
“There’s a lot of fear, and I myself, but I don’t know ccurate or real some of it cIlwain said. “That kind just living in a state everyone is in absolute ear… is terrifying and difficult.”
For now, The Children’s Clinic, and nonprofits across the country, are biding their time, waiting to see if, or more likely, when, federal budget cuts will begin to affect the work that they do. In the meantime, McIlwain encourages people to remain hopeful about the future.
“We have to really wait and see,” McIlwain said. “I think everybody has to keep pushing and keep advocating, keep resisting and keep protesting, doing it peacefully… because this nastiness in the human condition in America right now is going to change.”
FILE
Ly nda Schueler, chief executive o cer at Housing For ward, speaks at a ribbon cutting ceremony for Broadview Legacy Apartments on April 25, 2024.
PROVIDED
Oak Park-River Forest Infant Welfare Society medical director, Dr. Diane Butter eld, works with a child at the IWS Children’s Clinic.
LYNDA SCHUELER
JOHN MCILWAIN
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OPRF Museum Tells Your Community’s Stories—Large or Small
Over a decade and a half, One Earth Collective has reached diverse communities with impactful programs centered around environmental sustainability and justice, inspiring individual and systemic change. Programs include One Earth Youth Voices, One Earth Local, and the One Earth Film Festival, the Midwest’s premier environmental lm festival – which will again provide solutions-based knowledge and inspiration to local, national, and global audiences from April 22-28, 2026. Let’s go farther, faster – together –on building a resilient, just future. e world can’t wait, and neither should you!
Visit our website to sign up for our eNews. Get lm festival alerts and other green news –and a chance to win:
• 2 tickets to the milestone 15th annual One Earth Film Fest launch party on Earth Day, April 22, 2026.
• Breakfast and a tour of our o ce space, facilities and youth farm at BUILD Chicago in Austin, where we help lead programming
Ready to donate in support of this needed, vibrant work? Visit oneearth lmfest.org/ donate-now or scan our QR code to get eNews alerts and win the prizes above.
One Earth Collective • oneearthfilmfest.org
ood things often come in small packages. That’s why the Illinois Association of Museums named Oak Park River Forest Museum the state’s Small Museum of the Year soon after it opened its doors in 2017. The museum is in an 1898 firehouse that underwent a $1 million renovation, transforming a vacant building into a welcoming Oak Park Landmark next to Stevenson Park.
It’s also why last summer the museum developed a family-friendly Hometown Legends Scavenger Hunt that challenges visitors to find 2-inch-high LEGO versions of famous residents hidden around the museum, earning prizes and learning some local history.
be rented for private events. OPRF Museum, at 129 Lake St., Oak Park, is operated by The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest. The featured exhibit on the museum’s first floor tells the 150-year history of OPRF High School. Whether you’re interested in sports, the arts or building additions, this exhibit has it all.
The museum’s second floor contains a “Wall of Fame” highlighting famous residents, a children’s play area, and an award-winning exhibit about Fair Housing.
Not only the keeper of local history and storyteller, your hometown museum offers a variety of programs for the community, and can
Visit our Fields Research Center, open by appointment, to research almost everything related to the villages including homes, community groups and businesses. Membership has many benefits. For information, visit oprfmuseum.org or call 708848-6755 and follow The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest on Facebook.
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Dignity is not o the table
Our food pantry is facing an unexpected challenge this holiday season. e food bank that supplies the majority of our food has put us on notice: We will not receive the usual volume of holiday food supplies this year, due to federal cuts in funding.
is time of year, we all look forward to sharing holiday meals. is is perhaps especially true for the many thousands of our regional neighbors who are food insecure. Our food pantry’s mission is to help end regional food insecurity and the causes of that insecurity. Our approach is to connect the four corners of community: Our neighbors in need, volunteers, donors, and community leaders. Together, we are setting the table for change in our area.
Our food pantry o ers “choice” based food sharing. Meaning, visiting neighbors are free to choose the food they need in a familiar grocery store setting. ey are free to plan and make their traditional holiday meals. As our organization’s administrative director said recently, “We’re going to make it happen for them one way or another. We are not going to take that away from them.”
Any time of year, “putting food on the table” is an expression that has deep meaning for all of us. Putting food on the table means taking a break from everyday worries to feel the comforts of mealtime, togetherness, and nutritional well-being. is time of year, putting food on the table is most especially an act of sharing and love.
Share Food Share Love • 630-347-5390 • sharefoodsharelove.org
Inclusion Isn’t a Place, It’s a Culture
At a recent inclusive playdate, Dili grinned as he bounced on the trampoline beside a new friend, completely at ease. The moment felt effortless, but for his mom, Sulani, it represented a vision realized: belonging without barriers.
“Everyone needs communities where we can be truly ourselves,” Sulani says. “That’s where we find safety, connection, and self-acceptance.” Most spaces are built around the “typical” way of thinking and being, and neurodivergent people (Autistic, ADHD, OCD, etc.) are expected to adapt.
But when people step into spaces that are designed with all brains and bodies in mind, something powerful happens: inclusion becomes a shared experience, not an accommodation. That’s why Sulani volunteers with CAYR Connections, helping build a neuro-affirming community where every brain belongs. The Oak Park nonprofit creates environments
where neurodivergent people and their families experience genuine inclusion. Through partnerships with the PlayLab Foundation, the Oak Park Public Library, and the Chicago Public Library, CAYR hosts sensory-friendly playdates, family events, and learning opportunities that embrace every kind of brain. The Chicago Neurodiverse Social Club extends that vision by hosting community events led by neurodivergent adults, for neurodivergent adults. Sulani now serves as chair of CAYR’s School Advisory Board, helping launch a neuro-inclusive summer program and K–5 microschool designed around children’s strengths, interests, and natural curiosity.
Your donations support more programs where kids can be themselves, more spaces where adults find connection, and more families who finally feel seen. Visit www.cayrconnections.org to help build belonging—one connection at a time.
“Cookies
and Cocoa” Festive Activities for Children at the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association.
The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association shares its building with the community with a variety of activities. You can go there to vote, see Free Readers Theatre, have fun at the OPRF High School Jazz Band event or watch our Monday afternoon Humanities Enrichment Series.
One of the fun events for children is our “Cookies and Cocoa” Saturday December 13 where families come for festive activities. Surrounded by holiday decorations they can take family pictures by
lovely decorated trees and meet and talk to Santa. The Model Railroad Club brings their trains to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It is fun to make holiday crafts and paint ornaments while eating our chef’s homemade cookies and drinking cocoa with marshmallows floating it in it. Sing Holiday Songs accompanies by our piano. Our members enjoy seeing happy engaged children as they pour their cocoa and refill the cookie plates.
Bring your family to the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association’s “Cookies and Cocoa” event this December. Share the love with us.
The Nineteenth Century Club • 708.386.2729 • nineteenthcentury.org
The World Can’t Wait. Let’s
go Farther, Faster - Together.
Over a decade and a half, One Earth Collective has reached diverse communities with impactful programs centered around environmental sustainability and justice, inspiring individual and systemic change. Programs include One Earth Youth Voices, One Earth Local, and the One Earth Film Festival, the Midwest’s premier environmental lm festival – which will again provide solutions-based knowledge and inspiration to local, national, and global audiences from April 22-28, 2026. Let’s go farther, faster – together – on building a resilient, just
future. e world can’t wait, and neither should you! Visit our website to sign up for our eNews. Get lm festival alerts and other green news – and a chance to win:
• 2 tickets to the milestone 15th annual One Earth Film Fest launch party on Earth Day, April 22, 2026.
• Breakfast and a tour of our o ce space, facilities and youth farm at BUILD Chicago in Austin, where we help lead programming Ready to donate in support of this needed, vibrant work? oneearth lmfest.org/donate-now
One Earth Collective • oneearthfilmfest.org
Joyful Giving
Local Philanthropy Boosts Impact Through New State Tax Credit
In 2024, the state passed the Illinois Gives Tax Credit Act, granting a sizable tax credit to donors contributing to endowed funds at quali ed charitable community foundations with national accreditation. e Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is proudly eligible for the tax credit program, which took e ect January 1, 2025.
Donors who make gi s to eligible permanent endowment funds with the Foundation receive a 25% state income tax credit. Funds that qualify include permanently endowed scholarships, nonpro t agency funds, designated funds, and eld of interest funds; gi s to donor advised funds are not eligible.
“Permanent endowment funds at community foundations are an important layer of nancial stability for our nonpro t sector; they o er a vital and reliable source of funding for operational needs, capital
funding, and ongoing programs,” said Carrie Summy, president and CEO of the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation. “ is is an excellent time for donors to deeply consider the causes they care about and join the Foundation in advancing important work in our communities.”
e program allows a maximum annual credit of $100,000 per taxpayer and $200,000 per couple, and can be carried
forward up to ve years to apply against future tax liabilities.
Any individual or organization can contribute to existing endowment funds, or create a new one.
A limited number of tax credits are available statewide, and are awarded on a rst come, rst served basis. To learn how to contribute to or establish an endowed fund, speak with your nancial advisor or contact Foundation Development Director Brian Biederman at brianb@ oprfcf.org, or call 708-848-1560.
“Permanent endowment funds at community foundations are an important layer of nancial stability for our nonpro t sector; they o er a vital and reliable source of funding for operational needs, capital funding, and ongoing programs,”
- Carrie Summy, president and CEO of the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation.
Beyond Hunger: Nourishing Neighbors This Holiday Season
In times of uncertainty, Beyond Hunger makes sure no one has to go through hunger alone. With rising costs and limited access to support, more of our neighbors are turning to us for help— o en for the very rst time. anks to the generosity of our community, they’re met not just with food, but with care and dignity.
One shopper recently shared what that experience meant to them:
“Life gets hard sometimes, and this was my rst time coming to a food pantry. I work really hard to provide for myself, and I’ve always said pantries are for the ones who need it. But today, I was one of the ones who needed it—and everyone made me feel so welcome. ey greeted me with
a smile and loaded me up really good. ey gave me everything I was thinking I needed for a peaceful dinner. God is all over this place.”
at welcoming spirit— and the variety of fresh produce, grains, and other nutritious foods they received—o ered both comfort and strength to keep moving forward.
is holiday season, your generosity ensures that nourishing food and compassionate support are within reach for everyone who comes to us. Together, we can ll more than plates. We can ll hearts with hope, connection, and the assurance that no one in our community is ever alone.
Donate or learn more at gobeyondhunger.org.
Finding Home Again: Stan’s Journey with Housing Forward
Stan took early retirement to return to his childhood home and care for his aging mother. The house, bought by his grandparents in the 1970s, had long been the family’s anchor. After his mother passed, Stan’s sister inherited the home, and he stayed to help maintain it. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t keep up with maintenance or expenses. When his sister died unexpectedly in 2022, Stan had to leave the home. Living on a fixed retirement income, he struggled to qualify for housing. Senior options had long waitlists, and traditional apartments were unaffordable.
in a really bad spot,” he recalls. “I didn’t know what was in store for me.”
He stayed at the shelter for nearly four months. Each morning after leaving at 6:30 a.m., he would wait in his storage unit or have coffee at McDonald’s until the library opened. The library became his sanctuary during the harsh winter.
By November 2024, Stan sold his car, put his belongings in storage, and turned to Housing Forward’s Emergency Overnight Shelter. “I was
In spring, Stan was able to find an apartment he could afford. Housing Forward helped with the first month’s rent and deposit. “I consider the Housing Forward staff friends for life,” he says.
Now settled, Stan is saving money, rebuilding his credit, and making plans for the future, including rejoining the over-50 basketball league he once played in.
“It really couldn’t be going any better,” he says.
Public-private partnerships provide powerful possib
At OPRF, major capital pr
OBy LEAH SCHROEDER Contributing Reporter
ak Park and River Forest High School’s Project 2 is currently underway. The project involves building a new physical education wing on the southeast corner of the Scoville Avenue campus
According to OPRF Superintendent Greg Johnson, the construction would not be possible without the support of The Imagine Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to raise money for facilities improvements at OPRF.
OPRF is “indebted to them in all sorts of ways” because “this is not something that a high school district would be without such strong community support,”
eally because of their generosity, their hard work, their neting, their conversations with those in the community and beond, their tireless efforts, that this possible,” Johnson said. doesn’t happen without s.”
oundation represents a ing trend in the world of funpublic-private partnerhese partnerships use the resources and experiences of different sectors to share financing responsibilities for new projects
In regards to the partnership between OPRF and The Imagine Foundation specifically, Johnson said the benefit lies in the fact that the foundation spreads awareness for those who want to help with public school needs but may not know how.
“The foundation opens that door, allowing people to realize there are ways to contribute to students in our community beyond simply focusing on individual activities or the success of just their own students,” Johnson said. “The foundation has really opened that door for a lot of people in our community.”
Launched in 2019 by OPRF alumni, the foundation is a private entity and receives donations from either individuals or corporate sponsors, as well as some grant money, Heidi Ruehle, executive director of the foundation, said. Many larger donors also have made multi-year gift ag reements, allowing them to make their donation over several years. Currently, all proceeds go directly to reimbursing OPRF for expenses related to Project 2. The Imagine Foundation
District 200 Board of Education members Tim Brandhorst, Audrey Williams-Lee, Fred Arkin, former board members Tom Cofsky and Sara Dixon Spivy, Representative Camille Lilly, former board member Jackie Moore and Superintendent Greg Johnson at the Project 2 groundbreaking at OPRF High School on June 4, 2024.
receives invoices related to expenses associated with the project, and funds are used to reimburse these expenses in what Ruehle calls a “transparent process.”
“Oak Park and River Forest are such close-knit communities and rely heavily on the success of our school systems,” Ruehle said. “We feel it’s important for anyone who is willing and able to donate… With a successful high school, you have better real estate values, more ability to support small businesses and hopefully bring people back to the community once they are adults.”
Ruehle said that public-private partnerships can be very effective. However, there are several factors to consider first, including whether the community is able to support that strateg y, whether there is a good working relationship between the two entities and whether the entity receiving the funds can accomplish their goals while the money comes in over time.
Luckily, Ruehle said the strateg y works very well for Oak Park and River Forest. For this reason, Ruehle said the foundation hopes to be a lasting staple of the OPRF community.
“Our goal is to be a long-term, sustainable organization that continues to support all of the different projects in the pipeline for OPRF and whatever their facilities needs are beyond that,” Ruehle said.
So far, the school has completed Project 1, which created a “welcoming and safe” hub in the middle of the building, and the Track & Fields Project, which worked with the Park District of Oak Park to create a new 400-meter outdoor track.
Looking ahead, OPRF’s Projects 3, 4 and 5 will focus on creating a performing arts center, improving academics and administrative offices and creating a field house, respectively
The foundation has committed to raising $12.5 million for OPRF’s Project 2, with a goal of $15 million. Johnson said it feels “wonderful” to have the support of the community as OPRF continues to look for ways to improve in the future.
“It feels both humbling and empowering to know that there are those in the community who are as committed as they are to public education, to this institution in particular, and to the plans we have in place to help make this facility one that is prepared to meet students’ educational needs for the next 100 years,” Johnson said.
TODD BANNOR
GREG JOHNSON
HEIDI RUEHLE
ADVANCING INCLUSIVE EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES
Support Us and Help Promote Housing Opportunities
for those In Need
Since 1972, The Oak Park Regional Housing Center (OPRHC), an organization regarded as a leader for fair housing rights, expansion of housing options, and economic opportunity, has been providing services to residents of the Village of Oak Park and the surrounding West Cook County communities including Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.
I waslivinginWisconsinandwantedtomoveintoChicagolandarea. IwentouttovisitapartmentsthroughtheOPRHCGUIDEservice,withGretchen,tofindanewHome. Iwantedtomovehereforanewjobandtobeclosetomygirlfriend.
For many years, OPRHC spent much time creating the residential integration you see in the Village of Oak Park today. This work, intentional in nature, allowed people of all races to learn about fair housing and their opportunities to live where they choose to live. Fast forward to a new century, as we celebrate 53 years of service to the community, we are beginning to pivot our work to strengthen community ties and residential relationships while continuing to help people with their housing needs. We are still here… for you!
Give the gift of housing. Give to us, we give to others:
Main Office: 1041 South Boulevard Oak Park, IL 60302
708-848-7150 info@oprhc.org
EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES
City of Chicago Office: West Cook Homeownership Center 5934 W. Lake St. Chicago, IL 60644
773-887-5187
info@westcookhomeownership.org
I went out to visit apartments through the OPRHC GUIDE service, with Gretchen, to find a new Home. I wanted to move here for a new job and to be close to my girlfriend.
It was an affordable, spacious, two I moved in on 11/3/2023 and love with the Chicago neighborhood just east of the Village of Oak Park! The team at OPRHC provided great service, knows the communities well, and how to work with the landlord!
Introducing the Greater West Side Community Land Trust
The “American Dream” of homeownership is increasingly out of reach on the Greater West Side. Take Austin for example: between 2019 and 2024 the median sale price of a 1-4 unit building grew from $178,000 to $277,500. In that same period, the median household income grew from just $32,843 to $40,085. In other words, home prices went up by 56%, but incomes by only 22%. Not only is homeownership una ordable, but local conditions are not sustainable.
e Oak Park Regional Housing Center and our West Cook Homeownership Program are addressing this critical issue by building a Community Land Trust (CLT). With support from one of our nancial institution partners, the Greater West Side CLT will preserve a ordable housing, prevent displacement of legacy residents, build community wealth, and keep homes a ordable for generations to come.
So how does it work?
A CLT buys or builds homes using subsidies from the government and philanthropy. ey are repaired or updated, and then sold to incomequali ed buyers at belowmarket prices. In return, homeowners agree to resell their homes at a capped price, ensuring another family can bene t from that a ordability in the future. is model creates an accessible pathway for rst-time buyers and can be a steppingstone to traditional homeownership. It also provides stability for seniors who want to age in place with dignity, and o ers a more secure and a ordable alternative to renting.
property taxes.
e Cook County Assessor categorizes CLT properties as permanently a ordable because of the resale price cap written into the ground lease between the CLT and each homeowner. As a result, the property is taxed at its a ordable rate, not the market rate – they call this “fair cash value”. Not only are lower property taxes helpful for everyday families, but they’re critical for our seniors and families on xed incomes who are susceptible to displacement when their neighborhood gets more expensive.
the Civil Rights Era in Albany, Georgia as a tool for Black farmers and their families to gain security through access to land. Today, some of the most respected and longstanding CLTs are founded, led by, and serve communities of color in places like Harlem, Oakland, Boston, and Houston.
CLTs are not a one-size- ts-all solution, but are an impactful tool for communities to stay rooted. Our agency works diligently and collaboratively to provide many entry points into homeownership: from our HUDcerti ed homeownership counseling to our industry partnerships and 78 units of rental housing at the Laramie State Redevelopment Project, we are ensuring that every family on the Greater West Side has an opportunity to build their legacy. Stay tuned as we kick o the pilot program in Spring 2026!
Not only do CLT homeowners build modest wealth, but they also pay lower
It is also important to note that Community Land Trusts are a Black innovation. e CLT movement began in the U.S. during
Oak Park Regional Housing Center • oprhc.org
PING: So All Can Participate in Music
PING (Providing instruments for the Next Generation) believes all public school students should have access to instrumental music. With instrument rentals averaging $50 per month, many students miss out. PING has been supplying band and orchestra instruments to Oak Park and River Forest public school students for more than 25 years, but that is not all. “To offer true equity to young musicians, we have mentoring programs and access to lessons, music camps, performances, and trips for PING members,” said executive director Michelle Dybal. The NextNote Program, which is celebrating 20 years, supports middle school musicians. PING Partners supports new musicians in grades 4 and 5. In both programs, PING students are paired with mentors from Oak Park and River Forest High School who
play the same instruments. PING pays for students to take private lessons and to attend summer music camps. These experiences improve confidence and have academic, social, and mental health benefits. Instruments remain important to PING’s mission. “The instrument inventory is primarily built from generous, incoming donations of used instruments received from the community, but there is a need for more, better-grade and different-sized instruments, along with accessories such as bows and cases,” Dybal said. PING’s largest revenue source is individual donors, and does not receive any monetary assistance from the three school districts it serves, D97, D90, and D200. Donations are needed now more than ever: pingoprf.org/donate. Questions/volunteer/ donate an instrument, email: info@pingoprf.org PING! • pingoprf.org
The Joyful Giving Catalog2025
Animal Care League
Animal Care League o ers a safe haven for pets in need.
Rooted in the community since 1973, Animal Care League takes a proactive approach to animal care and adoption as well as preventative measures to help reduce the number of homeless animals in our communities. With over 1,300 pets coming to our doors each year, Animal Care League counts on supporters to ensure that we can provide what is needed from routine vaccinations to life saving surgery. Make a di erence in the life of a homeless animal by visiting animalcareleague.org where you can sign up to volunteer, make a donation, view our adoptable pets, and learn about upcoming events.
Arts Alliance Forest Park
Become a Member and Create With Us! Arts Alliance Forest Park. The Catalyst for Creativity.
Members enjoy a variety of bene ts including discounts to events all while collaborating with other local organizations and businesses including Village of Forest Park, the Park District, Historical Society and the Chamber of Commerce.
Programs include the well-attended StoopSessions, Tellers’ Night, GarageGalleries, Makers’ Market, 48-Hour Film Festival and art installations such as Little Perspectives, Sit & Savor, FiberFlash and the Park District mural with more to come!
Join the only local arts organization that assembles art enthusiasts for the love, fun and beauty of art for only $25! Visit forestparkarts.org/becomea-member
Everything you need for a better world:
Austin Coming Together
Austin Coming Together (ACT)’s mission is to
increase the collective impact of our 50+ member organizations on improving education and economic development outcomes for Chicago’s Austin community. Since 2010, we’ve been connecting residents to services, attracting investments for the community, and building capacity for policy change. Recent e orts include co-developing the former Emmet School into the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation and supporting the Austin Eats Initiative, a 20+ group focused on strengthening the community’s food access infrastructure. Learn more at austincomingtogether.org
Beyond Hunger
BUILD
Since 1969, we have embedded mentors in schools and across neighborhoods to connect with youth who need support. Wrapping young people in the opportunities and care they deserve, we help them build hope, resilience, and a path to a promising future. We engage youth at every stage, with specialized teams dedicated to street violence interventions, gang detachments, creative after-school programming, academic school, college support, mental health care, community violence crisis response, and enrichment activities ranging from art and music to sports, podcasting, engineering, and gardening. Potential doesn’t discriminate, neither should opportunity.
The Collaboration for Early Childhood
Early care and education is where success starts. It makes everything else possible, and it allows children to reach their full potential from the rst day of kindergarten all the way through to adulthood. We are a communitydriven organization that cultivates the development of the whole child, birth to age ve, by engaging families, local organizations, early childhood educators, caregivers, and health providers to create equitable, nurturing, and interconnected systems of support. Help ensure that we continue to be a place where families thrive!
For over 45 years Beyond Hunger has been harnessing the power of communities to create a hungerfree future. Through our food pantry, home delivery program, nutrition education classes, and social services, we provide hunger relief that truly goes beyond basic nourishment. We provide our clients with the tools they need to ensure that no one is left behind in the battle against hunger. We know that this work would not be possible without our community. Whether you volunteer, advocate for those in need, or donate, you are essential in moving our mission forward. With your support, we believe hunger is solvable. Learn more about how you can get involved in the ght to end hunger by visiting gobeyondhunger.org or donating using this QR Code.
Join us in BUILDing a better future: buildchicago.org
CAYR Connections
CAYR Connections, an Oak Park nonpro t, envisions a future where all brains belong. CAYR stands for “Come As You Are,” and our mission is to build inclusive spaces that honor neurodiversity (the natural variation of human brains). Our programs for neurodivergent children and their families - including our upcoming microschool and summer program - provide opportunities for education, connection, and advocacy. Our social club for neurodivergent adults and community outreach programs help create lasting networks of support and understanding. Your donations make this possible and help us expand our reach.
Join us in creating a more inclusive world at www.cayrconnections.org
Investing in early childhood is an investment in the future. Your donation will make a powerful impact! Learn more at collab4kids.org
Friends of the ChildrenChicago
Every child has hopes and dreams – but far too many children face the challenges of poverty, housing insecurity, and exposure to gun violence. Friends of the Children steps in early—pairing kindergarteners on Chicago’s West and South Sides with Professional Mentors. We focus on the individualized journey of the child, helping them build skills and create goals while partnering with caregivers to strengthen family stability. What makes us unique? We walk alongside our youth for 12.5 years. No Matter What. Our trauma-informed approach puts the child at the center and surrounds them with a network of support. Friends of the Children-Chicago isn’t just about prevention—it’s about possibility.
Join a child’s team of support by donating at friendschicago.org today.
EProfessional Mentors Change Lives
very child deserves a champion— someone who celebrates their victories, guides their choices, and helps them build essential skills. For many, that champion is a parent or caregiver. But for children growing up amid poverty and violence, families often need extra support.
At Friends of the Children–Chicago, we fill that gap with Professional Mentors—full-time, highly trained specialists dedicated to nurturing a child’s social, emotional, and academic growth.
What makes our work unique is our unwavering commitment: we walk beside every child and family for 12.5 years, from kindergarten through high school. No matter what.
Vanessa joined Friends-Chicago in kindergarten. Now a confident, kind, and
determined seventh grader, she has overcome tremendous challenges.
When Vanessa was in third grade, her father was killed. The first call her mother made after hearing the news was to Friends of the Children-Chicago. Mentors picked up Vanessa and her siblings from school, offering comfort and stability during an unthinkable time.
Despite ongoing hardships Friends-Chicago remains their steady anchor. Vanessa and her family receive therapy through our on-site Wellness Room and Vanessa works with Professional Mentor Kianna to build the relationships, skills, and goals that will enable her to overcome trauma and thrive.
Vanessa dreams of a future in real estate or cosmetology and pursues her goals with determination. As Kianna says, “We’re Vanessa’s chill place—her second family. She knows we’ll always be by her side, no matter what.”
Friends of The Children • friendschicago.org/learn-more
With your partnership, children facing the toughest challenges receive the long-term support of a Professional Mentor to guide them in building the relationships, skills, and goals to thrive.
Together, we make an extraordinary promise: to walk beside every child in our program for 12.5 years. No matter what.
at
How OPRF IWS Extends Care Beyond the Clinic Walls
For five years, Gabriela (name changed for privacy) a single mother had been bringing her two children to the IWS Children’s Clinic for medical and dental care. But the Clinic has been more than a destination for annual exams, dental visits, fevers, and sore throats. When Gabriela lost her housing, she turned to the IWS Children’s Clinic team.
The Gift of Community Journalism
Gabriela was facing a crisis. Working side jobs was not covering daily costs. Local shelters were full, and her limited income could only cover short hotel stays. The Clinic showed up for her. After countless calls to community partners, the Clinic’s social worker helped Gabriela secure placement in a group home for women and children. There, the kids and
her found not just shelter but food, counseling, case management, and a supportive environment to begin rebuilding their lives.
Today, Gabriela is in a more stable place. She has found full-time employment, saved enough to rent a small house, and is taking online education classes. The Clinic team is still there for hercontinuing to check in, ensuring her children receive therapy and the high-quality medical and dental care they deserve.
Gabriela said “you go beyond your work. It did not go unseen. We will never forget.” This connection demonstrates the Clinic’s dedication to providing compassionate care delivered with respect and dignity. It also reflects the heart of the OPRF IWS mission: advancing the health and well-being of children in need across Chicagoland.
few months ago, one of our longtime readers called us with a remarkable idea. He told us how much he valued the work our newsroom does, from stories about new businesses opening and closing to local elections and the everyday goings on that knit a community together. He said that each week, our reporting helped him feel more rooted, more aware, and more connected to his neighbors. And then he asked a simple question: “How can I share this with the people on my block?”
That question turned into one of our favorite stories of the year. He purchased gift subscriptions for every household on his street, a full block of new readers who now have access to the same indispensable coverage he relies on. It was a generous act, but it was also a testament to what community journalism does best: it brings people together through shared knowledge, accountability, and pride in where we live.
Our newsroom thrives because of people like our longtime reader and because of the talented team of staff and volunteers who make it all possible. Our staff reports tirelessly on the issues that matter most, from what is happening at city hall to the stories unfolding in our schools and neighborhoods. And our volunteers, many of them working professionals with full schedules, give their time and energy to help strengthen this vital public service.
Every story we publish, every election guide we produce, and every question we answer is made possible by the people who believe and invest in our mission. To our staff, our board, our volunteers, our readers, subscribers, and donors, thank you. We do this work for you and with you–we truly could not do it without you. Together, we are not just preserving local journalism. We are ensuring that our community continues to have a voice, a heartbeat, and a trusted source of truth.
Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory
Built in 1929, the Oak Park Conservatory is a Historic Property of the Park District of Oak Park. Free to the public with 50,000 visitors annually, the Conservatory is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Conservatory o ers three indoor showrooms featuring more than 3,000 plants and two outdoor gardens including a play area for toddlers.
The Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory o ers a wide range of programs focused on enriching the visitor experience at the Conservatory. From volunteering to educational and recreational opportunities, tours and classes, there is something for everyone to enjoy year-round.
To learn more or to join, visit fopcon.org.
Growing Community Media
Growing Community Media is the reader supported newsroom behind four great local news publications covering our neighborhoods and villages. We publish the Austin Weekly News, Wednesday Journal of Oak Park & River Forest, Forest Park Review and Riverside-Brook eld Landmark. Day in and day out we provide authentic, boots-onthe-ground, fact-based reporting about people and places you know and value. We hold our public o cials and institutions accountable and help our communities stay connected and informed. Your gift to Growing Community Media is an investment in making your neighborhood a stronger and better place to live.
Donate for news that matters to you at growingcommunitymedia.org/donate
Habitat for Humanity Chicago
We at Habitat for Humanity Chicago do more than build homes. We help build thriving neighborhoods by o ering residents small grant opportunities, homebuyer education, and a ordable mortgages through our various programs. Working in the Austin, Greater Grand Crossing, and West Pullman community areas, our wider neighborhood approach guides our work and is sustained by our dedicated volunteers, donors, and partners.
Together, we build Chicago. Join us in investing in our neighbors today: habitatchicago.org/ donate • (312) 563-0296
Hephzibah Children’s Association
Founded in 1897, Hephzibah Children’s Association is Oak Park’s oldest social service agency. Serving children and families for 128 years, our mission of helping children thrive and families ourish is muti-faceted. We are the only residential treatment program for severely abused, neglected, and traumatized children in need of behavioral intervention from ages 3-11 in Illinois. In addition, Hephzibah o ers foster care services, comprehensive services for children and families in crisis, positive parenting services and an abuse & neglect prevention program. Hephzibah also provides a ordable after-school care and summer camp for Oak Park families of all income levels.
To make a donation, visit hephzibahhome.org/donate-now.
Holiday Food and Gift Basket
L’Arche Chicago
Holiday Food and Gift Basket, a program of the Community of Congregations, has been spreading joy in Oak Park and River Forest since the 1970’s. Every year we provide grocery gift cards in November and holiday gifts in December to low-income individuals and families. Our small program has a big impact because of the support of community members like you. We need donors to fund gift cards, sponsors to ful ll wish lists, and volunteers to deliver gifts. Thank you for helping our neighbors in need.
Please visit our website for information on how you can donate, sponsor, or volunteer. Find us at communityofcongregations.org/ holiday-food-gift-basket
Housing Forward
Housing Forward is passionately focused on one vision – ending homelessness.
Ending homelessness means addressing it at all levels, from the possibility of a housing crisis to its permanent resolution. We prevent homelessness whenever possible, respond to housing crises when they do occur, and stabilize people with supportive services and housing. Housing Forward is a recognized leader in west suburban Cook County, assisting over 2,500 individuals and families each year with our comprehensive wraparound support from the onset of a housing crisis to its resolution.
To learn more or get involved, visit housingforward.org, email or call 708-3381724
Together is a beautiful place to be…
Quality care for adults with intellectual & developmental disabilities extends beyond the basics of supporting someone with their basic living and medical needs. Everyone deserves an opportunity to live a vibrant and meaningful life. L’Arche Chicago is a highly relational community dedicated to creating a space where everyone’s unique gifts are celebrated. We are committed to the highest quality of care for our core members (adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities). Mutual relationships transform lives at all four of our homes, located in Forest Park, Oak Park, and Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.
You can make a beautiful impact – Join us by making a gift today! Visit www. larchechicago.org • 708-6601600 • hello@larchechicago. org
League of Women Voters of Oak Park-River Forest
The League of Women Voters Oak Park and River Forest is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. Locally, we register voters and sponsor candidate forums. We also present civic education programs covering topics such as the decline of local news, ranked choice voting and the problem of mis and disinformation. The League advocates at the state and national level on policy issues including voting rights, immigration and the environment. And the LWV nationwide United and Rise initiative aims to mobilize 8.5 million voters to protect and preserve our
Grant Holiday Wishes for BUILD’s West Side Kids
Every holiday season, BUILD brings together a community of hope, generosity, and joy through our Holiday Giving Village — a special tradition that ensures every young person we serve feels seen, valued, and celebrated.
Our dedicated BUILD mentors spend time collecting heartfelt wish lists from the youth they work with every day — kids and teens from Chicago’s West Side who dream of simple gifts that bring them happiness, comfort, or inspiration. From art supplies to cozy winter gear, sports equipment to favorite toys, each wish represents a moment of care and connection.
That’s where you come in. As a donor, volunteer, or group sponsor, you have the power to make these wishes come true. Sign up as an individual, family, workplace team, or community group, and help fill our “Holiday Giving Village” with love and generosity. Together, we can turn wish lists into wrapped presents and transform the season into something truly magical.
Every gift, no matter how small, tells our youth that their dreams matter — that their community believes in them. Join us this holiday season to spread cheer, share kindness, and light up the lives of BUILD’s West Side kids.
Wonder Works Children’s Museum Expands Museum Programming
Wonder Works Executive Director Rachel Weber says, “Wonder Works Children’s Museum offers unique learning opportunities for children. We have nine permanent exhibits and unique play materials. We welcome musicians, dancers, yogis, scientists, authors, and countless guests to enrich opportunities to learn through play in our small yet mighty museum.”
At Wonder Works, children and their families can do yoga, build a robot dog out of Legos, sing with Miss Molly and her ukulele, meet a “living mermaid”, touch a snake, or dance with a ballerina. Programming visits are possible thanks to a grant from the Oak Park and River Forest Townships Youth Services Committees. In 2026, Wonder Works plans to expand programming with more gross motor, STEM activities, and a programming block in the afternoon.
Each month, Wonder Works resets the museum to explore a different early childhood topic. During Dino Works, the museum becomes prehistoric, including a full size T-Rex skull on loan from the Field Museum, real fossils, and “baby dinosaur” puppet shows. Visitors explore space with astronaut costumes, cosmic painting, and develop pre-literacy skills while reading stories about the moon. Wonder Bubbles invites children to experience the joy of bubbles. Other themes include: Ocean Wonders, Winter Wonderland, Bugapalooza, and the Wonderween Pumpkin Fall Festival. In 2026, Wonder Works will be introducing two additional programs: Superheroes and Wonder Animals.
Wonder Works Children’s Museum is a 501c3 non-profit organization and relies on donations to grow museum programming. Make a gift to Wonder Works today at www.wonder-works. org/give .
Wonder Works Children’s Museum • wonder-works.org/give
Planting Seeds of Curiosity in Young Volunteers
Step inside the Oak Park Conservatory and you’ll see more than plants in bloom — you’ll see friendships blossoming, curiosity taking root, and neighbors connecting. For nearly 40 years, The Friends have nurtured this special place, creating moments of joy and discovery for people of all ages.
This summer, Sophia Fernandez, a 10-year-old “volunteer in training” with the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory, volunteered with our free early childhood program, Discovery Garden Exploration Time. Sophia visited on our first day of our hands-on naturethemed learning program during the summer and saw some young volunteers helping their docent grandmother set up the program.
help the kids.” Sophia’s mom, Yennifer, was beaming with pride. “We are very proud of her. I feel like she surprises me every single day with her ideas and motivation to be part of the community and help others. Sophia is always willing to make a difference.”
Every season, our volunteers guide schoolchildren through discovery and exploration, lead adults in learning something new, and create nature-inspired educational events that bring the whole community together.
The Friends are approaching our 40th Anniversary next year, and for four decades have offered an opportunity for volunteers of all ages to support our programs, do hands-on work in the Conservatory, and connect with others who share the same passion and interests.
This sparked an idea for Sophia that led to her volunteering every Thursday this summer. “I always enjoy playing with tiny children, and I am hoping one day to be a preschool teacher,” Sophia said. “I feel joyful and grateful that I get to
Please help sustain The Friends and the historic Conservatory. If you are interested in volunteering or supporting our efforts to continue offering free nature-based education programs to the community, visit our website at fopcon.org.
Conservatory • fopcon.org
Sponsored Content
Learning Edge
For over 30 years, Learning Edge has been a part of the Oak Park and Austin communities. Our mission is to strive for more equity in education by providing Chicago-area students who live in underserved communities free one-to-one tutoring and academic enrichment opportunities enhanced by caring, mentoring relationships. We help students improve their foundational math and reading skills, complete their homework, and foster their love of learning. Your support helps us provide school-year tutoring to over 100 students in grades K through 12 each year. To donate or volunteer, please visit our website learningedgetutoring.org.
Maywood Youth Mentoring Program
Organized in 1993 as a 501c3, the Maywood Youth Mentoring Program
Mission Curiosity by Our Future Reads
Since 2021, Our Future Reads has worked to close the literacy gap by providing free books to over 12,000 individuals across Chicagoland. This impact is made possible through Mission Curiosity, our community bookstore in Oak Park, where every $5 purchase helps fund book donations for those who need them most.
This season, you can help too. Donate. Volunteer. Visit the store.
Your support ensures families, shelters, and classrooms continue to receive books that inspire, educate, and empower.
For more information, visit ourfuturereads. com.
The Neighborhood Bridge
The Neighborhood Bridge connects families in the
down barriers and nurture every mom’s unique strength. By combining proven strategies, research, and real-life wisdom, we empower young families to dream bigger, achieve their goals, and build strong foundations for generations to come. Join us to make dreams a reality! Go to newmoms.org/donate.
The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association
The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association strengthens our community through learning, giving, and sharing our landmark building through space grants to local nonpro ts, who account for 80% of its usage. We provide community outreach, scholarships, and public programming in ve areas: music, art, literature, science, and social sciences. The Nineteenth Century is the owner of 178 Forest Avenue, commonly referred to as the Nineteenth Century Club. Our charitable and cultural activities are supported by our
Join the Foundation and help ful ll our vision of a racially just society in which all members of our community thrive and prosper. Donate today at oprfcf.org.
Oak Park Regional Housing Center
Oak Park Regional Housing Center has celebrated 52 years with the mission to achieve vibrant communities while promoting intentional and stable residential integration throughout Oak Park and the surrounding communities. OPRHC is the only HUD approved non- pro t agency in Oak Park promoting intentional integrative housing stability options while increasing housing inventory. Consider giving a tax-deductible year end donation so that we may reach our goal to raise $25,000 by December 31, 2024! These funds will help us continue to help integrate and invigorate the Greater Westside communities for up to 100 individuals in the rst quarter of 2025! You may donate at: oprhc. org/donate. To learn more,
One Earth Collective
One Earth curates vibrant environmental programming that inspires action, facilitates learning, promotes justice, and fosters equity and inclusion to create resilient communities and a healthier planet. We focus our work in 3 areas - One Earth Film Festival, One Earth Youth Voices, and One Earth Local. One Earth Film Fest’s 15th season will take place April 22-28, 2026. We’re excited to welcome Chicagoland audiences live, in addition to our virtual screenings. Join us for captivating lms, engaging discussion, impactful action opportunities and community-building.
Memberships start at $35. Learn more and donate at oneearth lmfest.org/give
OPRFHS Scholarship Foundation
OPRF Infant Welfare Society
Since 1916, OPRF Infant Welfare Society has supported families in need through programs including the IWS Children’s Clinic. Each year, 3,000 infants, children, and young adults from birth to age 21 receive medical, dental, and behavioral health services— regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Guided by a commitment to compassionate care delivered with respect and dignity, the Clinic attracts families from across Chicagoland, from nearby Oak Park to as far as Mount Vernon. OPRF IWS is powered by generous donors, dedicated sta , committed members, and caring volunteers. Join us in advancing children’s health. Donate at opr ws.org/donate.
PING! (Providing Instruments for the Next Generation) PING is a community
Progress Center for Independent Living
Founded in 1988, Progress Center for Independent Living is a cross-disability organization governed and sta ed by a majority of people with disabilities. Progress Center serves people with all types of disabilities in Suburban Cook County. We assist individuals in pursuit of their selfdetermined goals. Progress Center recognizes the innate rights, needs and diversity of the disabled, works toward their integration into community life, and serves as an agent of social change. Progress Center is dedicated to building a society in which people with disabilities exercise the same freedoms, rights, and civil liberties as everyone else. Donate today and learn more at progresscil.org.
Rotary Club of Oak Park-River Forest
The Rotary Club
St. Angela School
St. Angela School has served the families of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood for more than ve generations. We are committed to enriching the lives and futures of our children. We have a storied history and an extended family of generous alumni whose philanthropy provides scholarship funds and whose engagement keeps our campus beautiful. We are richly blessed and deeply grateful for the partnerships that have sustained us through the years. Now, early in our second century, we are proud to rea rm our commitment to love and serve all those who choose to be part of our community. We ask those partners to recommit to our cause as well. Thank you!
Learn more about St. Angela School at saintangela.org or call us at (773) 6262655.
Inn
Sarah’s
Sarah’s Inn takes a
A Kinship Care Success Story
“Keeping our family together and caring for Jaicion has meant everything to me.” After raising two biological children, adopting two foster children, and pitching in to help parent two nieces and a nephew after her sister succumbed to breast cancer, single mother Cindy Cash had been caring for children for nearly half a century. In 2019, Cindy’s grandson Jaicion was born with Trisomy 21, a form of Down syndrome, along with a host of related medical issues. Cindy’s son, Aaron (the baby’s father), and the birth mother were no longer together, and during the pandemic, all communication from Jaicion’s mom ceased. By the time he was seen by a pediatrician for a lingering lung infection, the medically vulnerable
toddler was so sick that he went into respiratory arrest in the exam room. Over 52 days of recovery, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) assumed temporary guardianship and began the search for a foster home. “It was a lot to take on, especially at my age. But Hephzibah made sure we had everything we needed to care for Jaicion, from medical equipment and supplies to a visiting nurse.” As soon as DCFS cleared Cindy as a kinship caregiver, she made a request to transfer Jaicion’s case to Hephzibah. Since those early days, Jaicion has gained so much weight that Cindy can’t pick him up anymore—and she can’t remember the last time he was sick. Cindy, Aaron, and Jaicion became a forever family through adoption in May 2025.
Hephzibah Children’s Association • 708-649-7100 • hephzibahhome.org
Building Futures together
or more than a century, the OPRFHS Scholarship Foundation has represented the core values of our community— generosity, opportunity, and belief in the potential of every student.
This year, 98 scholarships totaling $287,900 were awarded to OPRFHS graduates pursuing studies at universities, colleges, and trade schools. Each award is a personal story of support, reflecting the shared values of Oak Park and River Forest—commitment to hard work, education, and compassion for others.
What sets the Foundation apart is its extraordinary connection to Oak Park and River Forest. Every scholarship, whether inspired by a love of math, art, science, or service, honors someone’s story and supports the next generation’s ambitions. These awards don’t just help students pay for college—they remind them that their community stands behind them.
As one recipient shared, “These scholarships remind me to stay engaged with my community and to embrace new opportunities, both academically and personally.” Another reflected, “ This scholarship will go a long way in helping
me achieve my academic and career goals and reinforce my belief in the power of education and the kindness of those who make it more accessible to students like me.”
Their words capture what makes the Foundation unique: every gift echoes far beyond graduation day. As we look to the future, we invite you to help sustain this proud legacy—because belief, when shared, becomes opportunity. Visit scholarships4oprfhs.org to learn more.
Generations of Generosity
In 1968, Carleton of Oak Park owners Ron and Cathy Fox hosted a festive Christmas bash at their hotel to cheer up 50 young survivors of neglect and abuse from Hephzibah Home. Over the next five decades, their compassionate acts became a Fox family tradition spanning three generations. From his first Santa gig in the 1960s bursting into the Carleton’s banquet room after landing his reindeer-powered sleigh to his most recent appearance as in 2024, Ron Fox has brought comfort and joy to thousands of children at Hephzibah Home. Now in his eighties, Ron isn’t planning to hang up his Santa suit anytime soon. “I’d never miss a chance to make the holiday season a happy one for these kids,” he confides. “Everyone in our family pitches
in to make it a great day for the kids, from our daughter, Katie, and our son, Mike, to our grandchildren” adds Cathy. Their granddaughter Kaily has spread the word to her employer, KBC Advisors, who have since made generous donations to cover the cost of Christmas presents for hundreds of children in our residential, foster care, and intact family services programs and dispatched teams of volunteers to wrap those gifts. “My experiences at Hephzibah have opened my eyes to the resilience of children and the power of compassion,” says Kaily. “I carry those lessons with me, and I feel a strong responsibility to use my voice and my position to continue to support Hephzibah’s mission in the years to come.”
Share Food Share Love Food Pantry
Due to federal cuts to regional food distribution, our food pantry has been put on notice that we will likely not receive supplies that our neighbors in need are especially looking forward to this holiday season. Putting food on the table is a basic human right. Putting food on the table means we can a ord to take a break from our daily worries to feel the comforts of mealtime, togetherness, and nutritional well-being. Putting food on the table is an act of sharing and love.
You can make a real di erence this holiday season. Learn how: sharefoodsharelove.org.
Three Pillars Initiative
The idea to create a youth philanthropy leadership education program was born in 2010 by Rick and Cheryl King, long-time residents of Oak Park. In partnership with the OPRF Community Foundation, they launched the Future Philanthropists Program (FPP), now in its fteenth year.
Given the success of the Oak Park program, and a desire to share this model with communities across the country, the Three Pillars Initiative (TPI) was incorporated in October 2018. TPI’s mission is to work with communities to develop and launch programs that teach the art, science and business of philanthropy to the next generation.
Donate today to support the youth of tomorrow.
Way Back Inn
Since 1974, Way Back Inn has successfully provided longterm residential and outpatient treatment for substance use and gambling disorders. Our mission is to rebuild lives damaged by addiction in a personalized healing environment. This holiday season, we ask that you gift responsibly with the youth in your family. Children who have early exposure to gambling experiences, including lottery tickets, are more likely to develop a gambling problem later in life.
For more information or to make a donation to our program by scanning the QR.
West Suburban Special Recreation Association
Association (WSSRA) provides recreational programming for individuals with disabilities who reside in Oak Park, River Forest and eleven other surrounding communities. Donations to WSSRA help provide nancial assistance to those participating in our year-round programs and summer day camp.
To make a donation please visit wssra.net.
Wonder Works Children’s Museum in Oak Park
In the last few months, your West Cook YMCA has transformed, expanding our reach to serve youth, families, young professionals, and healthy aging
Wonder Works Children’s Museum has been a community gem on North Avenue since 2003. Our small but mighty museum plays a very important role in nurturing young minds, fostering a love of learning, and bolstering social and emotional skills. In 2025, we continued to grow museum access for ALL children through discounted admission for families with nancial needs, sensory friendly play sessions, and social service agency
West Cook YMCA
Growing Community Media Year End Fundraiser 2025
Growing Community Media is supported by its readers. We need you now more than ever. Invest in your community newsroom.
Check Us Out. Attend a Program. All Are Welcome!
“It Changed My Life”: How a Young Mom Found Support, Stability and Self-Confidence at New Moms
178 Forest Ave., Oak Park | 708-386-2729 www.nineteenthcentury.org | info@nineteenthcentury.org
A 501 (c) 3 and Illinois Non-Profit Organization
When Janiece found New Moms, she said it felt like a breath of fresh air.
Before then, the young mom – raising her baby and toddler alone – had been moving from house to house, without support or a clear plan for the future.
At New Moms, she found a new path toward a brighter tomorrow. The nonprofit organization gave her a place to live and job training – as well as a network of care and a belief in herself she had never had before.
children. A therapist supported her mental wellness and how to express herself, and other moms in the parent support group showed her she’s not alone. Meanwhile, her coaches helped her develop goals and build the confidence she needed to achieve them.
“Before I felt like I didn’t have that motherly support, but my coaches believed in me and they pushed me, and I feel like that really helped,” she said.
“I would say it changed my life, because I never received so much support,” she said.
Janiece quickly developed relationships throughout New Moms, which was created specifically to support young moms and their
Poverty and homelessness weigh heavily on young families—but brighter futures are possible. For 40 years, New Moms has empowered young moms to thrive. You can be part of the change this holiday season.
DONATE
Support young moms through one-time, recurring, or in-kind donations.
VOLUNTEER
A variety of opportunities are available for both individuals and groups.
SUPPORT
Shop our social enterprise, brightendeavors.org, for candles and home fragrance products handcrafted by young moms.
Scan to learn more and get involved
After a year in the program, Janiece has a new future to look forward to. She has her own stable housing and a job at a university. And, she has big dreams for what’s next, including opening her own food truck.
“It was a great experience,” she said of her time at New Moms. “Those coaches really help you.”
New Moms • 773-252-3253 • newmoms.org
newmoms.org/donate
Sponsored Content
Since eighth grade, Alyssa has been a powerful force for positive change in the Austin community. Introduced to Austin Coming Together (ACT) through her grandmother, Alyssa quickly found herself immersed in community work and youth events — experiences that would shape not only her connections, but her future.
“ e rst thing I did with ACT was join the Restorative Justice Circles every ursday,” she recalls. “ at space helped me grow as a person. It gave me the chance to listen, to lead, and to connect.”
During the pandemic, ACT partnered with Taproots to expand Restorative Justice training for youth. rough this collaboration, Alyssa helped coordinate RJ Circle trainings that empowered young people to become Circle Keepers, including herself. e experience deepened her understanding of healing justice and connected her to the broader work of organizations like BUILD, where she saw the power of restorative practices in action.
From Youth to Leader: Alyssa’s Austin Story
Today, Alyssa is a fully trained Circle Keeper, facilitating safe and healing spaces for dialogue. is role has allowed her to bridge generations and connect with people from all walks of life, while also deepening her own roots in the community.
“I see familiar faces at events now. It feels like home — like we’re building something together.”
rough ACT, Alyssa was also introduced
to Territory, a youth-led design nonpro t working to reimagine public spaces. Her work with Territory’s “Creating Spaces in the Community” initiative helped her see how a vacant lot could become a vibrant, shared place — built with and for the people who live there. It was a hands-on lesson in community development and the power of collaborative design.
Now with a degree in Sociology from Illinois State University, Alyssa says ACT didn’t just shape her local involvement, it helped guide her career path. Her time with ACT sparked a strong interest in urban planning, especially as it relates to equity and community development.
“It showed me how important it is to invest in where you live. ACT taught me that I have a voice — and that I can use it to shape my environment.”
She also participated in programs through Chicago Austin Youth and Travel Adventures and MyChiMyFuture, which expanded her
Austin Coming Together • 773-417-8601 • austincomingtogether.org
Rotary brings people together to take action and make lasting change.
Learn more about your local chapter at oprfrotary.org
view of what’s possible for young people in Austin and across the city.
Alyssa strongly believes in the importance of getting youth involved early.
“ ere are so many good tools through ACT to help kids connect with their communities. Even when the world tries to devalue where we live, ACT reminds us that our neighborhood matters. And we matter.”
Her message to other young people in Austin?
“Treat Austin like somewhere you would want to move to.”
“Ask yourself — what do I want Austin to look like?”
For Alyssa, the answer is clear: a place where young people are heard, neighbors are connected, and community isn’t just a word — it’s a way of life.
Rotary: An International Organization’s Local Impact
In Bolivia, a profound health crisis is met with hope and action, thanks to the dedicated efforts of individuals like Iris Saavedra-Zaldivar and the Rotary Club of Oak ParkRiver Forest. Their mission addresses one of the most pressing public health challenges in the region: combating the human papillomavirus (HPV) through education and vaccination. Bolivia has the highest rate of cervical cancer in all of South America. HPV, a common virus, is a primary cause of this cancer, as well as several other cancers affecting both women and men. Despite the availability of life-saving vaccines, the nation faces significant hurdles in its immunization efforts. This is largely due to a critical lack of healthcare resources and infrastructure, which leaves vulnerable of all ages and genders exposed.
goes beyond simply administering vaccines; it involves a comprehensive campaign of community education to inform families about the critical importance of the HPV vaccine in preventing future cancers.
Saavedra-Zaldivar and the Rotary Club directly confronts these barriers. Their work
This campaign is part of Rotary International’s broader mission of disease prevention and treatment. While Rotary is renowned for its decades-long fight to eradicate polio worldwide, its efforts extend to combating a wide range of conditions, including malaria, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes. A core tenet of this work is the emphasis on prevention, achieved through health education and by bringing basic health care services like routine hearing, vision, and dental care to underserved populations around the globe. Visit oprfrotary.org to learn more and get involved in this local service organization.
Rotary of Oak Park River Forest • oprfrotary.org
Season of Giving presented by
Index of Organizations and Sponsors
Season of Giving
Animal Care League
B13, B26
A Celebration of Kindness
Arts Alliance Forest Park B26
Austin Coming Together ............................. B14, B15, B24
Whether you’re seeing a movie at the Lake Theatre or strolling through Austin Gardens, we think you should be able to get all of your banking done in your neighborhood… with people who love the area as much as you do. Byline is privileged to be a part of the Oak Park and River Forest community, and we are proud to have contributed more than $35,000 in sponsorships and support in 2025 to local nonprofits like Beyond Hunger, the Oak Park Festival Theatre, Thrive Counseling Center, and several others.
To learn more about our commitment to Oak Park and River Forest, visit bylinebank.com/oprf
Left to right:
My Hanh La, Senior Universal Banker; Isbeth Saravia, Assistant Branch Manager; Denise Warren, Branch Manager; Susie Goldschmidt,Market President
