Earlier this week, a major project aimed at improving the health, wellness and economic outcomes of Garfield Park residents began.
On Monday, the Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative, The Community Builders and the MAAFA Redemption Project, alongside Mayor Brandon Johnson, officially broke ground on the highly anticipated Sankofa Wellness Center, the first major component of the Sankofa Wellness Village.
Mayor Brandon Johnson at Sankofa Wellness groundbreaking ceremony (Photo Credit: Bernard Lilly, Sr.).
Joined by key partners including Erie Family Health Centers, Rush University System for Health, and the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, the Wellness Center represents a transformative step toward improving health outcomes for residents of Garfield Park.
The project directly addresses a significant life expectancy gap—13 years less than those living just five miles away in the Loop. By addressing the root causes of health disparities, including wellness access, economic opportunity and community violence, the Wellness Center aims to provide sustainable solutions led by the Garfield Park community itself.
Dr. David Ansell RUSH addressing audience at Sankofa Wellness Center Groundbreaking (Photo Credit: Bernard Lilly, Sr.).
Set to be completed by the end of 2025, the Sankofa Wellness Center will offer comprehensive services to support the health and wellness of Garfield Park residents, including:
- Primary medical care, behavioral health, reproductive and dental services, substance use disorder treatment, health education, and future healthcare workforce training, all provided by Erie Family Health Centers without regard to insurance or immigration status.
- Mental health screenings, health promotion programs, and workforce development initiatives, driven by Rush University System for Health.
- Fitness and recreational services, including a gymnasium, youth programs, and drop-in childcare, supported by the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.
“Everyone in this community deserves high quality healthcare that they can easily access and afford. We are thrilled to take this next big step toward opening Erie Sankofa Village Health Center, and proud to collaborate with the community and our Wellness Village partners,” says Dr. Lee Francis, President and CEO, Erie Family Health Centers.
“This unique collaboration of community residents, organizations and health care providers gets to a core, shared belief that everyone should have a chance to be healthy — and we do that by increasing access to care, creating jobs, providing preventative and mental health services, and so much more,” said Dr. Omar Lateef, president and CEO of Rush University System for Health and Rush University Medical Center. “That’s what the village is all about – creating better health for the entire community.”
“As an organization committed to strengthening community by connecting all people to their purpose, potential, and each other, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago is humbled and excited to stand alongside community members, leaders, and advocates today as we break ground on the flagship piece of the Sankofa Wellness Village,” said Dorri McWhorter, President & CEO, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. “The community’s vision for — and work toward — this development is years in the making, and we look forward to playing our part in empowering West Garfield Parkers to see it through to fruition.”
Audience at Sankofa Wellness Center Groundbreaking (Photo Credit: Bernard Lilly, Sr.).
In addition to its healthcare and wellness services, the center will feature a café, a Credit Union, a community education room, and multipurpose spaces. West Side United, which aims to eliminate life expectancy gaps in Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods, will also move its headquarters to the Wellness Center.
“Today’s groundbreaking is truly a communal celebration. It represents a promising future for West Garfield Park, a neighborhood whose time has come,” said Marshall Hatch Jr., co-founder of the MAAFA Redemption Project and Board Chair of Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative. “For decades we’ve been grappling with the aftermath of structural violence, but today we start a key piece of the work to rebuild and restore. We’re grateful for all of the Village partners who worked to make today possible, and we’re especially grateful for the residents whose hopes propel our way forward.”
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