Mission

The Albany Park Community Center educates and supports members of the community as they determine their own path of growth and development, by providing diverse programs and services for individuals, families, groups and businesses.

Vision

The Albany Park Community Center envisions a healthy community where members:

• respect, honor and celebrate diversity;

• use their skills, talents and gifts not only to help themselves, but also for the good of others;

• live in safety and harmony;

• access good quality education, health care, shopping, transportation, recreation and affordable housing; and

• realize their hopes for a better life.

Values

The Albany Park Community Center is committed to respect individual dignity, diversity and self-determination while providing the highest level of services with integrity and compassion.

History

The Albany Park Community Center, Inc., is a not-for-profit, community-based organization located in the multi-ethnic, working poor neighborhood of Albany Park.  The Center operates a wide range of programs and services in and around the community we serve.  Since its inception, the Center has been the largest social service agency exclusively serving the Albany Park neighborhood.  Our administrative office is located at 3403 West Lawrence Avenue, Suite 300, Chicago, Illinois 60625.  The Center's largest program facility is located at 5101 North Kimball.  The Center also operates child care programs in its other facilities located at 3401 West Ainslie.  Counseling and substance abuse prevention programs are also offered at ten Chicago Public Elementary and High

The Albany Park Community Center was incorporated on September 24, 1975 and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors operating under a Charter from the State of Illinois and the Board's By-Laws.  The agency is exempt from federal income tax under sections 509(a) and 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 

The Center is a United Way member agency.  The Board of Directors applied for membership in the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago in 1976.  The Center was accepted as an two-year provisional member in 1977.  Based on the agency's excellent first year performance, the United Way waived the second year of provisional membership and accepted the Center as a regular and full member in 1978.

Albany Park has been the site of dramatic community transition over the years.  Predominantly upper-working class Jewish residents lived in the area until the early 1960's.  Over the past forty years, the population profile has changed to include a high percentage of poverty-level and low-income working class residents from a variety of backgrounds.