The Onward House CARES Community Center is a new community resource that Onward House is building to expand access to health, food, education, and support for children and families across Chicago’s Northwest Side. It is scheduled to open in winter 2026.

The CARES Community Center exemplifies the model that Onward House has developed over the last 130-years. We provide a comprehensive range of social services under one roof, and we have developed partnerships with exceptional providers to expand the scope of services we can provide, especially in the area of health. By collaborating with service providers, foundations, elected officials, and community members, the new Community Center creates a foundation for generational impact, fostering lasting change and a stronger community for decades to come.

An image of the new Onward House Food Pantry which is laid out like a grocery store with carts and aisles full of fresh and stable foods.
CARES Center Food Pantry

We began the process to renovate the 31,000 square- foot property at 2644 North Central Ave in 2022 with plans to scale up critical services that are in high demand, especially our Health Services, IL Welcoming Center, and Food and Resource Pantry. Onward House is partnering with a host of health and social service providers to bring resources to the Northwest Side community. A few of the key partnerships for this project include: The Reva and David Logan Foundation, Greater Chicago Food Depository, CommunityHealth, IWS Family Health, Cicero Family Service, Whitney Architects, and Star Farm Chicago.

CARES Community Center Groundbreaking Video

Onward House will renovate the property at 2644 North Central for service delivery through a community-center model, creating a multi-site campus in Belmont Cragin. Participants will access a welcoming gathering place that will serve both as a one-stop shop for critical human services, and as a neighborhood anchor for newcomers and long-term residents alike. Onward House will meet rising demand by expanding operating space and augmenting services primarily in three critical areas—our Food Pantry, Illinois Welcoming Center, and Health Services—while providing additional classroom space for Adult Education programs.

People sit at tables through a large multi-purpose room. Along one wall, a demonstration kitchen is being used to show healthy preparations of fresh and stable foods.
CARES Center Community Space

The CARES Community Center represents a critical expansion of Onward House’s wraparound model, increasing access to health and health-supporting services while addressing the social determinants that shape long-term outcomes. Through CARES, Onward House will:

  • Expand access to healthcare by housing primary, pediatric, and behavioral health services under one roof simplifying how families navigate care.
  • Promote seamless, coordinated support and enable warm handoffs between medical, behavioral, and social service providers to ensure families can access the full continuum of care and resources in one place.
  • Strengthen food security through an expanded Food Pantry, a demonstration kitchen, and a rooftop garden, recognizing nutrition as foundational to long-term health and well-being.
  • Leverage data to track impact over time, map community needs, and design long-term, community-based solutions.

As the social safety net continues to erode, CARES will provide the stability and flexibility needed to ensure that immigrant and low-income families on Chicago’s Northwest Side can access the care and support they need to thrive.

CARES in the news: