Lurie Children's looks to bring new hope to Chicago's West Side
Lurie Children's looks to bring new hope to Chicago's West Side
When the doors open next summer, the Austin Hope Center will increase access to quality care for young people on the city's West Side.
CHICAGO - A new partnership between Lurie Children’s and Stone Community Development Corporation will deliver vital pediatric services to Chicago’s West Side — a major step forward in bringing healthcare closer to home.
What we know:
The Austin HOPE Center, which is slated to open its doors next summer, aims to increase access to quality care for young people on the city's West Side.
"We always designed this with the youth in mind," said Pastor Contrell Jenkins of Lively Stone Missionary Baptist Church.
Construction is expected to start in the coming weeks. Owned by the Stone Community Development Corporation, in partnership with Lurie Children’s, the facility will put clinical and community-based resources under one roof.
"Lurie Children’s mission is to improve the health of children, and we know that health is more than healthcare," said Lurie Children’s Chief of Community Health Mary Kate Daly.
The site will offer mental and behavioral healthcare along with pediatric specialty services.
"And it’s the specialty services that we heard from the community will be most helpful in Austin," Daly said. "Things like asthma, adolescent medicine, an autism clinic, GI, those kinds of services."
The brand-new three-story building will transform the corner of Chicago Avenue and Lawler Avenue.
"It’s going to give kids in Austin access, something that we didn’t have; then not just access, but quality," Jenkins said.
The facility will also feature an early childhood room, a teen lounge, and conference spaces for training.
Dig deeper:
During the pandemic, Jenkins, who leads Lively Stone Missionary Baptist Church, recognized the need for a holistic approach to healing and health.
"The type of trauma that I learned our children are dealing with, although I’ve been pastoring at Lively Stone Missionary Baptist Church for 10 years, it increased," Jenkins explained.
It inspired him to team up with Lurie Children’s. Now, their shared vision is taking shape.
"All of this is really culminating right now," Daly said.
Since the project is rooted in serving youth, it's only fitting that they have a voice in shaping it from the ground up.
"The best way for us to do that is that, of course, is to ask the young people directly," Daly said.
At Austin Town Hall Park, a group of neighborhood kids and teens recently served as a sounding board.
"We learn from them, our team takes it back, and it’s just been an amazing process," Jenkins said.
Students from Kipp Elementary School's Model UN Program, the Boys & Girls Club, Stone CDC, and Communities United have played a key role in designing the site.
"They’ve done everything from walking and talking to the architects, drawing out spaces that they want to see, picking out furniture, colors, all of those things, so when this place opens, they will already have ownership because they’ve been a part of it every step of the way," said Aisha Oliver, community engagement consultant.
Youth involvement is giving teens like 9th grader Khloe Hollins stake in the project.
"It makes them feel welcomed, it makes them feel like they are included in something," Hollins said. "We had ideas like fidgeting rooms or mentors, or relaxed spaces when people are overwhelmed or stressed."
During a recent workshop, two questions sparked meaningful discussion:
- What does a community space that truly supports the physical and mental health of you (and your family) look and feel like?
- What are the biggest challenges you face in accessing supportive health and wellbeing services and developmental resources?
Oliver, who is a consultant on the project, says the feedback they've received from youth is a driving force in how they are adapting to the community's needs. For example, speech therapy wasn't originally in the blueprint but is something kids in the focus group are asking for.
"I think if there’s a way that we could bring a service in that would help these kids gain that confidence in speaking publicly and speaking more about what they see and need in our community I think that would be an A+ on us," Oliver said.
The project itself is also setting out to earn an A+ — by fostering healthier futures for local youth.
"I definitely want them to feel a sense of belonging, I want them to feel a sense of value, like we matter, that’s why we built this space," Jenkins said.
What's next:
Construction is set to begin soon and is expected to take about 12 months to finish. Those leading the project anticipate its completion in Summer 2026.
If you are interested in learning more about the Austin HOPE Center or getting involved in the project, learn more by clicking HERE.
The Source: Information in this story was collected through interviews with project leaders from Lurie Children's and Stone Community Development Corporation, and in speaking with community stakeholders.